What Makes People Fall for QAnon? – The Dispatch
thedispatch.com
thedispatch.com
Combined with the Internet, this has resulted in wide-spread distrust, which forms the basis for belief in false conspiracy theories.
The most easy to believe lies are those that are rooted in partial truth. Its too rich for politicans, elites, or social media giants to complain about conspiracy theories when they so regularly lie, cheat, or gain advantage behind firmly closed doors. The dissymmetry breeds mistrust.
So, it's much easier for people to make up an imaginary bogeyman or "they" that they don't have to and can't do anything about because it psychologically excuses them from internal locus-of-control and taking the initiative against powerful forces who would likely crush them, i.e., Assange, Manning, or activists and reporters in Mexico or Russia. Conspiracy theories also give people a chance to tribally bond over some "secret, forbidden knowledge" when their lives are otherwise so entirely horrible and devoid of a sense of community.
> We've only really been making a concerted effort on [the conspiratorial mindset] for 12 years
I'd say since the seventeenth century, but I'm a cynic.
"But it's like she just wants to be this warrior."
I think, for QAnon, this is especially relevant. Some people feel that they have no way to make a significant contribution. Child abuse is significant, and there's enough real child abuse for this part of the theory to hide in.
Also QAnon is "fun." Q drops are puzzles, and followers have to "do the work" to figure them out. "Researching" the drops only requires you to sit in front of your computer and scroll blogs and social media, and listen to podcasts.