just gonna come out and say it: vulnerable people are always the most susceptible to propaganda, misinformation, and conspiracy, especially in times of cultural anxiety, and if there is a way to help them out of these traps, targeted self-righteous vilification isn’t it

why do people believe in conspiracies? why do they follow cult personalities or seek contrarian opinions? because they’re vulnerable. they feel bullied or left behind or isolated or exploited or abused or inadequate and they're looking answers, community, security, and identity

when you hold a fringe belief or become part of a tightly-knit outcast group, you feel like you have some secret, valuable information that the world needs. you feel important for knowing it. and anyone on the outside becomes a vague, intangible enemy, often referred to as “they”

the best way to reach vulnerable people who wholeheartedly believe they know the "truth" is by consistently sharing evidence-based information with the intent of helping, not disparaging. they already have a compelling story; they need to be told one that is better and more true

leading propagandists and conspiracy theorists need to be directly challenged, but many of their followers are just victims of circumstance who were exploited. they still have a chance to leave their group *if* they feel welcomed into a new group of those reaching out

when we hear people’s concerns over the current economic devastation, skepticism toward politicized media narratives, or any other signs of vulnerability, we need to listen and form solidarity with them before some charismatic propagandist or fringe group does

steak-umm bless