This resonated with me:

Perspective | I'm dating a conspiracy theorist. But it feels like I'm the one going crazy.I've been asking myself: Does it matter that I can't take many of his beliefs seriously?www.washingtonpost.com

When my mom came down with paranoid schizophrenia and got obsessed with conspiracies, we used to say of people like her "they have mental health conditions and need help." But the conspiracy theories that wrecked her life and took her from her career as a Cornell-educated cancer researcher, were actually somewhat plausible: she believed the Russians may be bugging our telephone lines.

Now when people promote insane conspiracy theories about alien sex or whatever, we shrug and say "oh, someone's been in Facebook Groups or watching Fox News." And yet those conspiracy theories are less plausible than my mom believing in Russian spying.

Or, we say, freedom of the press, let the reader beware. The problem with that, as every doctor can attest, is the death and despair that follow. Even Twitter, which was founded on the idea of freedom of expression, has to put warnings on some conspiracies — like Covid is a democratic hoax and will disappear — or block the accounts of people who post that stuff to keep too many people from dying.

Conspiracy theorists and those who promote them work really hard to undermine attempts to stop people from believing it. All attempts to stop them are used as evidence to support the ‘truth’ of the conspiracy. How many times have we read “what the _________ don’t want you to know”? Evidence or lack thereof is unimportant. Reasonableness and plausibility are plenty good enough. It’s an uphill battle against this and it’s unlikely to slow until the whole pandemic is over. When people are stressed and there’s no simple answer they go looking for one. It helps them make sense of the world and feel in more control. Ignorance is bliss. Critical thinking is in short supply. Common sense isn’t good enough as common sense often leads us astray.

Here’s a good article albeit disturbing.

Evangelicals are looking for answers online. They're finding QAnon instead.The first family to quit Pastor Clark Frailey's church during the pandemic did it by text message. It felt to Frailey like a heartbreaking and incomplete way to end a years-long relationship. When a second young couple said they were doubting his leadership a week later, Frailey decided to risk seeing them in person, despite...www.technologyreview.com

It’s. Beyond me. I. Just. Can’t. My mind goes blank.

But good on Twitter:

Twitter removes QAnon supporter's false claim about coronavirus death statistics that Trump had retweetedTwitter on Sunday took down a tweet containing a false claim about coronavirus death statistics that was made by a supporter of the baseless QAnon conspiracy theory -- a post that President Donald Trump had retweeted earlier in the day.www.cnn.com

Wow, Trump cares about nothing but himself. The beautiful irony here is that Trumps own ineptitude and failed actions on the covid-19 thing has likely cost him a billion dollars in lost asset value. I take some solace in that.

I’m getting worried that his strategy of blaming democrats for violence in the cities is working. Some white women in focus groups are reportedly deciding to vote Trump because they feel unsafe.

When people are ignorant they’re ignorant. What can you do? If they hadn’t gmfigured it out after the first six months then there wasn’t much hope. Merely just beating Trump would be a massive loss in my mind. The world watches in pity is what it has come to. Many don’t see the USA as powerful anymore but rather see it as falling apart. Great for dictatorships and other ideologies to show in order to reduce the desire for democracy.

The GOP still isn’t saying outright that Qanon is a conspiracy nutcase. USA is headed for more serious problem than the current situation. This stuff doesn’t end even if Trump is voted out.

Pence drops plan to go to fundraiser hosted by QAnon backers - NBC NewsThe baseless conspiracy theory alleges President Trump is battling an entrenched bureaucracy and sex trafficking ring run by pedophiles.apple.news

This is insane.

'This is f---ing crazy': Florida Latinos swamped by wild conspiracy theoriesA flood of disinformation and deceptive claims is damaging Joe Biden in the nation's biggest swing state.www.politico.com

Mural in Australia;

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.Subjects: Warfare, MilitaryAuthor: Sun Tzu

Fortunately, I haven’t met any QAnon supporters. This sounds awful:

Friends And Family Members Of QAnon Believers Are Going Through A "Surreal Goddamn Nightmare"Almost 200 people told us what it's been like to lose a loved one to the mass delusion. Here's what they said.www.buzzfeednews.com

Very sad indeed. Sadder still that Republicans who know better are promoting it. It’s really not unexpected for conspiracy beliefs to rise during a pandemic though it doesn’t make it any less tragic. Very sad article.

here’s a great article about Qanon. A quote from the article:

“QAnon is emblematic of modern America’s susceptibility to conspiracy theories, and its enthusiasm for them. But it is also already much more than a loose collection of conspiracy-minded chat-room inhabitants. It is a movement united in mass rejection of reason, objectivity, and other Enlightenment values. “

The Prophecies of QAmerican conspiracy theories are entering a dangerous new phase.www.theatlantic.com

Sometimes I read articles about the spread of QAnon and the unlikely people who get drawn into it, and I just. Can’t. Process. It.

How QAnon Conspiracy Theories Spread in My Colorado HometownDuring the pandemic, some of the people I grew up with got sucked into QAnon and the Q-adjacent "Save the Children" movement.theintercept.com

It’s sad for sure. They just keep getting directed to more and more conspiracy videos and their echo chamber reinforces it. Company algorithms are as much to blame as people’s own ignorance. They become so confident and blinded by their view that no evidence will convince them otherwise. The power of conspiracies to such people in so they can never leave. Trump knew this and built his start and base using it. Birther conspiracy got him his first batch of people who would never leave the cult. It’s going to create a lot of lasting problems even if trump loses. If he wins I’m not sure you won’t turn into a dictatorship.

Well, this is pretty amazing: Facebook has banned it in all its forms on its platforms and using an in-house team to track it down rather than relying on user reports. 👏👏👏

There is a video on what to do if you have a family member or friend infected with QAnon beliefs:

Facebook bans QAnon across its platformsThe change is a significant escalation over its previous actions targeting QAnon and one of the broadest rules the social media giant has put in place in its history.www.nbcnews.com

Love it!! Unlike 2016, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms know what’s coming. That definitely helps Biden and hurts Trump.

I came across a Facebook post of someone who linked Q'Anon to the Book of Mormon and how the Book of Mormon proves Q'Anon is true. Simply terrifying. My jaw dropped to the floor reading it. I'm amazed there are as many crazies out there as there are.

42% support for Trump so I’m not surprised. Fox News, social media and listening to the Republicans will warp your reality.

I still think this stuff is so far over the top it wouldn’t sell as fiction, but I guess on social media it does. The best America’s mayor could do is this insane laptop story?

lol

The Australians have weighed in.

There needs to be more videos like this one.

Would this surprise anyone if it was proven to be true?

QAnon is supposed to be all about protecting kids. Its primary enabler appears to have hosted child porn domains.Archives document Jim Watkins' links to domains suggestive of underage sexual material.www.motherjones.com