Qanon / Conspiracy

[midcan5]

'Reason and rationality have never been more important than they are today.'

Qanon took a big hit, Trump lost. But consider too their many misses. So why do people still believe. I'll offer some thoughts on topic, included will be many sources for your analysis. Life often doesn't make easy sense, it seems too random, too confusing, too complex, so then why not invent a hidden conspiracy of planners and doers hidden but in control. You can name them too, they fill history. Spirits, ghosts, demons, witches, fill in your favorite foe and instigator. But but we know they are behind it all. It seems so simple, reveal them, but then what do you do? Lots of bad history here. And lots of evil which is often the bad part of conspiracy thought. Make sure you check out the 'Bad Thinkers' piece. Bravo to Bloomberg for their investigation.


Bloomberg and others investigated Qanon founder, see YouTube below. I've included several detailed discussions for those who want to investigate the whys and hows of conspiracy thinking. A deep dive into topic.

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-11/qanon-website-shuts-down-after-n-j-man-identified-as-operator


'EXCLUSIVE: Failed Screenwriter from New Jersey Behind One of QAnon’s Most Influential Personas'

www.logically.ai/articles/exclusive-failed-screenwriter-from-new-jersey-behind-one-of-qanons-most-influential-personas


'What Comes Next For QAnon Followers'
fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-comes-next-for-qanon-followers/


'The QAnon Timeline: Four Years, 5,000 Drops and Countless Failed Prophecies'
www.bellingcat.com/news/americas/2021/01/29/the-qanon-timeline/


'How to Extract Adrenochrome from Children'
skeptoid.com/episodes/4750


'How the QAnon Conspiracy Seduces Normal People'
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-01-30/the-science-behind-qanon-how-conspiracy-can-seduce-normal-people


'Bad thinkers'
aeon.co/essays/the-intellectual-character-of-conspiracy-theorists


'Learning By Thinking, A Conversation With Tania Lombrozo '
www.edge.org/conversation/tania_lombrozo-learning-by-thinking


Bloomberg Qanon Investigation


www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPSu-Jolq4Y



'The gullible rarely believe they are gullible and the closed-minded don’t believe they are closed-minded.'

[midcan5]

Conspiracies provide a means to belong, knowledge, to be a part of something in our complex world. But for many people they make little sense for soon they are forced to change as predictions fail. This constant change should tell the person something, but instead it often deepens the belief.

"It’s a commonplace now that we live in a fragmented age of filter bubbles in which everyone can locate a collection of online resources which will reinforce and support their views."

www.waggish.org/2021/the-bloodsport-of-the-hive-mind-common-knowledge-in-the-age-of-many-to-many-broadcast-networks/


"There is an urgent need to-day for the citizens of a democracy to think well. It is not enough to have freedom of the Press and parliamentary institutions. Our difficulties are due partly to our own stupidity, partly to the exploitation of that stupidity, and partly to our own prejudices and personal desires." Susan Stebbing


'Why You Can Never Argue with Conspiracy Theorists'

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kJp8as4fE4

[midcan5]

'When parents become strangers: How QAnon is tearing families apart'

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjnu5pj1Ku4

"It is an illusion to suppose that a Dictator [Trump] makes himself; at most he seizes an opportunity made for him by passive, stupid, incompetent, and above all, unsatisfied and fearful men [and women]." Susan Stebbing

'Why are so many women falling for the QAnon conspiracy theory?'

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVJYmsV0CBE

[midcan5]

Some sites to check out a site's credentials.

mediabiasfactcheck.com
iffy.news/

www.rjionline.org/stories/iffy-news-an-index-of-unreliable-sources

mediabiasfactcheck.com/center/


"Conspiracy theories are dangerous for many reasons. Among other things, they provide a way to reduce mental distress by changing our perception of a problem without actually doing anything to solve the problem. They're the mental equivalent of a pacifier." Caroline Orr

[midcan5]

These YouTubes give an idea of QAnon, its start and its followers. The problem with conspiracy thinking is contradictory info doesn't change belief. Belief is deep. Q has changed somewhat as nothing they predicted actually happened. Of course then you make up reasons why not and so it goes....

'Unmasking QAnon's Wall Street Evangelist'
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPSu-Jolq4Y

'QAnon: The conspiracy theory spreading fake news - BBC Newsnight'
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8Gd9MJsnnE

'Sitting Down with QAnon Conspiracy Theorists - The Jim Jefferies Show'
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGrfN3v5JL8

'The most wasted day of all is that on which we have not laughed.' Nicolas Chamfort

[midcan5]

Why is necessary to make bizarre excuses for murder? And why are automatic rifles legal, for the sensible gun owner they would be a waste of ammunition for no real purpose.

'Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared to push a baseless conspiracy theory about the Texas shooter, suggesting he was into 'wearing eyeliner' and 'cross dressing''

www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-pushes-baseless-conspiracy-theory-about-texas-gunman-2022-5


'Republican leaders yet to denounce racist replacement theory repeated by Buffalo shooting suspect'

www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/05/29/republicans-replacement-theory-buffalo-shooting/9898426002/

[midcan5]

I have finally come to understand QAnon. For now I'll just say it is about change. Not a conspiracy fan - I feel conspiracy is right in the open and understandable. Q was a bit of a puzzle though. More readings for those who want to know and understand the whys.

"Trump's rise to power was no aberration in American history and that the political project of Trumpism is still very much alive. The full title is "The Cruelty Is The Point: The Past, Present And Future Of Trump's America.""

'Adam Serwer On New Book: 'The Cruelty Is The Point' In Trump's America'

www.npr.org/2021/06/27/1010760890/adam-serwer-on-new-book-the-cruelty-is-the-point-in-trump-america


'The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything' Mike Rothschild - great read

howtoacademy.com/podcasts/mike-rothschild-the-rise-of-qanon/

And: www.britannica.com/topic/QAnon


'QAnon: What is it and where did it come from?'


www.bbc.com/news/53498434


"Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead." Benjamin Franklin

[midcan5]

This is interesting. 'Why Do People Love QAnon?'

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTeMFnhJjWw

"Whenever you're faced with an explanation of what's going on in Washington, the choice between incompetence and conspiracy, always choose incompetence." Charles Krauthammer

[midcan5]

Growing up.

'A Poisoned Reality: Jared Yates Sexton on Growing up with Conspiracy Theories and End-Times Prophecy'

lithub.com/a-poisoned-reality-jared-yates-sexton-on-growing-up-with-conspiracy-theories-and-end-times-prophecy/


'Mike Rothschild on the Ongoing Influence of QAnon and Its Self-Made Mythologies'

lithub.com/mike-rothschild-on-the-ongoing-influence-of-qanon-and-its-self-made-mythologies/