For centuries, the "Blood Libel" theory held that Jews steal Christian children and consume their flesh and blood in Satanic rituals.
QAnon basically just replaces "Jews" with "Democrats." It's so popular because it recycles the same tropes. insider.com/qanon-conspira…
QAnon basically just replaces "Jews" with "Democrats." It's so popular because it recycles the same tropes. insider.com/qanon-conspira…
The thing about conspiracy theories is, even when they go out of fashion, often bits and pieces of them get recycled into new theories.
Because these common elements are familiar, they're an entry point for people who may have believed the old theories.
Because these common elements are familiar, they're an entry point for people who may have believed the old theories.
At the start, QAnon didn't have the blood libel or pedophilia stuff.
It was just vague ramblings about how there was a secret Trump operation to take out the Deep State. And gradually believers just added more and more evil stuff the Deep State was doing, to raise the stakes.
It was just vague ramblings about how there was a secret Trump operation to take out the Deep State. And gradually believers just added more and more evil stuff the Deep State was doing, to raise the stakes.
It's morbidly fascinating to watch how conspiracy theories evolve in real time, how communities and factions form around them, argue the details, and graft old tropes and personal paranoias onto them here and there until they have a life of their own.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
