Friend is now full on Trump-supporting, QAnon-believing conspiracy theorist

[Offskki]

I just can't believe it and I'm a bit gutted to be honest. Any advice on how to deal with this?

Waah? Huh?

The 'Chines (sic) Communist Party' and Ayatollah of Iran are somehow 'radical far left' regimes?

Erm what?

Did all my high school and university politics teachers have this shit entirely upside down? Are people seriously suggesting that theocratic fascism (Iran) and neoliberal free-market capitalism (China) are now the cornerstones of 'leftist' governments?!!!!!

In all seriousness though, how many people are being brainwashed with this shit?

I think that between them, @user1471565182 and @Hangingover have both nailed it.

People join the pro-Trump/Qanon/Anti-5G shit because of a superiority complex, reminiscent of religious fundamentalism.

Or, because they're happy to align themselves with white supremacists, meaning they themselves are white supremacists.

OP, I'd keep my distance too, in the same way I would from a religious nut or neo-Nazi.

I never said those examples were leftist. Its an example of my point how tech companies apply their policy unfairly

I have repeatedly said I'm not going to entertain answering that posters question to name lefties because I will only engage with those who will comment without resorting to insults and making up stuff about me

Ah good. So you can't name them. Thanks for clarifying. It would be more honest of you to actually say so rather than attempt to lead people to believe you're keeping some kind of global secret but no matter. We have your measure now.

@blueangel19

Yes, that is the latest. If you do not agree or have different views now is a way of forming a conspiracy theory. I bet this is the bunch that says that asking for ID at elections is racist.

I hope they ended in a gulag in China.

Lol these posters just keep on giving. If you don't agree with them they insult you, label you and make stuff up about what you think based on no truth.

At least I can accept people have different points of view and not insult people, tell then to f* off or make stuff up. Says a lot really.

@WithinAForestDark

Ah good. So you can't name them. Thanks for clarifying. It would be more honest of you to actually say so rather than attempt to lead people to believe you're keeping some kind of global secret but no matter. We have your measure now.

Nope I just not going to answer it to people who resort to name calling or labelling me wrong. If you want to ask them ask politely dont ask me and then in same breath call me a liar , cos quite frankly you can do one if you think that's a polite way to have a conversation with someone.

@cyclingmad and @blueangel19

Yes people have different points of view, but there is a difference between:

• facts vs shit you've read on facebook

• rational debate vs paragraphs of opinion littered with logical fallacies

• evidence based, peer-reviewed research vs shit you've read on facebook

Not all opinions are equal.

[quote Chookie89]**@cyclingmad* and @blueangel19*

Yes people have different points of view, but there is a difference between:

• facts vs shit you've read on facebook

• rational debate vs paragraphs of opinion littered with logical fallacies

• evidence based, peer-reviewed research vs shit you've read on facebook

Not all opinions are equal.[/quote]
Oh well I don't use Facebook so 🤷 maybe ask those journalists who also have the same opinion that if twitter is going to ban one person spreading violence they should also ban those spreading genocide instead of allowing them to continue

Or are you saying its okay that they are being allowed to continue to do so? 🤔

Nope I just not going to answer it to people who resort to name calling or labelling me wrong. If you want to ask them ask politely dont ask me and then in same breath call me a liar , cos quite frankly you can do one if you think that's a polite way to have a conversation with someone.

Exactly!

@cyclingmad "Or are you saying its okay that they are being allowed to continue to do so? 🤔"

Yet another logical fallacy.

You keep talking about journalists, China, 'spreading genocide on twitter', Iran.

Where is your evidence?

What and who are you on about exactly?

OMG! Seriously! 😂😂😂

To suggest that people who believe it all have MH issues is ridiculous

Completely agree.

I have repeatedly said I'm not going to entertain answering that posters question to name lefties because I will only engage with those who will comment without resorting to insults and making up stuff about me

@cyclingmad

Could you name some left wing world leaders inciting hatred and violence on Twitter? I'd really like to have a look. Pretty please.

Dear cyclingmad, could you please provide me with a couple of names of extreme leftist leaders, of similar status and power to Donald Trump, who have been free to incite violence on Twitter and Facebook? Thank you so much.

My daughters father is a QAnon believer. His views sicken me. I have had to step away from him with no clear way to know how to handle contact with our dd who is only 12 months old. He’s so irrational I don’t trust that he can be responsible for her well-being even though I can see he does love her.

For what it's worth I think Twitter have been far too lenient on Trump, he should have been thrown off years ago when he first started spouting lies and hatred. Apparently they have (had) a policy of not blocking world leaders, hopefully they will rethink this after Trump. Nobody should be allowed to disseminate this sort of stuff.

I agree @Kendodd

I also think the republicans need to rethink their policies on how to nominate people. How the fuck did he get into this position in the first place?

And now for a little poetry.

Michael Rosen
Sunday, 18 May 2014

Fascism: I sometimes fear...
I sometimes fear that
people think that fascism arrives in fancy dress
worn by grotesques and monsters
as played out in endless re-runs of the Nazis.

Fascism arrives as your friend.
It will restore your honour,
make you feel proud,
protect your house,
give you a job,
clean up the neighbourhood,
remind you of how great you once were,
clear out the venal and the corrupt,
remove anything you feel is unlike you...

It doesn't walk in saying,
"Our programme means militias, mass imprisonments, transportations, war and persecution."

@SugarbabyMilly. Shit, that sounds awful.

I read yesterday that the decision to close down popular alt-right forums (on reddit threads and facebook pages etc) is actually informed by some pretty good research. This research suggests that after sites are closed down, a significant proportion of followers do not re-engage with newly created sites as they get distracted by other life stuff etc. Partly because they have a break from receiving the endless stream of awful shit, and move on a bit. So it's sort of an en masse de-radicalisation tactic.

Obviously the hard core ones will do whatever it takes to create new spaces for their hateful shit.

In any case, I hope that this sort of action by social media companies, and the new increase in public awareness of this stuff, in some ways has a positive affect on your own situation. Best of luck

thank you @Kendodd for the poem.

Well, this would be a bloody good start in terms of mass de-radicalisation. Let's hope it happens. edition.cnn.com/2021/01/09/tech/parler-suspended-apple-app-store/index.html

all SugarbabyMilly How awful for you. I keep hearing more and more people know of somebody and are worried. It seems to be spreading like the virus.

If you talk about QAnon on Facebook, you get your account deleted even if it’s to say you don’t agree with it. I can see why because it’s clearly very dangerous. For some time, the FBI has said that it’s a national terrorist threat.

When people say that Trump being silenced is against free speech they seem to be missing that he’s incited terrorism.

Anyone else seen this video? It’s unbelievable
www.indiatoday.in/world/story/watch-donald-trump-son-and-team-party-moments-before-capitol-hill-riots-1757213-2021-01-08

Back to the OP - you sound like a caring person and I think in your shoes I'd be quite direct but gentle with it. Something about how you're not silencing her, she's free to say what she thinks but on this subject what she believes in is rooted in racism etc (as well as just factually not substantiated) so you don't want to have that in your life. That you'll be there for her if she wants to move on from these thoughts and needs a support network to do so.

Something like that but better worded is probably what I would do. Thankfully I don't know anyone in real life who has shown any inclination towards these conspiracy theories but if it was one of my friends or family I would find it really hard and I'd be worried about what on earth was driving it. Loneliness, or an outlet for stress maybe if it was someone who had otherwise seemed normal.

@OchNoAgain - gentle most certainly does not work with Q cult believers. They believe black is white and follow the narratives of people like Charlie Freak on YouTube, who has made many 3 hour videos of word salad. And even changed English language words because he thinks regular English has been designed to ‘enslave’ people.

The Q situation itself is an addiction and you have to treat people who have it like you would any other addict sadly.

I just mean the friend sounds a bit vulnerable and has already been 'silenced' by other friends and family. If she feels totally cut off and from everyone and abandoned maybe it will drive her further into the madness. I don't know. Maybe tough/harsh is the way to go.