Antifa, for example, is objectively a much greater threat to life and property, is anti-capitalist, and have been much more proactive in doxxing their political enemies, yet members and sympathizers are highly placed in Twitter, Google, US schools and colleges, the Democrat party, and many other sensitive locations.
Are we to shut all of those down as well while an intensive security review is performed?
Reading things about Qanon I can't help but think how easy it is to fool large swaths of people by telling them exactly what they want to hear. Especially if they, like all Qanon supporters, believe that "disinformation is necessary", something that enables them to believe in you when you're demonstrably lying.
Decennia of sagas, myths, legends, religions and cults have proven that people just want to believe in something that explains the things they themselves can't explain. Things that enable them to form groups that give them a sense of safety. A sense of belonging. A way to feel superior to members of other groups.
No matter how bizarre a believe system looks to the general public, the scale of the internet enables you to reach a large group of people anyway. There will always be an audience that actively searches for things to believe in. You don't have to do anything but to sow some seeds, and they'll actively search for the "facts" that will strengthen their believe.
The internet also enables you to monetise your scam easily with Patreons and advertising.
“People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions, and help them throw rocks at their enemies.”
-Blair Warren, "The One Sentence Persuasion Course: 27 Words to Make the World Do Your Bidding"
we tell ourselves stories to live. politicians use stories too. but is the story of, say the american dream (51% of 18-34 year olds still live with their parents) less dangerous for politicians to tell than that of hollywood child sex rings?
One one hand, mesianic movements tend to re-occur throughout history whenever populations are under prolonged stress for various reasons. Then you get the same thing all over again - some powerful figure shall rise, and is indeed rising as we speak, to deliver us all from our bondage.
On the other hand, yes, the internet and social media have made it a lot easier for bullshit to spread out and take over the minds of millions.
I don't think that combination was ever tried before.
This isn't a new thing; for instance see early 20th century antisemitic conspiracy theories (Protocols of the Elders of Zion, Naziism, etc). And for a somewhat more benign example, the Satanic ritual abuse conspiracy theories in the 80s and 90s. Some people just seem inclined to believe in vaguely occult lunacy, especially if it involves kids (as all three of these examples do).
wow and you are being downvoted. wonder how many qanon amd far right fans lurk around here, and how many are among the “elite”. says a lot about this swamp.
This one is a little peculiar to me. It looks like this person was just taking what "Q" wrote on 8kun and adding it to a website. It wasn't a discussion board or place where theories originate from. Though it looks like he took the website down on his own.
Qmap definitely had a direct relationship with Jim Watkins and 8kun.
The full of extent of their partnership is not yet known but it appears Watkins was doing part of the infrastructure hosting for Qmap. There is also strong suspicion that Watkins either writes the current incarnation of 'Qanon' or directs whoever is writing the posts.
Why would anyone shut it down? Is the point to remain hidden and in-group only? If he’s outed, he’s out. Probably hasn’t dropped affiliations, but seems weird that it’s something to hide if it’s something he believes in.
I really wanted to like QAnon as a conspiracy watcher. Unfortunately I was never able to wrap my mind around its stream of consciousness writing. It seemed like a bunch of right wing blather that used buzzwords to tantalize pro swamp drainers.
Looking into it, as far as I can tell it's not meant to be taken seriously. Q is an elaborate practical joke created by "The Hacker Known as 4chan" in order to troll the media into losing their minds. So far it seems to be working.
It seems a little circumstantial to me, frustratingly. He was involved for sure in the QMap site that archived the Q posts. Whether that makes him "Q" is I guess unknowable. He certainly could have made himself Q if he wasn't originally.
I mean... really there's no particular interest in Q's identity per se. Q didn't reveal any truths that were later confirmed, and got almost everything wrong in a factual sense. Exactly who wrote the posts is mostly academic.
The beauty of Q is that it does not need to have any claim confirmed by anyone else : the very fact that the claims are not confirmed, or, even better, denied by the mainstream media is proof that the claims are true.
That's just genius, and I'm kind of jealous not to be earning easy dollars this way as a non US citizen.
The article says "Key figure"? Am I missing something here? I feel a little bit crazy. This guy was just reposting content from 8kun on his own website and a Patreon. Anyone can build this website in 5 minutes. Did this guy know anything special about qanon or was it just a money making operation?
Pretty sure there will be elaborate arguments about free speech and doxing on this thread so let’s look at the facts:
* Qanaon is currently classified as a potential domestic terrorist threat to the country by the FBI. Free speech does not protect you from criminal activity.
* this wasn’t simply someone trying to talk freely about what he believed, it seems like this person was making thousands of dollars from this site. He created a fucking pattern account to get “donations”. Wow.
The generous way to view this is as a low level scam, but the FBI would probably disagree. I suspect this is why this person shut down the site, he doesn’t want to be the target of scrutiny or media attention.
QAnon followers are a bunch of delusional moron cultists and certainly are very easy to push but "potential domestic terrorist threat by the FBI" is a terrible metric and not a reason to abridge free speech - innocent until proven guilty applies. Occupy Wallstreet and Juggalos also got that designation.
"Potential x" is a disingenuous innuendo that implies without meaningful basis you can say every man or woman is a potential rapist or murderer.
Aside from watching the suspicious freaks and maybe investigation for some sort of outright donation fraud (just spewing bullshit for money doesn't count or David Icke would be in jail for decades) there isn't much that can be done and respect rights.
[+] [-] hindsightbias|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Medicalidiot|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mansion7|5 years ago|reply
Antifa, for example, is objectively a much greater threat to life and property, is anti-capitalist, and have been much more proactive in doxxing their political enemies, yet members and sympathizers are highly placed in Twitter, Google, US schools and colleges, the Democrat party, and many other sensitive locations.
Are we to shut all of those down as well while an intensive security review is performed?
Actually, that's not a bad idea.
[+] [-] ed25519FUUU|5 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] spiderfarmer|5 years ago|reply
Decennia of sagas, myths, legends, religions and cults have proven that people just want to believe in something that explains the things they themselves can't explain. Things that enable them to form groups that give them a sense of safety. A sense of belonging. A way to feel superior to members of other groups.
No matter how bizarre a believe system looks to the general public, the scale of the internet enables you to reach a large group of people anyway. There will always be an audience that actively searches for things to believe in. You don't have to do anything but to sow some seeds, and they'll actively search for the "facts" that will strengthen their believe.
The internet also enables you to monetise your scam easily with Patreons and advertising.
What have we done.
[+] [-] toomanyrichies|5 years ago|reply
-Blair Warren, "The One Sentence Persuasion Course: 27 Words to Make the World Do Your Bidding"
[+] [-] diplomatpuppy|5 years ago|reply
Vetted and official news also can get us to believe lies:
* Iraq has a stockpile of WMD.
* Japanese-American citizens should be rounded up.
* You don't need to wear a mask, so don't go buying them up.
* Collage is a wise investment.
* You should fear $those_people because they will kill you.
* Some civil rights are outdated and you don't need them anymore.
[+] [-] tmaly|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|5 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] mdanger007|5 years ago|reply
I dunno.
[+] [-] Florin_Andrei|5 years ago|reply
One one hand, mesianic movements tend to re-occur throughout history whenever populations are under prolonged stress for various reasons. Then you get the same thing all over again - some powerful figure shall rise, and is indeed rising as we speak, to deliver us all from our bondage.
On the other hand, yes, the internet and social media have made it a lot easier for bullshit to spread out and take over the minds of millions.
I don't think that combination was ever tried before.
What have we done, indeed.
[+] [-] rsynnott|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] peeebee|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pm90|5 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] ed25519FUUU|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bmarquez|5 years ago|reply
The webmaster didn't create any of the posts, just republished them so people wouldn't have to visit 8kun.
[+] [-] likeafox|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] quantified|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] _up|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] reustle|5 years ago|reply
"A LinkedIn profile for Gelinas says he works as an information security analyst at Citigroup."
[+] [-] controversy|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] g8oz|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] chroem-|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] DudeInBasement|5 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] axaxs|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] s9w|5 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] newacct583|5 years ago|reply
It seems a little circumstantial to me, frustratingly. He was involved for sure in the QMap site that archived the Q posts. Whether that makes him "Q" is I guess unknowable. He certainly could have made himself Q if he wasn't originally.
I mean... really there's no particular interest in Q's identity per se. Q didn't reveal any truths that were later confirmed, and got almost everything wrong in a factual sense. Exactly who wrote the posts is mostly academic.
[+] [-] phtrivier|5 years ago|reply
That's just genius, and I'm kind of jealous not to be earning easy dollars this way as a non US citizen.
[+] [-] ed25519FUUU|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] madeofpalk|5 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] Animats|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gnat|5 years ago|reply
"A LinkedIn profile for Gelinas says he works as an information security analyst at Citigroup. Citigroup declined to comment."
[+] [-] rsynnott|5 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pm90|5 years ago|reply
* Qanaon is currently classified as a potential domestic terrorist threat to the country by the FBI. Free speech does not protect you from criminal activity.
* this wasn’t simply someone trying to talk freely about what he believed, it seems like this person was making thousands of dollars from this site. He created a fucking pattern account to get “donations”. Wow.
The generous way to view this is as a low level scam, but the FBI would probably disagree. I suspect this is why this person shut down the site, he doesn’t want to be the target of scrutiny or media attention.
[+] [-] Nasrudith|5 years ago|reply
"Potential x" is a disingenuous innuendo that implies without meaningful basis you can say every man or woman is a potential rapist or murderer.
Aside from watching the suspicious freaks and maybe investigation for some sort of outright donation fraud (just spewing bullshit for money doesn't count or David Icke would be in jail for decades) there isn't much that can be done and respect rights.
[+] [-] woodpanel|5 years ago|reply