19: Hurtling Into the Q-Hole (w/Mike Rains)

Thirty-two days out from the election and every hour reveals another layer of intensity. The more widely conspirituality and QAnon spreads, the more normalized mundane political violence becomes.

In this episode, Derek looks at how the virus of conspiracism is now overtly threatening the basic premises of voting, as Emperor Trump projects a fiction about electoral fraud, even as he loses his clothes. Matthew looks at a crucial part of this normalization: how Q himself, whoever he is, is now brandwashing, advising followers to abandon familiar Q-words. How then are resisters like Seane Corn to address this brainworm as it shape-shifts, co-opting the visuals of wellness and even the jargon of social justice? Julian steps back for a broader look, reviewing the pod’s discoveries and themes so far, and visualizing where they might lead.

We interview Mike Rains, one of the brave moderators of the 25K member subreddit QAnonCasualties, who has a lot to say about what the Q-hole feels like when it rips up hearts and homes.

Show Notes

Q suggests going stealth

r/QAnonCasulties

Donate via QanonCasualties SubReddit to a real charity that does real work to help combat child trafficking

Insights into the Personalities of Conspiracy Theorists

Why Do Some People Believe in Conspiracy Theories?

People Drawn to Conspiracy Theories Share a Cluster of Psychological Features

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