New: Perhaps the best explanation I’ve heard for QAnon's dangerous popularity and growth came from @adrianhon who designs alternate reality games and sees very similar dynamics at play. So I talked to him about it. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/opinion/qanon-conspiracy-theory-arg.html

I think what's crucial about his explanation is that it is empathetic toward those who fall into this immersive world of conspiracy. So many institutions have failed people but movements like this offer agency, appreciation and community to people

like @adrianhon the “do your research” bit has always felt like the key to it all to me. i feel like i’ve been watching the vigilante investigation stuff build throughout the early 2010s. i feel like it tipped for me in 2014 when i wrote this https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/charliewarzel/behind-the-alarming-rise-of-the-online-vigilante-detective