Hey all - I've just made it so comments are only available to paying subscribers, as I was getting a flurry of QAnon adherents / racists coming in and posting a lot of questionable / racist stuff.
I hope you understand - I want to keep discussions here pretty open, but I also don't want any of you having to read gross filth in the comments section. You can get that elsewhere!
here's what i think. over a considerable period of time, i've trained myself to not be scathing and dismissive of conspiracy theorists and their ilk. the reason is obvious. it comes from the question - do i want to make a difference or be right? well obviously i am desperate to be right but it has to take second place to making a difference.
so, i will swallow my anger, switch my bullshit-ometer to silent and engage in the closest i can get to civilised dialogue with them. that begins with the harmless(ish) end of believing in god and goes all the way to hillary being a sex trafficker.
we are in such a dangerous time. the culture we inhabit is showing terrible signs of strain and if we don't pull it together, the fractures will be bloody and destructive.
we have got to provide the bridge back from bullshittery for anyone who wants to take it. it requires us to be incredibly patient, logical, compassionate and willing to listen without harsh judgement.
i will engage jehovahs witnesses at my door and hold lively conversation with them that generally ends with them excusing themselves to be somewhere else, but it is done with humanity and openness.
Q-anon people are much harder, but the main issue they seem to have deep down is no sense of belonging to anything mainstream. the world has rejected them. we have to allow them to see that there is a place for them out in the world and they don't need to cling to their medieval beliefs.
i want a world that speaks the same language of humanity and decency and i can think of no better way to achieve that than to model those behaviours myself.
if this sounds utopian, it is. i can't possibly live up to my claimed standards. i am as dreadful as the next person, but i always have clear in my mind who i want to be.
i'm not sure any of this makes sense, but in the end, i feel we are in an existential struggle to preserve some kind of community and culture and we had better bring our A game to it or we will end up back in very dark times.
If you're the type of person who enjoys podcasts, I *highly* recommend the podcast, "You're Wrong About." It's hosted by two journalists who have set out to debunk commonly held beliefs about various topics/events/people. They have an episode about human trafficking misconceptions, and the moral panic surrounding human trafficking, and it's incredibly interesting and enlightening. Turns out, everything we think we know about what human trafficking is and how it happens is wrong. Even the statistics are misleading and/or are being used to mislead.
On a more personal note, last Sunday I went to a hobby store to look for cord to teach myself how to make cool macramé things, only to find the store was closed. Instead, what I came across was a group of protesters (none wearing masks) standing in front of the closed storefront, holding signs. As I got closer, they started yelling in my direction, and I decided to humor them. I listened to their spiel, and they even let me take photos of their signs, which I'll share with you here: https://imgur.com/a/QHpxiXX
I was in shock listening to them tell me about how Disney hides symbols for pedophilia in their films, about how Hollywood is the biggest consumer of human trafficking in the world, etc. I knew the QAnon people existed, but I didn't think they were in *my* city. But they are, and they're out there preying on innocent people who just want some macramé-making supplies on a nice Sunday afternoon.
Thank you for focusing so much on conspiracy theories, and the dangers of being sucked into them. I found your interview with Travis to be brutally realistic, but also hopeful and enlightening. As an American, I’m more than alarmed when the current occupant of the White House is retweeting QAnon bullshit on a daily basis. Please keep writing about them - sunlight has always been the best disinfectant.
Social media is terrible and yet, just this morning I read a fantastic Twitter (I know, social media is a double edged sword) thread (it's on @catvalente 's timeline) about why conspiracy theories resonate with folks. She was a camp counselor and she told the kids under her care that the scars on her legs were the result of a shark attack, this came in useful when the kids were acting up as she would tell them additional stories about the attack provided they behaved themselves. When the camp season was over she told them the truth, that the scars were not from a shark attack, she had run through a plate glass door when she was ten. The children felt betrayed (as they should) and then asked for another shark attack story.
Catheryne's words: "In the end they liked the lie and wanted more of it because it spoke of a larger, dangerous, exciting world. They were willing to give up their anger & the moral high ground for more.
And when I see people preaching Q*non out there, I think about the shark that never bit me."
QAnon is the shark that never bit anyone but it's intersection with a bored and anxious populace that all secretly want to be superheroes is causing it to metastasize into something bigger and more dangerous.
I loved this interview with Travis and honestly, this bit had me gagged:
"Every single true believing QAnon follower lacks the mental strength required to face the randomness and cruelty that are an inescapable part of being alive. Latching onto QAnon is an expression of weakness and a lack of self control"
Another well-timed distraction from the fact that 150,000+ Americans have died in 6 months from a disease their dear leader has all but ignored & denied. His answer? "It is what it is." Yeah, that's the tone of someone who cares about children alright. Can't send them out the door to their potential deaths at school fast enough.
That's not even getting into the unmarked police vans kidnapping people in Portland, his multi-billion dollar bailout of corporations while letting the working class starve, etc. These little bursts of activism from the right wing are not mere conspiracies dropped by a random weirdo; they're coordinated & timed for maximum effect.
And no, my saying that does not imply support for Biden or the Democrats. It's common sense. All these moral panics are designed to do what the Wikileaks leaks did in 2016: drive votes to a stupid political party during an election year. It's offensive to actual survivors because it's as if the REAL problem of child trafficking & sexual abuse isn't entertaining enough for them. They have to add mysterious, supernatural elements to hold their attention. It's Satanic Panic 2.0.
Whatever you do, don't Google "frazzledrip" unless you want to laugh your ass off at the absurdity.
I know this is completely unrelated, but why do Qanon people often use Nordic mythology? As someone born and raised in Scandinavia I’m forced to assume your man mentioning Valhalla is a conservative American who did a “MyHeritage” test and got back that he was 7% Nordic
This whole child trafficking theory reminds me in part of the whole ‘Monster rapist hiding in the bushes’ narrative, when in fact most rapists are people we know, and sometimes trust. Most children are trafficked by people they know/relatives, this is a hard to accept reality, when we would prefer to believe in the boogie man.
On a side note, remember the whole Satanic Panic phase? Innocent people went to jail, and that was in the pre internet era. Imagine the mess that would have caused if people were online then.
I love your journalism immensely, David. I have been complaining about this #SavetheChildren conspiracy nonsense to a friend since the Wayfair debacle but I have felt like I have had to keep my discussion with that friend private to avoid being labeled as a pedophile-sympathiser.
Your writing is EXACTLY what I think people need to read about this topic.
Hi David, thanks so much for this piece and all your others. I look forward to reading your email every day. It feels like you bring back a degree of sanity in a sea of nonsense. I repeatedly find myself agreeing with you word-for-word and thinking that I could not have said it better myself (well that's certainly a fact). So many times you have articulated and crystallised the thoughts I have had but have not been able to coherently put them together. Please know that what you do is so immensely valuable. I was also very impressed with the thoughts from Travis. Made me stop and think and question the anger that arises when hearing some of these conspiracy theorists. His approach is so much more helpful. Keep up the excellent work and keep seeking out people like Travis who bring hope to what often feels hopeless. Coming from a science background, this sentence particularly resonated with me: "Even setting aside the virtue of truth seeking, I think there is a lot of joy and relief that comes with empirical and critical thinking".
Echoing some others in the comments: It would be cool to see you try out a podcast on Substack just to see if you enjoy turning some of these interviews and conspiracy theory debunking into another product. Even if it ends up being a bother in the end, it might be cool to try and hear from some of these experts in a longer format. Loving the work you're doing, and the way it feels like a dispatch from a friend who has gone down all the internet holes.
Oh, and can't forget that Trumpf wished an actual convicted child trafficker "well" on public TV recently. Methinks that has the most to do with this particular conspiracy. There's no defending that with actual facts or reason--they have to create fanciful stories to deflect. Pathetic.
Also, side note, it's really frustrating to be a smart person who reads up on stuff/can identify the B.S. while a lot of other people just don't have common sense/believe whatever they read on Facebook/Twitter. I feel like Facebook is especially bad with weeding out fake articles/conspiracy related stuff. Anyway, I'll quit rambling. Have a nice week, David and Webworm World!
When people with no interest in conspiracies knows what qanon is I wonder how saturated society is with it.
Ive seen loads of them discussing qanon stuff to people not into it without mentioning it (pre-bans) and I think that's much worse. That it's being spread so quickly in wellness circles really freaks me out. They're already primed for no-proof stuff and they know how to market hard.
Hey all - I've just made it so comments are only available to paying subscribers, as I was getting a flurry of QAnon adherents / racists coming in and posting a lot of questionable / racist stuff.
I hope you understand - I want to keep discussions here pretty open, but I also don't want any of you having to read gross filth in the comments section. You can get that elsewhere!
David.
here's what i think. over a considerable period of time, i've trained myself to not be scathing and dismissive of conspiracy theorists and their ilk. the reason is obvious. it comes from the question - do i want to make a difference or be right? well obviously i am desperate to be right but it has to take second place to making a difference.
so, i will swallow my anger, switch my bullshit-ometer to silent and engage in the closest i can get to civilised dialogue with them. that begins with the harmless(ish) end of believing in god and goes all the way to hillary being a sex trafficker.
we are in such a dangerous time. the culture we inhabit is showing terrible signs of strain and if we don't pull it together, the fractures will be bloody and destructive.
we have got to provide the bridge back from bullshittery for anyone who wants to take it. it requires us to be incredibly patient, logical, compassionate and willing to listen without harsh judgement.
i will engage jehovahs witnesses at my door and hold lively conversation with them that generally ends with them excusing themselves to be somewhere else, but it is done with humanity and openness.
Q-anon people are much harder, but the main issue they seem to have deep down is no sense of belonging to anything mainstream. the world has rejected them. we have to allow them to see that there is a place for them out in the world and they don't need to cling to their medieval beliefs.
i want a world that speaks the same language of humanity and decency and i can think of no better way to achieve that than to model those behaviours myself.
if this sounds utopian, it is. i can't possibly live up to my claimed standards. i am as dreadful as the next person, but i always have clear in my mind who i want to be.
i'm not sure any of this makes sense, but in the end, i feel we are in an existential struggle to preserve some kind of community and culture and we had better bring our A game to it or we will end up back in very dark times.
If you're the type of person who enjoys podcasts, I *highly* recommend the podcast, "You're Wrong About." It's hosted by two journalists who have set out to debunk commonly held beliefs about various topics/events/people. They have an episode about human trafficking misconceptions, and the moral panic surrounding human trafficking, and it's incredibly interesting and enlightening. Turns out, everything we think we know about what human trafficking is and how it happens is wrong. Even the statistics are misleading and/or are being used to mislead.
https://frontpageconfidential.com/youre-wrong-about-podcast-takes-aim-at-human-trafficking/
On a more personal note, last Sunday I went to a hobby store to look for cord to teach myself how to make cool macramé things, only to find the store was closed. Instead, what I came across was a group of protesters (none wearing masks) standing in front of the closed storefront, holding signs. As I got closer, they started yelling in my direction, and I decided to humor them. I listened to their spiel, and they even let me take photos of their signs, which I'll share with you here: https://imgur.com/a/QHpxiXX
I was in shock listening to them tell me about how Disney hides symbols for pedophilia in their films, about how Hollywood is the biggest consumer of human trafficking in the world, etc. I knew the QAnon people existed, but I didn't think they were in *my* city. But they are, and they're out there preying on innocent people who just want some macramé-making supplies on a nice Sunday afternoon.
Thank you for focusing so much on conspiracy theories, and the dangers of being sucked into them. I found your interview with Travis to be brutally realistic, but also hopeful and enlightening. As an American, I’m more than alarmed when the current occupant of the White House is retweeting QAnon bullshit on a daily basis. Please keep writing about them - sunlight has always been the best disinfectant.
Social media is terrible and yet, just this morning I read a fantastic Twitter (I know, social media is a double edged sword) thread (it's on @catvalente 's timeline) about why conspiracy theories resonate with folks. She was a camp counselor and she told the kids under her care that the scars on her legs were the result of a shark attack, this came in useful when the kids were acting up as she would tell them additional stories about the attack provided they behaved themselves. When the camp season was over she told them the truth, that the scars were not from a shark attack, she had run through a plate glass door when she was ten. The children felt betrayed (as they should) and then asked for another shark attack story.
Catheryne's words: "In the end they liked the lie and wanted more of it because it spoke of a larger, dangerous, exciting world. They were willing to give up their anger & the moral high ground for more.
And when I see people preaching Q*non out there, I think about the shark that never bit me."
QAnon is the shark that never bit anyone but it's intersection with a bored and anxious populace that all secretly want to be superheroes is causing it to metastasize into something bigger and more dangerous.
I loved this interview with Travis and honestly, this bit had me gagged:
"Every single true believing QAnon follower lacks the mental strength required to face the randomness and cruelty that are an inescapable part of being alive. Latching onto QAnon is an expression of weakness and a lack of self control"
THAT'S THE TEA and I'm very much here for it!
Another well-timed distraction from the fact that 150,000+ Americans have died in 6 months from a disease their dear leader has all but ignored & denied. His answer? "It is what it is." Yeah, that's the tone of someone who cares about children alright. Can't send them out the door to their potential deaths at school fast enough.
That's not even getting into the unmarked police vans kidnapping people in Portland, his multi-billion dollar bailout of corporations while letting the working class starve, etc. These little bursts of activism from the right wing are not mere conspiracies dropped by a random weirdo; they're coordinated & timed for maximum effect.
And no, my saying that does not imply support for Biden or the Democrats. It's common sense. All these moral panics are designed to do what the Wikileaks leaks did in 2016: drive votes to a stupid political party during an election year. It's offensive to actual survivors because it's as if the REAL problem of child trafficking & sexual abuse isn't entertaining enough for them. They have to add mysterious, supernatural elements to hold their attention. It's Satanic Panic 2.0.
Whatever you do, don't Google "frazzledrip" unless you want to laugh your ass off at the absurdity.
I know this is completely unrelated, but why do Qanon people often use Nordic mythology? As someone born and raised in Scandinavia I’m forced to assume your man mentioning Valhalla is a conservative American who did a “MyHeritage” test and got back that he was 7% Nordic
This whole child trafficking theory reminds me in part of the whole ‘Monster rapist hiding in the bushes’ narrative, when in fact most rapists are people we know, and sometimes trust. Most children are trafficked by people they know/relatives, this is a hard to accept reality, when we would prefer to believe in the boogie man.
On a side note, remember the whole Satanic Panic phase? Innocent people went to jail, and that was in the pre internet era. Imagine the mess that would have caused if people were online then.
I love your journalism immensely, David. I have been complaining about this #SavetheChildren conspiracy nonsense to a friend since the Wayfair debacle but I have felt like I have had to keep my discussion with that friend private to avoid being labeled as a pedophile-sympathiser.
Your writing is EXACTLY what I think people need to read about this topic.
Hi David, thanks so much for this piece and all your others. I look forward to reading your email every day. It feels like you bring back a degree of sanity in a sea of nonsense. I repeatedly find myself agreeing with you word-for-word and thinking that I could not have said it better myself (well that's certainly a fact). So many times you have articulated and crystallised the thoughts I have had but have not been able to coherently put them together. Please know that what you do is so immensely valuable. I was also very impressed with the thoughts from Travis. Made me stop and think and question the anger that arises when hearing some of these conspiracy theorists. His approach is so much more helpful. Keep up the excellent work and keep seeking out people like Travis who bring hope to what often feels hopeless. Coming from a science background, this sentence particularly resonated with me: "Even setting aside the virtue of truth seeking, I think there is a lot of joy and relief that comes with empirical and critical thinking".
Great read! Thanks David, and team Webworm you’re an oasis of sanity.
Echoing some others in the comments: It would be cool to see you try out a podcast on Substack just to see if you enjoy turning some of these interviews and conspiracy theory debunking into another product. Even if it ends up being a bother in the end, it might be cool to try and hear from some of these experts in a longer format. Loving the work you're doing, and the way it feels like a dispatch from a friend who has gone down all the internet holes.
Oh, and can't forget that Trumpf wished an actual convicted child trafficker "well" on public TV recently. Methinks that has the most to do with this particular conspiracy. There's no defending that with actual facts or reason--they have to create fanciful stories to deflect. Pathetic.
Also, side note, it's really frustrating to be a smart person who reads up on stuff/can identify the B.S. while a lot of other people just don't have common sense/believe whatever they read on Facebook/Twitter. I feel like Facebook is especially bad with weeding out fake articles/conspiracy related stuff. Anyway, I'll quit rambling. Have a nice week, David and Webworm World!
When people with no interest in conspiracies knows what qanon is I wonder how saturated society is with it.
Ive seen loads of them discussing qanon stuff to people not into it without mentioning it (pre-bans) and I think that's much worse. That it's being spread so quickly in wellness circles really freaks me out. They're already primed for no-proof stuff and they know how to market hard.