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Thread: What comes next for QAnon followers?

  1. #1

    What comes next for QAnon followers?

    https://fivethirtyeight.com/features...non-followers/

    It didn’t take long for the neo-Nazis to show up. Minutes after Joe Biden’s inauguration, as followers of QAnon were trying to understand how*their predictions of Trump remaining in power*had not come to fruition, white nationalists saw a slate of potential recruits.

    “Don’t let this moment slip by. Capitalize on their anger. Radicalize!” read one message that circulated among far-right channels on Telegram, a messaging app favored by the alt-right and*once populated by terrorists.

    “Demoralization will give way to righteous hate, in defense of that which they love,” read another, in a militia chat thread.

    QAnon’s followers have faced failed prophecies before, but last week appeared to be the movement’s most severe breaking point. Many of Q’s prophecies had been kicked down the road to the inauguration. If something dramatic didn’t happen there, perhaps the prophecies would never come to be.*

    After all, how could Donald Trump lead the arrest of the secret cabal of Democrats who run a global child sex trafficking ring, as many believers expected, if he was no longer in power? As Inauguration Day drew closer, QAnon followers grew more confident that Jan. 20 would be the day all was revealed, and their patience would pay off. Then, the day went forward like any other presidential swearing-in. (Just with tens of thousands of more national guard members in attendance.) Trump hopped a plane to Florida. No arrests. No martial law. No*public executions. It*shook many believers to their core.

    QAnon and its followers are at a crossroads. More than at any point since the QAnon conspiracy began, there is a tremendous opportunity to pull disaffected followers out of the conspiracy. But their disillusionment could also harden into anger, and they could drift even further into conspiracies and hate. With extremist groups already looking to seize the moment, Q believers are facing at least three major paths. The next few months could determine which they go down.

    Path 1: Unshakeable faith

    In 1954, a small group of conspiracy theorists were convinced a great flood would arrive and destroy much of the United States, but not before the true believers were rescued by an alien spaceship. No torrential storms ever arrived — nor any UFOs — but the group wasn’t dismayed. The members insisted they weren’t wrong, it was just that*the group had “spread so much light”*that God decided to spare them.

    For those of us outside a cult, it may seem illogical that followers continue believing a conspiracy when the biggest prediction has clearly failed to come true. But that kind of thinking misunderstands the way groups like this function.
    “That assumes that the prophecy is the central point of why they are part of that movement,” said Jon Stone, a religious studies professor at California State University Long Beach, citing the work of religious scholar*Gordon Melton. “In most cases, a prophecy comes after a group has established itself. When it doesn’t happen, they say ‘How do we understand this in relation to our main belief system?’”

    When believers are faced with a mismatch between their beliefs and reality, cult members often double down. This phenomenon has been*documented in multiple studies*looking at failed prophecies among cults since the 1950s. The*research*suggests that groups like QAnon are based on a worldview that extends beyond one sole prediction.
    “Many will double down and direct their anger not at the tricksters who scammed them but at the deep state who snatched victory away from Trump at the last second, as they believe happened,” said Mike Rothschild, a conspiracy theory researcher currently working on a book about QAnon.

    While some react by abandoning the worldview entirely, many others find that rationalizing what went wrong is cognitively easier than admitting you, yourself, were the one who was wrong.

    There’s already plenty of evidence this is happening with QAnon. Despite the*crisis of faith*many Q followers had in the initial reaction to the inauguration, there*hasn’t been any evidence*of a mass exodus among the movement. Instead, over the last several days,*followers have cooked up multiple theories*to explain away why their Inauguration Day predictions failed.

    *Many believe Biden’s inauguration was fake in some way. They suggest the*whole ceremony was a deepfake*or filmed days earlier, thereby making it unofficial. They’ve*scrutinized images of the two Bibles*Kamala Harris was sworn in on: the top Bible had a zippered cover, leading many to believe it was actually a purse … meaning her hand wasn’t*really*on a Bible … meaning there was a barrier in between … meaning her oath was illegitimate … meaning she’s not really vice president! (Except, it was*very clearly a Bible, and you don’t*have to swear on a Bible*anyway.) There are endless theories to cling to for those who are motivated to believe.

    Path 2: Back from the brink

    Leaving QAnon, similar to leaving a cult, is not easy, but it is possible. Those whose belief in the QAnon conspiracy was shaken by the failed prophecy of Inauguration Day may consider abandoning the group, and online posts suggest*at least some members are, but they will need support to really sever their connection. People are*more likely to believe*in conspiracy theories when they are isolated, anxious or feeling powerless — something many of us are experiencing in the midst of a life-altering pandemic — so having loved ones reach out, especially in a*non-judgemental manner, could ease the transition out of the rabbit hole.

    Studies of former cult members (and, yes, in many ways*QAnon is like a digital cult) find that*support from outside family and friends*increases the likelihood of someone leaving. Believing in QAnon can cause relationship rifts that leave followers isolated, with fellow Q believers as their only social network. This makes it much harder to break free.

    Leila Hay, a 19-year-old university student in the United Kingdom and former QAnon follower, said part of the reason she was able to walk away from the conspiracy theory was because she didn’t have any friends in the movement.

    “For me, I could cut this out of my life and it wasn’t going to impact anyone other than myself,” Hay said.

    With QAnon members particularly, encouraging them to*come to their own conclusions*based on real evidence (rather than the*cryptic puzzles*QAnon thrives on) can be key, according to Steven Hassan, a mental health professional and former cult member who has written extensively about helping Q members. Hay decided to leave in part because she was finding discrepancies in the information she was seeing — the first crack in her belief was a Twitter thread that listed every prior Q prophecy that had failed to come true. That kind of dissonance is*a common narrative*among former QAnon believers.

    But even with outside support and plenty of evidence, it can be hard for Q followers to break free given how much they’ve put into the movement. Many have spent months or years of their lives consumed by the conspiracy. This investment is part of what we know keeps people in doomsday cults, Stone said, and can make it harder to walk away.

    Path 3: Into the shadows

    QAnon itself is a fairly radical and extreme belief system, but as followers come to terms with its failed Inauguration Day prophecy, they become vulnerable to being drawn into even more extreme groups, such as white nationalists and neo-Nazis.

    It’s clear from online posts that these groups believe disillusioned Q followers are ripe for radicalization, and they may be right. The anxiety and*loss of community*some Q believers may feel*can make them more vulnerable*to believing radical ideas. Combine this with the fact that anti-Semitism was already*heavily seeded throughout the Q conspiracy,*and that many Q followers have recently migrated to fringe social media platforms like Telegram, Gab and Parler — platforms far-right extremists have colonized for years — and you’ve got a recipe for radicalization.

    “Now there’s not really anyone with a different political opinion on these apps, they’re acting as an echo chamber, and general conservatives who weren’t used to this are now being shown certain belief sets,” said Sam Collins, another former Q believer. “It’s quite scary to me.”

    Far-right extremists are all too happy to share a different worldview that offers a new target for their anger and frustration as well as a new online camaraderie. If even just a small percentage of Q followers wind up “red pilled,” as the so-called alt-right calls its indoctrination, it could lead to more violence. In fact, these groups are banking on it.

    One Telegram post predicted the mass scale of protests that will happen when Q Anon castoffs link up with other far-right extremists, comparing them to the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol. “It will make the 6th look like a joke.”

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  3. #2
    Has Sombeech ever come back around?
    Thanos was right

  4. #3
    No, he fell hard for Q Anon... it's like when you run out of money and discover the stripper is not really in love with you.

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Iceaxe View Post
    No, he fell hard for Q Anon... it's like when you run out of money and discover the stripper is not really in love with you.
    Hard life lessons.
    Thanos was right

  6. Likes rockgremlin liked this post
  7. #5
    The end of the world for some...
    The foundation of paradise for others.

  8. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by uintafly View Post
    Hard life lessons.
    One good thing I'd adopted from Q is saying "Trust the Plan" for everything.

    Me and the kid snowshoeing up to a ridge in the Uintas even though my legs are falling off. "Trust the Plan, son"
    ME "Clean your room son.... and Trust the Plan"
    ME "Let's take the dog on a walk and Trust the Plan"
    ME when my crypto stocks go on the down yo-yo cycle "Trust the plan, it'll yo-you back up in 15 minutes"

    I love saying "Trust the plan" in all varieties of contexts. Makes me feel like I'm honoring Som'Beech in a weird way.

  9. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by DirkHammergate View Post
    One good thing I'd adopted from Q is saying "Trust the Plan" for everything.

    Me and the kid snowshoeing up to a ridge in the Uintas even though my legs are falling off. "Trust the Plan, son"
    ME "Clean your room son.... and Trust the Plan"
    ME "Let's take the dog on a walk and Trust the Plan"
    ME when my crypto stocks go on the down yo-yo cycle "Trust the plan, it'll yo-you back up in 15 minutes"

    I love saying "Trust the plan" in all varieties of contexts. Makes me feel like I'm honoring Som'Beech in a weird way.
    Haha

    Which crypto stocks? I've recently been flirting with MARA.
    It's only "science" if it supports the narrative.

  10. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by rockgremlin View Post
    Haha

    Which crypto stocks? I've recently been flirting with MARA.
    REN, SERUM, VGX are the small stuff I'm currently loading up on consistently. I bought a couple grand of DOT and Link around 12 bucks, will just hold them. I also chip away at the usual suspects, ETH and BTC with anything extra per month. It's a pretty wild ride but a fun way to put away surplus cash. I still maximize my 401k and 401b accounts, this is just extra for somewhere down the line. Like my "break glass in case of emergency" fund.

    I got 2500 shares of VGX at .90, that's working out really well. I think it'll be at $30 be end of year.

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  12. #9
    2 more days until March 4th, I'm going to proxy for Sombeech.

    Something big about to happen. Just wait and see. March 4th is in two days. Trust the plan.

  13. #10
    I heard something vaguely about March a couple months ago...but with "predictions" doing major faceplants lately I'm not gonna bank on anything...never did, really. But I did cross my fingers. The Oligarchs completely crushed all opposition back in November.
    The end of the world for some...
    The foundation of paradise for others.

  14. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by DirkHammergate View Post
    2 more days until March 4th, I'm going to proxy for Sombeech.

    Something big about to happen. Just wait and see. March 4th is in two days. Trust the plan.

    I guess March 4 will be the day Trump will be sworn back in as president.

    https://www.newsweek.com/qanon-march-trump-president-1567525



    Last edited by rockgremlin; 03-02-2021 at 06:11 PM.
    It's only "science" if it supports the narrative.

  15. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by rockgremlin View Post
    I guess March 4 will be the day Trump will be sworn back in as president.

    https://www.newsweek.com/qanon-march-trump-president-1567525



    I suppose it's lost on QAnon supporters that the Trump hotel raised their rates on January 6th and March 4th. That biz is funny.

  16. #13
    Can you feel it? Less than 24 hours away now. Can't wait!!


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    It's only "science" if it supports the narrative.

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  18. #14
    #LetsGoBrandon BasinCruiser's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rockgremlin View Post
    Can you feel it? Less than 24 hours away now. Can't wait!!


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Views: 775
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    So, if this ^^^^ happens, how does this happen:


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    I learn from the mistakes of people who took my advice.

    Preferred Pronoun: Lambda-Gamma-Beta.

    Proud member of the LGBFJB community.

  19. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by rockgremlin View Post
    Name:  PW-2017-01-25-Trump.jpg
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    At least the Bible isn't upside down. That's a relief.

  20. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by BasinCruiser View Post
    So, if this ^^^^ happens, how does this happen:


    Name:  3B9FC0F4-1D2D-4E3D-BD78-D8BECCA4A650.jpg
Views: 585
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    Buckle up. It's gonna be a wild ride.


    I know it sounds completely crazy, but just trust me. If you thought the BLM/Antifa riots were bad last year, then you're in for a real shocker because you haven't seen anything yet. We're talking Armageddon-level civil unrest.

    I hope you've all stocked up on toilet paper, bullets, and a 6-month food supply because when Trump gets sworn in tomorrow you're gonna need it.


    Why do you think they're boosting Capitol security tomorrow? They know there will be mayhem, and they're planning for it.

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/03/02/capitol-police-qanon-march-4-theory-claims-trump-president/6894882002/
    Last edited by rockgremlin; 03-03-2021 at 12:06 PM.
    It's only "science" if it supports the narrative.

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  22. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by rockgremlin View Post
    I hope you've all stocked up on toilet paper, bullets, and a 6-month food supply because when Trump gets sworn in tomorrow you're gonna need it.
    Does anyone else working from home since March like me seem to poop twice as often since the pandemic? I've had this odd discussion with my inner circle of best friends. We all do. Maybe its cause basically I work at home, food is like 12 steps away at all times. I'm not getting fat because I still do a home workout/hike/snowshoe/walk the dog constantly in my free time. It must be the extra food. Like I'll poop twice by 10 am.

    Sorry for the weird tangent but when you brought up toilet paper I just had to let it out (no pun intended).

  23. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by DirkHammergate View Post
    Does anyone else working from home since March like me seem to poop twice as often since the pandemic?
    Nah man...you're just full of shit.
    The end of the world for some...
    The foundation of paradise for others.

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  25. #19
    Bogley BigShot oldno7's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Byron View Post
    Nah man...you're just full of shit.
    X2
    I'm not Spartacus


    It'll come back.


    Professional Mangler of Grammar

    Guns don't kill people--Static Ropes Do!!

    Who Is John Galt?

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  27. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Byron View Post
    Nah man...you're just full of shit.
    X3

  28. Likes DirkHammergate liked this post

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