Thread by @mykebartlett

For tedious reasons, I've been spending time around a few anti-vaxxer, QAnon types lately, which has been a confronting, exhausting and often bewildering experience. A few observations.

1) They are good, decent people. Which is a key part of the problem. They are driven by the idea that they are fighting an injustice that nobody else can see. So I hear a lot of "Why isn't somebody doing something?" "Why aren't people angry about this?"

2) This sense of righteous zeal means, as with almost every other form of online activism, they feel they are at war, so the usual rules are off. You can harass, you can abuse, you can spread half-truths in the name of your holy mission. You are a good person, after all.

3) They honestly believe all the misinformation they're spreading. More than that, they are emotionally invested. I've seen people distraught, on the edge of hysteria, because of some great new conspiracy a friend on some forum has just forwarded to them.

4) Their mission – whether it's being anti-vaccine or anti-lockdown measures – is a core part of their identity. Being mandated to receive a vaccine means suffering a great psychic injury – can you still be an anti-vaxxer if you've been vaccinated (and survived)?

5) This means, essentially, to change their mind about vaccines or emergency health measures is to kill off the most vital, zealous part of themselves. So it's pointless arguing. All the same, I can't help giving it a go.

6) I love an argument. (This is nothing to do with anti-vaxxers, just a moment of self-discovery along the way)

7) Most of the stuff that upsets them is based on half-truths or misunderstandings. Today's upset was about an Omnibus Bill McGowan recently passed in secret, giving horrendous powers to the government.

This bill was actually passed in September of last year and has formed the basis of the WA government's response to the pandemic over the past 14 months. It was extended for a further 6 months in October.

8) "But why has nobody heard about this?" This is another key point – a total lack of faith in the mainstream media. It's a badge of pride to never read/hear/watch the news. Which means everything is a cover up.

The Omnibus Bill got a fair amount of coverage. It's been the topic of debate and discussion for more than a year now. But because that all happened in the media, it didn't happen. Which means it was a conspiracy.

9) This parallel-universe of conspiracies is happening because people are leaving school without gaining the necessary critical literacy skills. They can't read the media, with its inherent biases and omissions, so they shun it and seek out informal communities of "truth".

10) Trying to understand – let alone debunk – these half-glimpsed (but deeply felt) half-truths is exhausting. And very time-consuming. Which can give the impression that they have "won the argument". There is not enough time in the world to explain how wrong they are.

That bill is a good example. I was sent a link to the "horror bill" that had just been passed in secret. (This link was on the WA parliament site.) At that link, the bill was clearly dated as being given royal assent in September last year.

X: Ah, but they backdated it. M: You know they can't do it. X: They don't want anyone to know about it. M: But they put it on the site. X: That's to make us think it happened last year.

M: Here are half a dozen news articles from last year and three more from October. X: Here is a text from a friend who has a cousin who works in construction.

11. One last thing I meant so say, there's an overall basic lack of understanding of how government functions, so that the basic functioning of government (mysterious as it appears) looks like oppression. As some have already commented – it’s a failure of civics education.