Helping a friend who believes in conspiracy theories.

[UpperWestside 6160]

So this is a bit of a difficult one. It’s not difficult to refute the conspiracy theories he throws my direction, but it’s that he thinks everything is a conspiracy. Last night it was a message on “strange formations and caverns” where I grew up. Geologists have given scientific explanations for their formation and the evidence backs that up. 
 

This is the biggest problem. This moron and like-minded morons.

The debunking is done by an actual professor in this video. Billy Carson is so incredibly stupid and that he appeared on Rogan’s podcast only underlines this. I mean just a complete lack of intellect. How anyone hears him talk and says “That guy makes perfect sense!” is beyond me. My friend is all in on this guy, evidence to the contrary be darned. 
 

I have been friends with this guy for 20 plus years. I guess I should have seen some warning signs for being a conspiracy nut, but I never looked into it until he started sending me links to Facebook posts about Carson. I told him to delete his Facebook and just get off social media because nothing he was listening to was real. It was just a con man making money off of willing rubes, of which he had become one.

I do not want to just leave this alone because we live in a world now where so many of our fellow citizens get sucked into these rabbit holes of never ending conspiracies. What have any of you done with friends in a similar circumstance? Any help would be greatly appreciated here as I am watching my friend slowly sink into this alternate reality that does not exist. Kinda sad to watch.

Edited July 28 by UpperWestside

[Prepuce of Doom 21052]

Give us more information about him and maybe we can all come up with different ways to fuck with him such that you could eventually tell him that you were behind it all and that he's a gullible dingdong who lacks critical thinking skills. 

[Parliament 14237]

Block him.   Life's too short for dumbass friends.

[PilotsError 2286]

I wonder if OP got vaxxed.  Because if he did...

[TwiceHorn 31438]

1 minute ago, PilotsError said:

I wonder if OP got vaxxed.  Because if he did...

JFC.

What, he's got 5G now?

Edited July 28 by TwiceHorn

[UpperWestside 6160]

2 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

JFC.

What, he's got 5G now?

6G, but THEY don’t want you to know that. 

[Herbie Hancock 7344]

Block him.   Life's too short for dumbass friends.

This is the correct answer.

[UpperWestside 6160]

50 minutes ago, Prepuce of Doom said:

Give us more information about him and maybe we can all come up with different ways to fuck with him such that you could eventually tell him that you were behind it all and that he's a gullible dingdong who lacks critical thinking skills. 

So for the Houston people this might be a field day because is a life-long resident of Dallas. Married for 30 years or so. Three kids and a grandchild now. He teaches and coaches. He is extremely responsible with his family and is a present father and husband. 
 

The conspiracy stuff is insane and I told him as much. I was direct about it, but tried not to personally insult him. He believes in an alien race of some kind, with Billy Carson banging the drum on the Anunnaki conspiracy being the main one. I put him on a call with a friend that he knows who is probably my closest friend. My non-conspiracy minded friend listened and refuted every conspiracy. Everytime you ask where he gets this from he says it’s “documented.” I told him a clown making things up out of whole cloth is not documentation. He also does what a lot of conspiracy addled people do and say “THEY” when they have no idea who to blame. It is always “THEY don’t want you to know.” I wish someone would take people like Billy Carson and shoot them directly into an active volcano for the harm they do to people.

 

[immamac 42835]

4 minutes ago, UpperWestside said:

So for the Houston people this might be a field day because is a life-long resident of Dallas. Married for 30 years or so. Three kids and a grandchild now. He teaches and coaches. He is extremely responsible with his family and is a present father and husband. 
 

The conspiracy stuff is insane and I told him as much. I was direct about it, but tried not to personally insult him. He believes in an alien race of some kind, with Billy Carson banging the drum on the Anunnaki conspiracy being the main one. I put him on a call with a friend that he knows who is probably my closest friend. My non-conspiracy minded friend listened and refuted every conspiracy. Everytime you ask where he gets this from he says it’s “documented.” I told him a clown making things up out of whole cloth is not documentation. He also does what a lot of conspiracy addled people do and say “THEY” when they have no idea who to blame. It is always “THEY don’t want you to know.” I wish someone would take people like Billy Carson and shoot them directly into an active volcano for the harm they do to people.

 

Look your friend is a dumbass. You need to decide whether you want to be around dumbasses or not. There is no fix for stupid. Knowing more doesn't make you not stupid. 

[UpperWestside 6160]

15 minutes ago, immamac said:

Look your friend is a dumbass. You need to decide whether you want to be around dumbasses or not. There is no fix for stupid. Knowing more doesn't make you not stupid. 

I have not been around him in probably a decade now, but we have regularly talked about sports, life and whatnot. This is a really recent thing, within the last three weeks or so. I did stop taking his calls. I do a fairly good job insulating myself from crazy people. Well as well as you can doing the job that I do, but I digress. I guess just being confronted with it on a personal level like this was really surprising. Not that these people exist, but rather how easily he speaks about this like it’s true. 

[Armybrat 40822]

29 minutes ago, UpperWestside said:

So for the Houston people this might be a field day because is a life-long resident of Dallas. Married for 30 years or so. Three kids and a grandchild now. He teaches and coaches. He is extremely responsible with his family and is a present father and husband. 
 

The conspiracy stuff is insane and I told him as much. I was direct about it, but tried not to personally insult him. He believes in an alien race of some kind, with Billy Carson banging the drum on the Anunnaki conspiracy being the main one. I put him on a call with a friend that he knows who is probably my closest friend. My non-conspiracy minded friend listened and refuted every conspiracy. Everytime you ask where he gets this from he says it’s “documented.” I told him a clown making things up out of whole cloth is not documentation. He also does what a lot of conspiracy addled people do and say “THEY” when they have no idea who to blame. It is always “THEY don’t want you to know.” I wish someone would take people like Billy Carson and shoot them directly into an active volcano for the harm they do to people.

 

Does he wear an aggy ring?

[UpperWestside 6160]

Just now, Armybrat said:

Does he wear an aggy ring?

Haha no. He went to a small HBCU, Jarvis Christian. 

[CurlyDumps 4466]

This is a topic I'm interested in. Actually just started this book Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies by Arthur Goldwag yesterday.  One topic it explores is the psychology of a conspiracy theorist and why they believe, which is what really interests me. 

There are resources out there that offer advice on how to reach and deprogram people, especially with all the Qanon and Q-adjacent shit that's exploded in recent years.  There are subreddits like r/QanonCasualties and r/ReQovery that have stories from friends/family/loved of Q people, and from reformed/recovering conspiracy theorists themselves.

Can't really offer any advice other than to seek out helpful resources. I just know it's a long road to change their mind. And there are constructive ways of communicating.  It is possible but I dunno about older people like 50 or 60+. 

 

[Pato del Muerto 52485]

I don’t have anything for you but damn did I enjoy the video you posted. 

[Pato del Muerto 52485]

7 minutes ago, UpperWestside said:

Haha no. He went to a small HBCU, Jarvis Christian. 

So it’s not a new thing. His first conspiracy is modern Christianity, decades ago. 

[Okie State 3804]

I wish I knew the answer because I've seen the same happen to family members. I'm not sure there is any coming back for them. They see every part of life through this lens now.

[UpperWestside 6160]

1 hour ago, Pato del Muerto said:

I don’t have anything for you but damn did I enjoy the video you posted. 

That video is incredible. I believe he has only done two like that because of the two nutjobs his audience asked him to debunk. Everything else is teaching people about science, which is cool.

Edited July 28 by UpperWestside

[CurlyDumps 4466]

Also meant to add - if his beliefs aren't causing real damage like wrecking  interpersonal relationships or his career, draining his finances, etc,  it's probably not worth trying to change his point of view.

[Okie State 3804]

Watching that video was both fascinating and disturbing. It reminds me of conversations I've had with master bullshitters whose evidence is YouTube videos 100% of the time.

Edited July 29 by Okie State

[NWBuck 8552]

Lotta good conversation on the debunking and redemption process on the You Are Not So Smart podcast feed. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13508]

When someone is far enough down the rabbit hole, I don't think there is a way back. Take the current flat earther folks. They will take a youtube video as more proof than every scientific mind for the last 2,000+ years.  Ancient Greeks knew the earth was round. Most likely it was believed even before that but preserved communication is rare.

Even when presented with overwhelming evidence, they have the ultimate fall back that it's a conspiracy for those to lie. And when they have that wild card in their back pocket, you can't refute them. In their minds. Not to compare flat earthers with all religious types, but the critical thinking flaws are similar. Someone can always say their religious texts trumps any scientific proof because God wrote the text.

[Armybrat 40822]

Old men wrote the texts after they’ve been repeatedly interpreted by generations of older men, each with their own agenda.

Kinda like starting a rumor by whispering a statement to the first person who whispers it to the next in line….and the last person after many has heard a completely different version and writes it in their “sacred” book.

Edited July 29 by Armybrat

[Jerry Callo 8695]

I don't believe in conspiracy theorists.  

[TwiceHorn 31438]

On 7/28/2024 at 1:32 PM, UpperWestside said:

Haha no. He went to a small HBCU, Jarvis Christian. 

Is he black, then?  I think African-Americans may have an extra susceptibility to conspiracy theories because they've been the victims of more than a couple of actual conspiracies and their fairly systematic exclusion from (white) society.  Much the same way they can be vulnerable to get-rich-quick schemes or alternative (read bullshit) investments.

[ROFL BOX 6647]

[UpperWestside 6160]

8 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Is he black, then?  I think African-Americans may have an extra susceptibility to conspiracy theories because they've been the victims of more than a couple of actual conspiracies and their fairly systematic exclusion from (white) society.  Much the same way they can be vulnerable to get-rich-quick schemes or alternative (read bullshit) investments.

He is. He has in the past cited the Tuskegee Experiment and during COVID only got his vaccination once DISD said you will lose your job. I am sure studies have been done that you might be far more familiar with than I am.

 

[Nivek 16917]

When someone is far enough down the rabbit hole, I don't think there is a way back. Take the current flat earther folks. They will take a youtube video as more proof than every scientific mind for the last 2,000+ years.  Ancient Greeks knew the earth was round. Most likely it was believed even before that but preserved communication is rare.
Even when presented with overwhelming evidence, they have the ultimate fall back that it's a conspiracy for those to lie. And when they have that wild card in their back pocket, you can't refute them. In their minds. Not to compare flat earthers with all religious types, but the critical thinking flaws are similar. Someone can always say their religious texts trumps any scientific proof because God wrote the text.

You are looking at it wrong, IMO. I tend to think these groups are just attractive to lonely people and it gives them a social community to identify with. We all do it, Christian, Texan, Buckeye, Green Party, Marine, Elk Club, whatever.

Being part of a social group is necessary for humans. It is more important than facts. Look to those old Japanese soldiers who didn’t surrender until decades later, until they found a social member part of their community, to talk them down.

[MinerProphet 71]

I tend to think these people (who are friends and family) aren't stupid or intentionally anatagonistic, but the "real deal" conspiracy theorists are usually suffering some form of mental illness. So you can say "just cut them off, don't have time for idiots" but would you say the same if your friend or family is, say, depressed? or bipolar? etc.?

[MinerProphet 71]

The human brain is a complex marvel of God, probably the best example of a God and creator IMO, but it can be hurt and broken in a myriad of ways. I have dealt with some mental strain just stress related-- it helps me to empathize with those who have real brain trauma (physical & nuerological) and the problems it causes in becoming anti-social.

Just thought I'd add that as an appeal for empathy for these people, versus just a dismissal of them as not worth being a friend or family because their brand of mental illness is one that tries your intellectual patience the most or is more mentally exhausting.

[immamac 42835]

I think it's much simpler than that. People are desperate for acceptance and an explanation that fits their world view. People are deeply hurt and desperate right now because they are being absolutely blasted by overwhelmingly negative and helpless to change news and events. 

[Pato del Muerto 52485]

6 minutes ago, MinerProphet said:

The human brain is a complex marvel of God, probably the best example of a God and creator IMO, but

Well in my opinion there’s volumes of knowledge available about evolution of brains, including specific to human brains. So I disagree with your assertion. 

[Sandman 3403]

6 hours ago, MinerProphet said:

So you can say "just cut them off, don't have time for idiots" but would you say the same if your friend or family is, say, depressed? or bipolar?

My ex was/is depressed and bipolar, and I blocked her stupid ass 4 years ago #winning.

 

Honestly, if this is a good friend, you should be able to just say "Nah, that's all bullshit" and move on. If you don't know them that well, or aren't close enough to be really honest with them, either say nothing or just reply with one word answers, like "Interesting". That's what my wife does when I text her shit that she doesn't care about at all.

[troph 24781]

On 7/28/2024 at 1:33 PM, CurlyDumps said:

This is a topic I'm interested in. Actually just started this book Cults, Conspiracies, and Secret Societies by Arthur Goldwag yesterday.  One topic it explores is the psychology of a conspiracy theorist and why they believe, which is what really interests me. 

There are resources out there that offer advice on how to reach and deprogram people, especially with all the Qanon and Q-adjacent shit that's exploded in recent years.  There are subreddits like r/QanonCasualties and r/ReQovery that have stories from friends/family/loved of Q people, and from reformed/recovering conspiracy theorists themselves.

Can't really offer any advice other than to seek out helpful resources. I just know it's a long road to change their mind. And there are constructive ways of communicating.  It is possible but I dunno about older people like 50 or 60+. 

 

Those subreddits really show how addictive conspiracies can be. It’s sad, but probably as addictive as some of the most addictive substances. You can see the anxiety loop that appears resolved with understanding of the “real truth” but it’s short lived and then getting off conspiracy addiction creates another anxiety loop. And it does certainly give explanation to why the world seems so out of control giving back a short term sense of control from understanding. That false power is probably addictive too. For me, I can understand that as a former evangelical. And I can say life is harder in a lot of ways when you choose reality over pre-packaged but nonsensical stories. I feel bad for anyone trapped, I have a friend trapped he’s a former Jehovah’s Witness as a kid now full Q. I have family that’s conspiracy theory light believers too. Fully believe that the interconnection from the internet is the best and worst invention humans have ever made (maybe only second to the internal combustion engine and the advent of other CO2 producing technologies).  

Edited August 1 by troph

[Hornbeliever 712]

I worked at tech place in Austin for a while and this really smart high-up guy invited me to lunch.  Halfway through lunch, he starts on a rant about how Isis planted Obama in White House and he is a proven Muslim spy and he has evidence etc etc.  It was certifiable bat shit crazy rant and I did not know how to handle convo other than check please.

That is when I learned how smart someone is and how normal they act in  traditional work situations does not disqualify them from believing utter nonsense in their private life.  

[UpperWestside 6160]

I have read the responses here and tried to take some time to think at length about this. I believe that in this instance, even though this is a friend of 20 plus years that it is best to just completely cut him off. Most of the time I listen to people and attempt to help folks through life’s troubles, but I do not believe I can help my friend with the mental state he is in and how far down the rabbit hole he is with all of these conspiracies. I blocked his number and I feel okay in doing that because I am not the one that’ll get through to him.

 

I am going to still read more from the links provided here upthread to better understand the mind of folks who fall prey to this stuff. Thank you for the advice y’all have offered. I do appreciate that.

[Jerry Callo 8695]

Conspiracy Theorists do not exist.

[Al_4_ISU 12448]

On 7/31/2024 at 2:21 PM, immamac said:

I think it's much simpler than that. People are desperate for acceptance and an explanation that fits their world view. People are deeply hurt and desperate right now because they are being absolutely blasted by overwhelmingly negative and helpless to change news and events. 

Exactly this.  I have friends who don't necessarily believe in conspiracy theories, but they tend to react to any facts inconvenient to their emotionally held beliefs as some kind of concoction of a biased media source.  Or maybe they do believe it and just hide it from me because I tell them that conspiracy theories are fucking stupid.

Either way, it's an internal defense mechanism to quickly explain a world that often simply defies basic explanation.

[Baboontyme 2809]

I have my guy figured out and it boils down to arrogance with him. He wants to believe that he is smarter than everyone else. He likes to think that he has critical thinking skills that the common man doesn't possess. He's 5'5 so kind of makes sense. 

[MinerProphet 71]

The craziest to me is when (and I've known people literally say this) that "the government" or "the large corporation XYZ" like Microsoft, for example, are secretly masterminding a huge conspiracy with a ton of moving parts and intricate details needed. 

And I'm just like...dude, I've worked with the government and I've worked with and in organizations XYZ (Big tech, Microsoft, whatever)....and how these entities do anything right quarter after quarter actually baffles me. These organizations are made up of individuals, it's not some living monolith. I'd be surprised if these organizations being romanticized as being omniopotent would be able to secretly synchronize a lunch (I'm exaggerating, but "secrets" like layoffs and M&A are never secret).

I just think to these people, "Leadership and C-Suite VP's don't know how to do anything-- haven't you ever worked anywhere before?"

And no, most of them have never actually worked anywhere before. Drop them into a government agency or Fortune 500 business and after a year you will have rid them of these big business conspiracy theories.

Edited August 2 by MinerProphet

[Chewbacca 7766]

I have my guy figured out and it boils down to arrogance with him. He wants to believe that he is smarter than everyone else. He likes to think that he has critical thinking skills that the common man doesn't possess. He's 5'5 so kind of makes sense. 

Yep. In my experience, they typically are low achievers who desperately want to be the smart one in the room for once in their lives.

[UpperWestside 6160]

10 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

On 8/1/2024 at 11:15 PM, Baboontyme said:

I have my guy figured out and it boils down to arrogance with him. He wants to believe that he is smarter than everyone else. He likes to think that he has critical thinking skills that the common man doesn't possess. He's 5'5 so kind of makes sense. 

Yep. In my experience, they typically are low achievers who desperately want to be the smart one in the room for once in their lives.

What finally told me that I could not help my friend a few days ago was the final text I received from him. I told him that he had no actual evidence of any of these conspiracies and that this was crazy town. He responded by saying my views on these conspiracies were draconian and some other garbled stuff that made no sense to anyone with a functioning brain. He was gaslighting me for telling the truth. That was the point it hit me I cannot help him. 

[luke duke 6412]

Yep. In my experience, they typically are low achievers who desperately want to be the smart one in the room for once in their lives.

This perfectly describes a conspiracy theorist that I know.

[ROFL BOX 6647]

Totally CR'ing up this thread.

[High Plains Drifter 11026]

 

https://chatgpt.com/share/377c8a82-e6e0-4697-a9ae-a0162aa36061

 

 

[atomheartbevo 89625]

On 7/30/2024 at 8:58 AM, Nivek said:

 I tend to think these groups are just attractive to lonely people and it gives them a social community to identify with. 

On 7/31/2024 at 2:11 PM, MinerProphet said:

, but the "real deal" conspiracy theorists are usually suffering some form of mental illness. 

On 7/31/2024 at 2:21 PM, immamac said:

I think it's much simpler than that. People are desperate for acceptance and an explanation that fits their world view. People are deeply hurt and desperate right now because they are being absolutely blasted by overwhelmingly negative and helpless to change news and events. 

On 8/1/2024 at 10:15 PM, Baboontyme said:

I have my guy figured out and it boils down to arrogance with him. He wants to believe that he is smarter than everyone else. He likes to think that he has critical thinking skills that the common man doesn't possess. 

On 8/2/2024 at 2:17 PM, Chewbacca said:

Yep. In my experience, they typically are low achievers who desperately want to be the smart one in the room for once in their lives.

One or more of these combined, although I would lean towards mental illness with the newer conspiracy theories. I would say that the ones I've known over the years are extremely lonely or have mental health issues or have had something happen in their lives that they can't easily explain or make sense of, or a combination of those.  I think with these newer conspiracy theories (Qanon) all of the followers have some mental health issues (even if it's just anxiety) , even if the issues aren't apparent before they embrace the conspiracy theory bullshit.

For a lot of these people, the attractiveness of the conspiracy theory is not the actual theory itself (and they will hop between theories), it's that it's something exciting that only a select few know about. It's like they are living in a fucking movie - they have this dangerous "insider" knowledge that few people know, and they can see themselves as being awake and alert to how the world works, and those of us who don't buy into their bullshit are all sleepwalking through the world. In their imagination, they are practically stars of a movie, working against all of the "sheeple".

We tend to forget that for some It truly gives meaning to their lives, as fucking stupid as it may seem to the rest of us.

Tying into what immamac said about them being bombarded by news and current events - seeing such large-scale conspiracy movements is a fairly recent thing.  Qanon is obviously the most visible (and even after it somewhat fell apart, its followers have latched on to new shit). Qanon benefitted from the people who created it hitting all the right notes at the right times, and getting attention from politicians all the way up to Trump, and having smartphones that are hitting them up with bullshit 24/7.

More importantly, the people who created Qanon were hoping to make a few bucks selling t-shirts and getting some clicks on websites and they played the social media game quite well.  That's kind of the key to their success - they pulled in a lot of lonely people, a lot of people with mental health issues, a lot of bored people, and they put them in this massive social media echo chamber that just bombards them daily. Qanon could not have happened 20 years ago.

20-30 years ago, conspiracy theorists were confined to back rooms at university student unions, or the back rooms of book stores, and outside of conventions (that were advertised in magazines), they got together because people plastered flyers around university campuses or in bookstores, or ads in the backs of local newspapers/magazines, etc.  It was hard to get a large bunch of conspiracy theorists together. Fast-forward to the 2010s and the people running a conspiracy movement can get their message out to millions of people within just a few minutes of posting on social media, at $0 cost. 35 years ago, people had to actively spend money to print flyers or take out ads or self-publish their books.

35 years ago, I was into the JFK assassination stuff thanks to a friend who knew I spent a lot of time studying the 60s. Early on I decided Oswald did it alone, but he was wrapped up with a bunch of shady people at various times, and I could easily accept that he could have been manipulated to do it by others - if irrefutable evidence came out supporting that, it would not rock my world view then or now. As a result,  I got bored with the conspiracy theory stuff, but I became fascinated with the followers and hung out with some of them (I wish I had written a book about them).

 I noticed that, at least in the early 90s, that a lot of them were older, and had something go wrong in their lives at some point in the 60s (or they believed it had), and they didn't necessarily have mental health problems (not like what we see with the Qanons), but something traumatic/tragic happened in their lives and they began to associate that with JFK's death.  The whole "Camelot has fallen" thing after JFK's death - maybe their parents got divorced, maybe they went to Vietnam or lost a friend or sibling in Vietnam, and at some point, JFK's death began to mean something bigger to them, in their minds it became a defining point in their lives, like when he was killed, things went wrong for them. Prior to his death, things were going well. After, their lives fell apart in some manner. They put JFK on a pedestal, and they began seeking answers that would somehow explain it, because for them, it could not be as simple as Oswald was a fucking lunatic, because how could one shitty little human being ruin their lives (and/or the country).

And there was something to that - a lot of really awful shit happened from 1963 on for the next decade.  Things that we here in 2024 can't comprehend (or that I in the early 90s couldn't).

My sister-in-law was into Qanon, and she has mental health problems, and she has some social interaction issues, not helped that her dad and step-mom don't require her to support herself, so she has too much time to spend on the internet).  She fully bought into the Qanon stuff, and she would clash with the rest of us and lose her shit with us when we mocked her or even just gently telling her that she was wrong.  After 2020, I fully admit to taking a few potshots at her with "Welp, Trump didn't execute his enemies on the steps of the Capitol like you said, and Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey are still walking around freely, so what excuse are you going to come up with?"

The interesting thing is that she turned on Trump and Qanon, but it took 3 years or so before she would truly admit it in public - she now feels like her and her friends were betrayed.  When she told me that, I was very happy, because I thought she might actually rejoin the family/society as s somewhat saner person.  She's still on an anti-vaccine crusade, but whatever, the raw milk she chugs every week will eventually take her out.

But nope. Whereas when I reached my conclusion about Oswald, I just dropped it and moved on to other stuff. My sis-in-law and her friends could not let go that easily - it was like they couldn't just accept that they were manipulated and used by people wanting to make a quick buck, because that makes them look bad and it makes them look small. No, now a bunch of them are fixated on this theory that Trump faked the assassination to help himself, because being manipulated by somebody or a group for a few bucks makes you small, but if that person or group was willing to stage a massive false-flag operation, *BOOM* you're right back into the "My life is a movie and I know things that the sheeple don't, and I'm awake while everybody else sleepwalks!"

The dynamics between the JFK folks I knew in the early 90s, and the Qanon folks are just so vastly different.  A lot of the JFK folks I knew truly felt like they were broken in some manner by his death either when it happened, or as a result later on down the road, and they wanted an answer and felt that an answer would provide closure in some way and they could move on with their lives.

These fucking Qanon people (and the flat-earthers and Apollo-deniers are in that mix/overlap, if you close out one conspiracy theory, they have to find something else to fill that void. They don't want closure, they want that dopamine hit of being in the mix of (in their minds) exciting stuff.  I had hoped that after 2020 and the people behind Qanon shutting it down (well at least for a short while) and talking about the real journey was the friends they made and shit, that the Qanon followers would tone things down.

I fully admit to resorting to mocking these newer conspiracy theory types over the past several years, or being extremely blunt when refuting them, and I don't know how to deal with them because there's mental health issues there, and because they don't want closure on an event, they want to live in the moment (of being inside a conspiracy theory).

The only good thing I see is that a lot of our youth that are growing up with the internet are cynical as hell after being bombarded with scams and spam online.

 

Edited September 6 by atomheartbevo

[Nivek 16917]

^Lobo lives

[RDCanecutter 26379]

Bunch of arrogant MFs up in here gonna be shocked once I'm proven right about the weird cavern formations.

[Nivek 16917]

17 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

Bunch of arrogant MFs up in here gonna be shocked once I'm proven right about the weird cavern formations.

Don't talk about South Austin's mom like that, she showed great courage...

[PRONG HORN 3133]

On 8/3/2024 at 12:23 AM, UpperWestside said:

That was the point it hit me I cannot help him. 

 

 

You can help him.  Contract his wife, or other friends to see how much this has increased over recent years/months.  It sounds like maybe this guy might be headed toward, or already experiencing mental issues.  Cut him off, but not before making sure these beliefs aren't a symptom of bigger problems.  If his wife also agrees that it seems out of character, help her facilitate some kind of help.  At least check to see if the wife also gets spammed with his theories and go from there.  Help if you can, but sometimes you can't really help these people until something truly telling happens.  Maybe other old friends are getting spammed and also have the same feelings as you do about it.  Only you guys know if this isn't in line with his history.  Has he always been this way?

 

 

 

[Dennis Taylor 18809]

Don't rush to judgment here, this sit could be real. Think about it.there are flat earth people around the globe 

Edited September 9 by Dennis Taylor