The Goon Squad, by Daniel Kolitz

The death of Nautica Malone, who shot himself after a viral incident involving public indecency at a coffee shop, unexpectedly catalyzed an online movement known as "gooning." Malone's vigil was ironically dubbed the "Gooneral," and his death was termed "Goonicide" by hundreds of thousands online, suggesting the term "to goon" had broken into the mainstream. Gooning is defined as a new, goal-oriented form of masturbation, resembling edging but focused on achieving the "goonstate," a supposed zone of bliss or ego death often requiring hours or days of continuous activity. Although Malone was reportedly unaffiliated with the practice, the gooners adopted him as a martyr for their cause, which is described as a vibrant, Gen Z-dominated, pornography-obsessed subculture. The movement's origins were further evidenced by "gooncaves," specialized rooms for porn consumption, whose members openly shared photos online, sometimes featuring themselves, acting as early indicators of significant psychological damage following recent lockdowns.