QAnon

[Gulo Blue]

Here's what I don't get. They believe Trump is leading the effort to get rid of the Democrat, Satanic, Child-Trafficking Ring, and Trump has to consistently lie every time he says something that doesn't line up with something QAnon says in order to keep it all a secret...but all the QAnon followers know about it and it's even in the press now and that hasn't tipped his hand?

 

[Michchamp]

Here's what I don't get. They believe Trump is leading the effort to get rid of the Democrat, Satanic, Child-Trafficking Ring, and Trump has to consistently lie every time he says something that doesn't line up with something QAnon says in order to keep it all a secret...but all the QAnon followers know about it and it's even in the press now and that hasn't tipped his hand?

Here's what I don't get: you have a degree from Michigan and a graduate degree (or degrees) from Duke, in non-bullshit areas of study, and in 2020 you're still believing this particular (and horrifyingly large) subsection of the American population is capable of logic and reason?

 

[Gulo Blue]

Here's what I don't get: you have a degree from Michigan and a graduate degree (or degrees) from Duke, in non-bullshit areas of study, and in 2020 you're still believing this particular (and horrifyingly large) subsection of the American population is capable of logic and reason?

I just saw a story about a poll that found 50% of Trump supporters believe there's an elite Democrat child-trafficking ring. I'm just going through the shock of seeing that number so high.

 

[Michchamp]

I just saw a story about a poll that found 50% of Trump supporters believe there's an elite Democrat child-trafficking ring. I'm just going through the shock of seeing that number so high.

You're about to go through the "Five Stages of Grief From Realizing Humanity Is Doomed"

 

[tinselwolverine]

I just saw a story about a poll that found 50% of Trump supporters believe there's an elite Democrat child-trafficking ring. I'm just going through the shock of seeing that number so high.

Why are you shocked?

We?ve talked about this before; not specifically about Trump supporters only but just everyone.

In general, people are stupid.

 

[Gulo Blue]

Why are you shocked?

We?ve talked about this before; not specifically about Trump supporters only but just everyone.

In general, people are stupid.

I don't think this is about smart/stupid. It's something else (ego, I think) that causes people to seek out news that confirms that they're fine and problems are caused by other people. I can see how that leads to being willing to believe that elite Dems are pedophiles, but I never would have guessed so many people think they are that much better than everyone else, and how bad they are willing to think others are in order to keep that idea ringing true for themselves.

 

[byco42]

I just saw a story about a poll that found 50% of Trump supporters believe there's an elite Democrat child-trafficking ring. I'm just going through the shock of seeing that number so high.

If pedophilia is a ?recreational pursuit? of ?elite movers and shakers,? which includes politicians, it?s not limited, in my opinion, to a specific party or to even a specific nation.

There has been strong speculation about GHWB being a connoisseur of sub-adult boys. Same with Edward Heath.

And why should we believe that this horrific pastime should be ?embraced? only by certain deranged and unholy Catholic priests? That, to me, merely indicates a tip-of-the-iceberg situation.

I consider the US Government as a long-time tacit supporter of sex trafficking because it sustains diplomatic relations with other nations that actually sponsor and promote it.

So, hypocrisy, thy name is the DOJ.

 

[tinselwolverine]

I don't think this is about smart/stupid. It's something else (ego, I think) that causes people to seek out news that confirms that they're fine and problems are caused by other people. I can see how that leads to being willing to believe that elite Dems are pedophiles, but I never would have guessed so many people think they are that much better than everyone else, and how bad they are willing to think others are in order to keep that idea ringing true for themselves.

Yes.

This - and other things like some of the crazy shit that some people who hate Republitards - I only used Republitard because it literally populated my choice bar before Republican, which is amusing to me - what a surprise, Silicone Valley, right? - anyway, having that kind of mindset is stupid.

 

[Gulo Blue]

If pedophilia is a “recreational pursuit” of “elite movers and shakers,” which includes politicians, it’s not limited, in my opinion, to a specific party or to even a specific nation.

There has been strong speculation about GHWB being a connoisseur of sub-adult boys. Same with Edward Heath.

And why should we believe that this horrific pastime should be “embraced” only by certain deranged and unholy Catholic priests? That, to me, merely indicates a tip-of-the-iceberg situation.

I consider the US Government as a long-time tacit supporter of sex trafficking because it sustains diplomatic relations with other nations that actually sponsor and promote it.

So, hypocrisy, thy name is the DOJ.

The idea that it's far more widespread than we are aware of (or rather, so widespread it includes many we are not suspicious of) is different from the idea that it's all organized and drives our politics and press.


I know you know that's different. I'm just saying that's the distinction I'd make.

 

[byco42]

The idea that it's far more widespread than we are aware of (or rather, so widespread it includes many we are not suspicious of) is different from the idea that it's all organized and drives our politics and press.


I know you know that's different. I'm just saying that's the distinction I'd make.

I certainly believe that Satan is the driver of this pernicious evil, because he hates all people, especially the most vulnerable. Whether the perpetrators are aware of that or not is another conversation.

 

[Michchamp]

The idea that it's far more widespread than we are aware of (or rather, so widespread it includes many we are not suspicious of) is different from the idea that it's all organized and drives our politics and press.


I know you know that's different. I'm just saying that's the distinction I'd make.

I mentioned it in another thread, but you didn't respond... if you're really that curious about this sort of mindset, you need to get the book The Authoritarians like yesterday.

it really is shocking the % of people that have this mindset.

interestingly, the one thing that tended to reduce it was college.

NOT because of "liberal indoctrination" but because of the simple fact that college forces people to meet, live with, work, and interact with a cross section of society they were able to avoid prior to age 18.

tough (from the perspective of a white American) to believe all the nonsense about gays, muslims, blacks, etc. when you actually get to know them and realize they're just people like you.

 

[Gulo Blue]

While I'm shock at how many people are seduced by this idea, it's also sad that the bar had to go that low. It's a low as anyone can imagine it being. "I may be racist and/or sexist and/or support polices to harm the poor and/or go against just about anything Christ or any decent person ever said, but I'm the good guy because 'they' are pedophiles."


It's a super-inclusive ideology...for every type of dirtbag.

 

[byco42]

I mentioned it in another thread, but you didn't respond... if you're really that curious about this sort of mindset, you need to get the book The Authoritarians like yesterday.

it really is shocking the % of people that have this mindset.

interestingly, the one thing that tended to reduce it was college.

NOT because of "liberal indoctrination" but because of the simple fact that college forces people to meet, live with, work, and interact with a cross section of society they were able to avoid prior to age 18.

tough (from the perspective of a white American) to believe all the nonsense about gays, muslims, blacks, etc. when you actually get to know them and realize they're just people like you.

That sword has one edge, it appears, when you consider that many recent college graduates (themselves white) believe that white people are, always have been, and always will be the scourge of civilization and have no interest in ?getting to know them.?

 

[Michchamp]

I certainly believe that Satan is the driver of this pernicious evil, because he hates all people, especially the most vulnerable. Whether the perpetrators are aware of that or not is another conversation.

uh... erm... ah... or it could be that, I suppose.

I mean, it's impossible to prove Satan is NOT behind 50% of Americans being ignorant dumbasses, right?

 

[Gulo Blue]

I mentioned it in another thread, but you didn't respond... if you're really that curious about this sort of mindset, you need to get the book The Authoritarians like yesterday.

Bob Altemeyer?

 

[Gulo Blue]

That sword has one edge, it appears, when you consider that many recent college graduates (themselves white) believe that white people are, always have been, and always will be the scourge of civilization and have no interest in ?getting to know them.?

I wonder what % believe this. I don't think it's zero, but I don't think it's high either.

 

[Michchamp]

Bob Altemeyer?

yep.

it's a quick read... 250 pages or so, and a lot of that is extensive footnotes.

the book explains a lot though. I think it's impossible to explain American politics since 1960 without it.

Both political parties seemed to understand the challenge in running a democracy was NOT to appeal to such people in order to win elections.

Southern Democrats had been doing it for a LONG while of course. The GOP started doing it in the 60's.

Reagan more or less went for broke for them in the GOP primary and general election in 1980. The writing was pretty much on the wall for America after that.

 

[Gulo Blue]

yep.

it's a quick read... 250 pages or so, and a lot of that is extensive footnotes.

the book explains a lot though. I think it's impossible to explain American politics since 1960 without it.

Both political parties seemed to understand the challenge in running a democracy was NOT to appeal to such people in order to win elections.

Southern Democrats had been doing it for a LONG while of course. The GOP started doing it in the 60's.

Reagan more or less went for broke for them in the GOP primary and general election in 1980. The writing was pretty much on the wall for America after that.

That is one of the worst covers I've ever seen on a book.


Can I judge it based on that?

 

[Michchamp]

I wonder what % believe this. I don't think it's zero, but I don't think it's high either.

at least when I was last on a college campus on a regular basis (2006), the vast majority of ALL students (white, black, asian, latino) were more or less politically apathetic.

Getting drunk, getting laid, and (eventually) graduating and getting some kind of job to pay the bills (and the costs of continuing to get drunk and laid after college) took WAY more precedence over who was president and what was going on in the world around them.

The area of study affected political apathy. At business school, and in engineering it was probably even more... (if not majority conservative). and among fraternity and sorority members, even higher.

Maybe you'd get a 1/3 of students who actually followed along and cared about what was going on. From there maybe 5% that would join clubs or go to meetings, and even fewer that would take activist stances in their personal lives... boycott things, march, go to protests, etc.

 

[Michchamp]

That is one of the worst covers I've ever seen on a book.


Can I judge it based on that?

you can start to form an opinion...