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It’s just one enormous joke isn’t it? People go on about it because it winds people like the media up.

It's a joke to 4chan et al but not the people who fell down that rabbit hole. I don't know how many people actually believe in it, but based on watching protests and other political activity over the last few years, it's substantial.

> based on watching protests and other political activity over the last few years, it's substantial

I’m not convinced it isn’t just performance art or clever meta-commentary or a joke for the in-person protestors as well.

I've been to a lot of protests of all types [to be clear, as an observer, not a participant], including far right and antivax protests where many QAnon types were present, and I can say without any doubt that most of the people involved are sincere.

I also spent an inordinate amount of time watching protest/political live streams in 2020 and 2021, which further reinforces this.

> I’m not convinced it isn’t just performance art or clever meta-commentary or a joke for the in-person protestors as well.

"Performance art or clever meta-commentary or a joke" has a way of mutating into sincere belief if the content gets at all popular.

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