Destiny (person)

{{significantly problematic}}[[File:ModernDayDebateDestiny2020.png|thumb|right|165px|Bonnell, in 2020, during a debate with [[Vaush]].]]
[[File:Destiny (streamer) logo.svg|thumb|right|165px|Destiny logo]]
{{youtubenav}}
'''Steven Kenneth Bonnell II''' {{lived|1988|}}, better known by his online nickname '''Destiny''', is an [[American]] Twitch streamer and [[YouTube|YouTuber]]. Though primarily a [[video game|gaming]] channel, his YouTube channel has become better known for his [[centrist]] and [[neoliberal]] political content, initially debunking and criticizing Youtube [[conservatism|conservatives]] and [[reactionary|reactionaries]], but then quickly began denouncing [[socialists]] and [[left-wing]] content creators in general. His moment of glory came in 2017 when he exposed [[JonTron]]’s [[white nationalism|white nationalist]] sympathies in an online debate, but since then has made a habit of occasionally engaging in apologetics for far-right personalities.

==General positions==
Below are a few examples of Destiny's [[centrist]] and [[Economic neoliberalism|neoliberal]] views:

* Throughout his debates, he consistently summarizes his philosophy as [[Utilitarianism|"rules-based utilitarianism"]].<ref name="Sargon Debate">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlRD3A6ZPkY Your positions are COMPLETELY unfounded ft. Sargon of Akkad] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 2 
March 2019</ref>
* He supports [[neoliberalism|neoliberal]], [[Capitalism|capitalist]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJPgmNm1IyQ The capitalist arc of my streaming career] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 28 May 2019</ref> and [[free trade]] policies.
* Bonnell believes that [[voter ID]] laws are inherently [[racism|racist]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaRfhchKKGI Voter ID Law Debate with Fan] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 17 September 2017</ref>
* He used to hold a generally favorable view of [[Black Lives Matter]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTkMgMzYmQc Police Brutality & Black Lives Matter - Debate with Twitter User] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 27 January 2018</ref> but later switched his position during the [[George Floyd]] protests, and claimed that [[police brutality]] can sometimes be justified, and has outright actively incited violent crackdowns and massacres against Black Lives Matter activists.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVdbMPP3tPA Was shooting him justified?] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 24 April 2019</ref><ref>Daniel Park, [https://gamerant.com/twitch-destiny-streamer-partner/ Twitch Legal Department Unpartners Destiny After 'Encouragement of Violence']. gamerant.com, 12 September 2020.</ref><ref>[https://www.ginx.tv/en/twitch/twitch-streamer-destiny-loses-partnership-for-encouraging-violance-against-protesters Twitch streamer Destiny loses partnership for "encouraging violence"] ''GINX Esports TV'' 12 September 2020</ref>
* Destiny’s YouTube content was initially pro-[[transgender|trans]], especially since he strongly argued against [[Ben Shapiro]]’s conflation of [[sex]] and [[gender]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZwOe2--VUg Are Sex & Gender the Same Thing - Ben Shapiro Video Review] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 2 January 2018</ref> However, he has repeatedly defended [[TERF]] activists such as ''[[Harry Potter]]'' author [[J.K. Rowling]] against accusations of [[transphobia]], and argued that Rowling's comments are likely [[Hanlon's_razor|caused by ignorance instead of genuine hatred.]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqRsvWwfPKU IS JK ROWLING A TERF?] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 2 January 2020</ref>
* He used to frequently use [[ableism|ableist]] slurs in his videos,<ref>[https://youtu.be/yGHzSAo9yqI?t=4195 Talking About JonTron, Sargon, My Emotional Well-being and More] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 22 May 2017</ref> but has since claimed he is trying to phase these words out of his vocabulary because he does not like the idea of using a group of people to mean something “bad”, comparing it to using derogatory terms for non-[[heterosexual]] people.<ref>[https://youtu.be/4UAvbomI6hc?t=15m12s Twitch Streamers talk about Ableist and Homophobic Slurs] from the YouTube channel “Sabor” 18 August 2019</ref>
* He supports the [[European Union]] and its federalization into a superstate as part of [[globalization]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_itJqwl4rCw Why I support the EU] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 6 February 2019</ref>
* He does not believe in the existence of [[Natural law|natural human rights]], and he instead claims that the only rights that exist are the ones that a [[government]] will grant and protect.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfJP-0wEKnw You can't keep begging the question with that statement… - Destiny Debates Adam Kokesh] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 4 August 2019</ref>
* He has a generally hostile and conservative view regarding increasing the national [[minimum wage]] to US$15 and beyond, claiming that rapidly increasing it would invariably hurt small businesses who may not be equipped to pay such a high amount. He has argued that tying minimum wage to [[inflation]] would be positive, however.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd8Lm2owIJQ</ref>
* He has a favorable view of a 2-state solution to the [[Israel|Israeli]]-[[Palestine|Palestinian]] conflict, and stated that in his mind the Palestinians should negotiate lasting peace instead of choosing violence, that Israel must make concessions and pursue peace instead of fighting to maintain an untenable status-quo that is only benefiting its side, and that he has a negative view of the Israeli settlements in the West Bank.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X_KdkoGxSs Destiny vs Simcha Rothman on Israel-Hamas War | Palestine, Hamas & Gaza] from the YouTube channel ''Eli Hassel'' 6 March 2024</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X_KdkoGxSs Israel-Palestine Debate: Finkelstein, Destiny, M. Rabbani & Benny Morris | Lex Fridman Podcast #418] from the YouTube channel ''Lex Fridman'' 14 March 2024</ref>

==Debates and other shenanigans==
===The good===
Destiny has debated many [[alt-right]] personalities and their [[Alt-lite|useful idiots]], including [[JonTron]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RQA9GZprqM Debating JonTron] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 13 March 2017</ref> [[Lauren Southern]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhYXZtCaSng Debating Lauren Southern on immigration] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 16 January 2017</ref> [[Nick Fuentes]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10neTGqaO20 Debating Immigration with Nick Fuentes] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 9 November 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qWwPklqh4s Immigration Debate with Nicholas J. Fuentes] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 26 September 2017</ref> and [[Sargon of Akkad]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq9TZciWpJw Debating @Sargon_of_Akkad] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 2 December 2016</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NjdIyo6y8Y Discussions with Sargon of Akkad, Take 2] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 19 March 2017</ref><ref name="Sargon Debate"/> Former alt-right sympathizers, most notably Caleb Cain (Faraday Speaks, currently a leftist YouTube content creator), credit Destiny and [[ContraPoints]], among others, for their de-radicalization and shift away from conservative extremism.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/08/technology/youtube-radical.html The Making of a YouTube Radical] ''The New York Times'' 8 June 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfLa64_zLrU My Descent into the Alt-Right Pipeline] from the YouTube channel ''Faraday Speaks'' 21 March 2019</ref> However, in an attempt to [[balance fallacy|balance]] out debating far-rightists and far-leftists, he has also debated some {{wpl|BreadTube|Breadtubers}}/LeftTubers, including Ben Burgis,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaKBp9x3CpE This is not a healthy positive direction to head in... - Destiny Debate on Socialism ft. Ben Burgis] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 16 July 2019</ref> 
Mike from PA,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKrqNp3fbhI This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard... - Destiny Debates Mike from PA] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 19 August 2019</ref> NonCompete,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJqmSw2S31w This feels so idealized… - Destiny Debates NonCompete] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 14 August 2019</ref> and his former friend<ref>[https://youtu.be/ULyTIl9CjXE Why I Burned the Vaush Bridge - Debate w/ Xanderhal] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 15 September 2020</ref> [[Vaush]]. Finally, he has debated Marxist/"[[National Bolshevism|patriotic socialist]]" [[Caleb Maupin]]<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T6nf8AiYw4 This isn't strengthening your arguments… - Destiny Debates Socialism ft. Caleb Maupin] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny'' 3 September 2019</ref> and Peter Coffin,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUfWZVnkj4Q "You ran away from every SINGLE point" - Destiny Debates Peter Coffin ft. The Serfs] from the YouTube channel ''Destiny''</ref>.

Destiny is a formal proponent of [[social justice]], primarily focusing on the rights of minority groups, including trans people.<ref name="Social Justice">[https://positions.destiny.gg/docs/politics#social-justice I think that social justice is a real thing. We have made a ton of progress so far...] From Destiny's website</ref>

===The not-so-good===
In November and December of 2020, Destiny led a canvassing operation to help {{wpl|Raphael Warnock}} and {{wpl|Jon Ossoff}} win their important Senate races in [[Georgia]],<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93leuGiUSpo I'm Getting Involved in Politics and Heading to Atlanta] from the YouTube channel 'Destiny' 16 November 2020</ref> but upon arrival, he realized that he did not have any reliable voter data and campaign infrastructure, and was left completely unprepared for the event. When asked to pay for staff time and management with an organization that could help, he stubbornly refused any assistance.<ref>https://twitter.com/zei_squirrel/status/1336133078130044933</ref> After the Democrats swept both Senate seats in Georgia, he decided to canvass for Mark Gudgel, a Democratic Party candidate for the Mayor of [[Nebraska|Omaha]], Nebraska, which is Destiny's hometown. However, Destiny's past quickly damaged his legitimacy, and Gudgel promptly rejected Destiny's support due to his controversial past comments and actions, especially his incitement of violence against Black Lives Matter protesters and activists.<ref>Chris Bowling, [https://thereader.com/news/after-cutting-ties-with-controversial-streamer-gudgel-staying-in-mayoral-race After Cutting Ties with Controversial Streamer, Gudgel Staying in Mayoral Race] The Reader, 5 Mar. 2021</ref>

===The bad===
{{quotebox|'''NonCompete:''' If they're hungry, why not just give them food? Why not just-

'''Destiny:''' [[argument by assertion|Because this fantasy world where we can have maximum production to get everybody houses, food, clothing, it doesn't exist. It's not possible.]]

'''NonCompete:''' Six times more empty houses in the United States than there are homeless people. We throw away-

'''Destiny:''' [[ignorance|Wait, how do those two numbers connect at all? What does that have to do with anything at all?]]

'''NonCompete:''' Why should anybody be homeless when we have empty house-

'''Destiny:''' [[willful ignorance|I don't know what an empty house has to do with a homeless person.]] [[loaded language|Are you going to steal those houses from people who own them, or what?]]

'''NonCompete:''' Yes, why not?

'''Destiny:''' Okay, I mean I'm not… [[argumentum ad hominem|it's strange that as an anarcho-communist]], [[non sequitur|you're telling me that the state needs to seize property from other people.]] [[argument from incredulity|I don't understand!]] [laughs for 5 seconds]<ref>https://twitter.com/biggestjoel/status/1348513667155963906?s=20</ref>}}

Expectably for someone who spends so much of their time criticizing notable right-wingers and anti-[[SJWs]], Destiny has garnered a sizable [[leftist]] fanbase, but in spite of that fact, he openly hates the [[leftist]] portion of his fanbase for not fully agreeing with his neoliberal politics, and even went as far as to say: 

{{quotebox|What [[God]] do I have to [[pray]] to to get rid of my lefty following? I'd almost rather have [[Fascism|fashies]] at this point, ugh.<ref>{{a|https://twitter.com/ModalSevenths/status/1112921484043960320|Destiny-chan on Twitter}} 1 April 2019</ref>}}

{{quotebox|Oh sorry also by "lefty" I meant [[Communism|commies]] and shit, not just people who are [[progressive]]/lean left.<ref>{{a|https://twitter.com/ModalSevenths/status/1113050994311491584|Destiny-chan on Twitter}} 2 April 2019</ref>}}

In December 2020, he had a acrimonious barfight with @RespectableLaw on [[Twitter]], taking a section of an LSAT practice test to prove that it was extremely easy to become a lawyer, and he even changed his Twitter profile picture and description to claim that he earned an implausibly high score of 184 on the test despite the highest possible score being 180, although this was likely done as a joke.<ref>https://twitter.com/RespectableLaw/status/1336513127769403392</ref> He was subsequently suspended from Twitter for evading his permanent ban on the website.<ref>https://twitter.com/JordanUhl/status/1336723956129259520</ref> In addition, Destiny [[Denialism|repeatedly claimed that the CIA had nothing to do with Pinochet's coup against Salvador Allende in Chile]],<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/uncensorstiny/comments/kdrezg/curb_your_wiki_destiny_on_pinochet_and_the_cia/</ref> [[Irony|despite the CIA itself explicitly admitting its main role in triggering the coup and sabotaging Chile's economy.]]<ref>https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu//news/20000919/01-13.htm</ref> In April 2021, Destiny engaged in a live online debate with [[Marxist]] economist and professor Richard D. Wolff.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRzPAJt0qTU Destiny Vs. Richard Wolff: Capitalism Vs. Socialism]</ref>

===The ugly===
Destiny has an unfathomably long record of everything ranging from bad takes to bad jokes, to borderline inexcusable behavior. It would be near impossible to make a complete list of everything ugly he's ever done. Here are just a few of his most-well known worst moments.

In September 2020, Destiny's long-standing partnership with Twitch.tv was terminated for inciting violence and illegal conduct after defending the far-right {{wpl|Kenosha unrest#Fatal shooting of protesters|Kenosha shooter}} [[Kyle Rittenhouse]] and he openly called for Black Lives Matter protesters to be [[Extrajudicial punishment|shot to death by far-right militias]]:<ref>Daniel Park, [https://gamerant.com/twitch-destiny-streamer-partner/ Twitch Legal Department Unpartners Destiny After 'Encouragement of Violence']. ''Game Rant'', 12 September 2020.</ref>

{{quotebox|The rioting needs to fucking stop. If that means [[militia movement|white redneck militia dudes]] mowing down dipshit protesters that think they can torch buildings at 10 PM, at this point they have my fucking blessing. Holy shit, this shit needs to stop. It needed to stop a long time ago.<ref>[https://www.ginx.tv/en/twitch/twitch-streamer-destiny-loses-partnership-for-encouraging-violance-against-protesters Twitch streamer Destiny loses partnership for "encouraging violence"] ''GINX Esports TV'' 12 September 2020</ref>}}

Destiny made a particularly embarrassing blunder during a debate with [[Anarchism#Anarcho-communism|anarcho-communist]] Emerican 'NonCompete' Johnson, where he trivialized and outright denied the atrocities and [[war crimes]] committed by American soldiers in [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]] in the direct presence of his Vietnamese co-host and current wife, Luna Oi.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJqmSw2S31w</ref> (Destiny is in good company, however, as Luna Oi is a Vietnamese nationalist who denies North Vietnamese war crimes committed during the same conflict.)<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/tankiejerk/comments/n68ub4/luna_oi_dismissing_the_hue_massacre_as_propaganda/?rdt=33064</ref>

A significant controversy in Destiny's career involves his distinction between the public and private use of the [[nigger|N-word]]. He defended this stance in a lengthy online post that focused on documenting what he described as the bad-faith debate tactics and hypocrisy of his opponents. This post is often mischaracterized by critics as the '10,000-word N-word manifesto,' a title which is factually inaccurate regarding its length (approximately 4,000 words) and its format.
<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Destiny/comments/dmjb18/clarifying_some_previous_events/</ref>

In relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in the months before the {{wpl|Israel–Hamas war}} in 2023 he has made the heinous and ignorant comment while talking to friends saying "honestly, I'm pro-genocide..." while giggling when asked about the conflict.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG7-rwT2Z6M</ref> Later, after talking to his friend that actually had some background knowledge, he demonstrated that he knew nothing about the conflict and took everything back.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG7-rwT2Z6M</ref> After the 7<sup>th</sup> of October, while the war was going on, he has stated that "if October 7th would've happened to the settlers, I wouldn't give a fuck, ..., I wouldn't feel bad for any of them".<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQhdeQ1PPnM&t=29m30s</ref>

Destiny also mocked the death of Corey Comperatore, a man who was killed during the failed assassination attempt on [[Donald Trump]] in July 2024.<ref>[https://www.dexerto.com/kick/kick-bans-streamer-destiny-for-hate-speech-after-trump-shooting-backlash-2827880/ Kick bans streamer Destiny for “hate speech” after Trump shooting backlash] ''Dexerto'', 17 July 2024</ref> This led to streaming platform [[Kick]] temporarily suspending his account.<ref>[https://gamerant.com/kick-destiny-first-ban-trump-assassination-attempt-comments/ Kick Has Banned Destiny] ''Game Rant'', 17 July 2024</ref>

===The evil===
In 2025, he got hit with allegations of sharing revenge porn by multiple women, resulting in one of them, a smaller streamer named Pxie, suing Destiny in February.<ref>[https://www.yahoo.com/news/youtuber-destiny-sued-sharing-revenge-181814271.html YouTuber Destiny Sued for Sharing Revenge Porn Video With ‘Random Fan’], Sean Burch, ''The Wrap'' 21 February 2025</ref> In August, screenshots leaked of him sending sexually explicit images to somebody who was only seventeen at the time as well as mocking people who were upset about it.<ref>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/esports/news/what-did-destiny-do-streamer-accused-of-sending-sexual-texts-to-a-17-year-old-in-viral-screenshots/articleshow/123426572.cms What did Destiny do? Streamer accused of sending sexual texts to a 17-year old in viral screenshots], ''Times of India'' 22 August 2025</ref>

==See also==
*[[Vaush]]
*[[Hasan Piker]]

==External links==
*[https://www.destiny.gg/ His website]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmhLCy6YmUg "Destiny and the Liberal Mind Prison"], Thought Slime

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Agnostics]]
[[Category:Denialists]]
[[Category:Doxers]]
[[Category:Internet kooks]]
[[Category:LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Political pundits]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:YouTube]]
[[Category:Rape culture]]

Categories: Agnostics, Denialists, Doxers, Internet kooks, LGBTQ people, Liberals, Living people, Political pundits, Video games, YouTube, Rape culture