How do cult members respond to being wrong?
On January 21th, a QAnon cult member messaged me promising that by March 4th, we would have 45,000 "pending indictments" released and our country's corruption would come to an "abrupt end"
Today I followed up with him
👇
On January 21th, a QAnon cult member messaged me promising that by March 4th, we would have 45,000 "pending indictments" released and our country's corruption would come to an "abrupt end"
Today I followed up with him
👇
As a reminder, here are some of the things he messaged me, totally unsolicited.
What do you notice about his comments?
What do you notice about his comments?
His messages continued to become increasingly unhinged until his crescendo, a supposed "smoking gun" video...which was unavailable
You can see others' responses to his comments here
You can see others' responses to his comments here
https://twitter.com/ramit/status/1352398109029015552
Today I followed up. If you're wondering why I spend time on this
1. I studied cults & deception in college. I never thought I'd be able to study an international cult in my lifetime
2. I have extremely good followup skills
3. How does someone react to being so incredibly wrong?
1. I studied cults & deception in college. I never thought I'd be able to study an international cult in my lifetime
2. I have extremely good followup skills
3. How does someone react to being so incredibly wrong?
Please close your eyes and imagine this person's life.
Everything he was promised has proven factually false. He's lost friends and maybe family members. Yet at each step, he's become radicalized thanks to the Republican party
How do you think he responded?
Everything he was promised has proven factually false. He's lost friends and maybe family members. Yet at each step, he's become radicalized thanks to the Republican party
How do you think he responded?
I asked the QAnon member to respond about his predictions. Here is what he said.
Please tell me what you notice.
Please tell me what you notice.
To understand his response:
* Cult members crave belonging
* Cults isolate, reinforce beliefs, & punish outgroup
* To admit they were wrong would be psychologically devastating
Our psychological need for belonging can be even stronger than our desire to live (i.e., antimaskers)
* Cult members crave belonging
* Cults isolate, reinforce beliefs, & punish outgroup
* To admit they were wrong would be psychologically devastating
Our psychological need for belonging can be even stronger than our desire to live (i.e., antimaskers)
Importantly, the ONLY reason he's talking to me is my perceived status
He even calls me a "smart individual" & then instantly calls me a clown & mocks me for interacting with a 19-year-old
(How can you be privy to such insights but also demean yourself for being 19? Never mind)
He even calls me a "smart individual" & then instantly calls me a clown & mocks me for interacting with a 19-year-old
(How can you be privy to such insights but also demean yourself for being 19? Never mind)
His final response. Notice: Cult members frequently identify themselves with generous terms like "critical thinker"
They do this because the truth -- that he's an ignorant 19-year-old rube who's been radicalized by Republicans to vote against his own interests -- is unpalatable
They do this because the truth -- that he's an ignorant 19-year-old rube who's been radicalized by Republicans to vote against his own interests -- is unpalatable
It will be virtually impossible for the Trump supporters & QAnons to be deradicalized
This country is not prepared to grapple with the implications of admitting that 10s of millions of people just like Cory -- your neighbors -- have been radicalized by the Republican party
This country is not prepared to grapple with the implications of admitting that 10s of millions of people just like Cory -- your neighbors -- have been radicalized by the Republican party
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