General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPeople are saying about Q-anon that...
... it is an experiment being conducted by some sociologists to see how many ridiculous falsehoods they can get the American people to believe. It has succeeded beyond their wildest expectations, but now they realize it's necessary to reveal that it was all a hoax perpetrated on a gullible public.
I've heard this from several sources already, but I haven't yet seen any official announcement. I imagine it will be coming shortly.
In the meantime, spread the word: Q-Anon come clean!
MizLibby
(289 posts)Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)ProfessorGAC
(64,827 posts)That's what I've heard!
Many(!) people are saying it!
First Speaker
(4,858 posts)...this sort of thing never dies...
Karma13612
(4,538 posts)Somehow there needs to be a source of information that is believed by all people. Unfortunately since we are so divided, even around the world, there is no ONE entity that all humans will believe for factual information.
When people cant agree on facts or trust the experts, what can you do?
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,811 posts)Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,811 posts)Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,811 posts)OhNo-Really
(3,985 posts)greenjar_01
(6,477 posts)This is a deeply stupid theory.
uncle ray
(3,155 posts)Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)Spread it around.
lapfog_1
(29,189 posts)that experiment was named "Scientology"
create a religion based on ridiculous notions... and see how many people buy in.
Or, going back further, while not an experiment but just a con run by a con man... Mormonism...
History is replete with other examples
central scrutinizer
(11,635 posts)I was going to post the two same examples.
tblue37
(65,215 posts)Though I realize you're pretending here, it has been done before.
lapfog_1
(29,189 posts)I'm not even sure what you mean. Not pretending
Lady Freedom Returns
(14,120 posts)I can't say it isn't possible.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)intrepidity
(7,272 posts)But whether perpetrated by sociologists... doubtful. Unless loosely defined as incel larpers.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)...it will be a real bombshell.
intrepidity
(7,272 posts)from 8kun or something. That could have something to do with something.
Google Fredrick Brennan for background.
ETA: changed header to Ron (son) from Jim (dad)
ETA2: Now I'm unsure about which one i heard this about...
ETA3(!): it was Ron. Per Slate:
https://slate.com/technology/2020/11/qanon-election-trump-8kun.amp?
lapfog_1
(29,189 posts)If the National Security Clearance Level is a Department of Energy "Q" Clearance (DOE Q), the position is designated as Critical Sensitive, FPPS Code 3. The position is subject to Drug Testing, FPPS Code H.
Not a very high level of clearance.
Celerity
(43,069 posts)KG
(28,751 posts)JDC
(10,114 posts)Is a liberal ploy to distract and confuse MAGA.
And F Aubrey Huff.
Boogiemack
(1,406 posts)fierywoman
(7,668 posts)Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)StClone
(11,682 posts)LaMouffette
(2,017 posts)You would think people would have become less gullible since the 1930s, but QAnon proves otherwise.
In the first year of Traitor Trump's "presidency," I grasped onto the slim and highly unrealistic hope that it, too, was an experiment (a hoax, if you will) and that Hillary Clinton had been president all along. The purpose of the experiment? To show Americans what could happen if a ruthless, amoral, totalitarian, narcissistic, sociopathic dictator became president and set about destroying all of the United States' norms and institutions, flouting every law, lying at every opportunity, colluding with foreign adversaries, calling into question the integrity of the press, enriching himself, his family, and his friends, and inciting violence and divisiveness among American citizens.
Then, on January 1, 2017, I hopedin this fantasyland of minethat Traitor Trump would reveal the truth: He was not the president, Hillary was! Whew! And his one-year mock presidency was just an experiment, a teachable moment, meant only to wake up America to the dangerous loopholes in our system that could be exploited, should a madman really be elected. Trump would chide us for being so foolish as to fall for his hoax.
Turns out it really was an experiment, but a "natural" one that arose unintentionally (like the one Rachel Maddow reported on that happened in Kansas this year when the majority of Kansas counties went maskless and a few others followed a public mask policy: Guess which counties had surges in Covid?). And alas, Hillary had not actually been president all along.
I just hope we learned something from this "unnatural" experiment. Some of us did. The others . . . not so much, I'm sure.
samnsara
(17,604 posts)..they called into Art Bell with a wild story that grew legs very fast..esp since MY HOUSE is supposed to be where it is and I had paranormal groups knock at my door.
intrepidity
(7,272 posts)Hey, but I bet it's nice to have a place to dump that old couch...
Skraxx
(2,967 posts)Immediately.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)TexasBushwhacker
(20,131 posts)I mean, the whole Q thing didn't come out of thin air. Someone started it and it did have some "stories" that were just as ridiculous as pizzagate. John Kennedy Jr is 1) alive 2) going to present himself and endorse Donald Trump and 3) is THIS guy (on the right)?
People really believe this. It's like "Can You Top This" for RWNJs.
Redleg
(5,779 posts)Hell, at my institution, IRB doesn't even allow us to administer electric shocks to our subjects any more because too many undergrads complained. Just kidding!
Skraxx
(2,967 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)Yes. Its true. People are saying so
Catherine Vincent
(34,486 posts)But even if it is revealed, the Q nuts wouldn't believe them. They'd have to prove it.
Codeine
(25,586 posts)I mean, I dont know if its true or not, but I sure keep hearing it.
WyattKansas
(1,648 posts)Who believed that nobody was allowed to put anything on the internet, unless it was true?
Everyone in the country KNEW that she was stupid and naive to believe anything on the internet was fact.
The Q-Anon believers need to be laughed at, made fun of, mocked, shunned, and ridiculed by all for being so incredibly stupid for believing what someone put on the internet knowing for a fact that nobody cannot take anything they seen on Q-Anon into a Court of Law in the U.S. without fearing being labeled as insane.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)of working to root out nonsense.
Redleg
(5,779 posts)I don't know that for certain since I am more familiar with the American Psychological Association standards regarding research.
I also don't see how this is an "experiment," at least not in the sense of research design. What is being manipulated and what is being controlled? What is the sample and what information do the researchers know about the sample population and about the individuals within the sample? I don't see how this can be useful research, much less ethical.
Anyone doing this as research seems to be clueless about the profound negative effects this might have on some people in our population. It seems quite irresponsible to me. If it was created to see how it might influence political thought and choice, it was probably done so by non-professionals (e.g., not trained as social or behavioral scientists).
Just my 2-cents, a behavioral scientist struggling to stay focused on teaching my online courses and shitting out some research this year.
mnmoderatedem
(3,721 posts)the more likely a person is to believe it.
Case in point. Qanon posted as fact that the bin Laden attack failed, and Biden had the Seal Team 6 killed to cover it up.
Trump re-tweeted that.
Let me repeat. Trump re-tweeted that.
Lends credence to the theory.
Earthshine2
(3,938 posts)Also, happens to be one of my least favorite Star Trek characters.