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Thread: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

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    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by Ba-ba-Ra (here)
    Took a peek at this thread and had to laugh.

    Speaking of addiction, what about the addition of the folks who are determined to convince the Q'ers that we've become addicted?

    How many anti-Q, discuss Q, analysis Q, debate Q, Addiction Q threads have been started. All of which pretty much seem to be saying the same thing.

    Perhaps it's time to look in the mirror.
    Someone who maybe daily points out to an addict that they're an addict — isn't addicted to doing that.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    I know what addiction is like and I know what obsession is like.. I tend to think it's the latter.
    Like... I was obsessed with painting my fingernails, not addicted to it. I don't think people can be addicted to painting fingernails. Addictions are more physical in my mind I guess.
    I reserve the right to be wrong of course - that's just the feel I get never having read any of it.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by petra (here)
    I know what addiction is like and I know what obsession is like.. I tend to think it's the latter.
    Well, it may be a spectrum.

    Obsession is primarily a mental phenomenon. As an extreme, those with Aspergers can get utterly focused and obsessed on tiny things. It's just the way they're wired.

    Addiction has a physiological component. People can be addicted to working out at the gym, or long distance running (or rock climbing!) because of the hits they get from endorphins and adrenaline. Some people get addicted to riding on roller coasters (switchback rides). Truly. They have to keep going back for more. Some travel all over the world doing that, on every vacation.

    The whole social media thing is more than an obsession — many serious researchers have pointed out the dopamine connection. And because dopamine's a natural thing, it's always there with us as something that can be turned on. Like if we're on a first date, and we're not sure if our partner's going to give us a goodnight kiss or not. That's dopamine, too.

    My hypothesis was that the compulsion (another word) to think almost exclusively about the Qanon issue starts to become unhealthy. And of course, those who are in that position will defend, and justify. But the indicators are also that many of those who are captivated by Qanon almost never post about anything else. That tells us something.

    I do know there are others on the forum who are single-issue members (William Stanford is single-issue about bees! And snoop4truth is single-issue about Deborah Tavares)‚ but here we have a whole small phalanx of them, all kind of joined arm-in-arm like a defensive barricade.

    It's so obvious to see. I'd be more reassured if they all contributed less one-dimensionally. But many of them just don't.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Wasn’t solid research once the prime directive of Project Avalon’s intent? The thrill of hunting for the Truth is what brought me to the forum. The love of wisdom was well known to produce an esoteric kind of mania, Enthusiasmos to the Platonists.
    Eros, psyche and mania: The sources of philosophical inspiration according to Plato. [Spanish]
    Carlos Julio Pájaro M.

    Abstract

    Eros in Phaedro is ethical and philosophical but it’s also Mania and irrationality. Its madness is given both by the god from whom one is possessed in the celestial never ending stream of souls and by its passionate strength originating from the beauty present in “this world” desire, along with the homesickness and desire of beauty the soul enjoyed in its previous mortal and transcendent life. Therefore, is Eros who pushes Psyqué to reacquire her wings when the beloved earthly beauty appears to her. In Phaedro, this is a constitutive stop of Plato’s self critic, who in other dialogs only gave desire and emotions to the body. Eros in Phaedro, the same through whose nature the philosopher rises to sublime ideas is also the cause of the important value passions, feelings and self love acquire now, concomitantly Plato introduces a new conception of madness (eroticism).

    Keywords
    Enthusiasmós, inspiration, irrationality.
    Judgement inhibits the research process imo. My enthusiasm for research is perfectly well-tempered with skepticism and a desire for evidence-backed, ‘hardscience’ validation.

    In that regard, I’ve been continuing my research and looking more closely into my last hypothesis...

    Quote Posted by Jayke (here)
    Maybe Bill or other mods could interview Robert David Steele and get his take on what the Q phenomenon is?

    Robert David Steele says it’s a LARP, hoax, or damaging addictive game, then he’s someone with enough insights that I’d take seriously. As far as I can tell though, the Q movement is perfectly aligned to Robert Steeles outsourced intelligence methodology. To the point that it could even be his creation. Heck, he evens mentions his work with Cynthia McKinney and it was Cynthia McKinney who told us Q was Steve Piezcenik on her twitter last year. I guess if Steele is the originator of outsourced intelligence, his relationship with McKinney would put her in a perfect position to know who was behind it.
    Currently wading through Steeles book On Intelligence and looking for interviews to see if Steele has commented his thoughts, based on his insights into open source intelligence systems, to see what conclusions his expertise draws around the topic.

    Robert David Steele expresses his thoughts on Q at the 44:15 minute mark.


    Quote I would say that Qanon is real. Qanon is between three and five people and Qanon was hijacked briefly on several false channels, and disinformation appeared. But what I remember in a most compelling way, if someone ask you and on to have Donald Trump used the phrase tip top in a speech and three or four days later he did right yeah there were a couple of couple of examples like that that that and a few others but I do feel that and I'd like your opinion that the people who are Q those people who are giving us these bread crumbs these messages in sometimes a riddle for more question form it seems to be top military brass my feeling those who are trying to win back our country for the first time in a very long time I feel that it's true patriots fighting behind the scenes that know that who understand on a deeper level than most how we the people and our country has been hijacked and they I understand that this is the time to save our country
    Personally, I value expertise over novice judgements and aspersions. I’m definitely obsessed with quality and substance. Does that make me insane? I’ll happily wear that moniker if need be, because I know I follow platonic values, regardless of what judgements are cast by others. Although I will admit that following the Q thread has started to feel a lot like the Torment of St Anthony at this point.


    The Torment of Saint Anthony[2] (or The Temptation of Saint Anthony, c. 1487–88) is the earliest known painting by Michelangelo
    Last edited by Jayke; 24th July 2019 at 12:43.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Quote Posted by Ba-ba-Ra (here)
    Took a peek at this thread and had to laugh.

    Speaking of addiction, what about the addition of the folks who are determined to convince the Q'ers that we've become addicted?

    How many anti-Q, discuss Q, analysis Q, debate Q, Addiction Q threads have been started. All of which pretty much seem to be saying the same thing.

    Perhaps it's time to look in the mirror.
    Someone who maybe daily points out to an addict that they're an addict — isn't addicted to doing that.
    Codependency, as in continually pointing out that someone is an addict is in fact a kind of addiction. In fact, it could have a negative impact on the addict, rather than helping. No one, not even an addict wants to be reminded on a regular basis of their shortcomings and this action would in no way help the addict recover. The real question would be what's the payoff for the person repeatedly reminding the person that they are an addict? A more neutral response would be expressing ones concerns regarding the addiction, setting boundaries and moving on.
    Last edited by Pam; 24th July 2019 at 12:50.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    What if . . . someone really clever came up with an idea to try and transition various internet addictions, like Facebook gossip, gaming, gambling, hostile forums, etc, into something more productive, like current affairs, the horror of what is happening in the physical world, etc.

    My personal investment in the Avalon Q Thread has always been beneficial as a time saver. I skim and select and am rewarded with very important current affairs updates and/or topics that would not normally come on my radar; as well as prompts that inspire me to investigate things further and elsewhere. I am in awe of the investment the “Q Group/Anons” do in their research.

    I also get updates and prompts from other Avalon threads that are updated on a regular basis but there doesn’t appear to be any addiction controversy in those threads.

    Actually there is. I have noticed that many antagonists against Q are quite vocal about other topics on Avalon they deem are unsuitable according to their preferences. Which is why I feel at this point in time the “let’s save all these intelligent people from their addiction” is really just another weapon, (like the political one), in the arsenal of a movement that has been brewing for some time to create an “elitist” forum led by self appointed elitists.



    Anyone familiar with gamers knows how much time they can spend trying to get to that next level. Many go days without sleep.

    Exploiting gamer addiction into a tool for research is, in my book, genius. And I think an analysis of the rewards from both would be interesting, but common sense tells me that time invested in researching current affairs would be far more productive to society than reaching the next level in a virtual fantasy game.

    No offense to gamers. I respect the industry, its creativity, and its purpose. It is used here as a point of reference. Having an equal dose of current affairs and virtual gaming would be necessary, lol

    Time will eventually reveal if the Q “gaming program” has sinister intent or is a political campaign. But, as a tool to get people to “pay attention and wake up” it should not be ignored.

    I hope there are other really clever people, with good intentions, learning from this prototype and creatively developing this idea.

    If you want to get your kids to learn something, say, “let’s play a game”!

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by peterpam (here)
    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Quote Posted by Ba-ba-Ra (here)
    Took a peek at this thread and had to laugh.

    Speaking of addiction, what about the addition of the folks who are determined to convince the Q'ers that we've become addicted?

    How many anti-Q, discuss Q, analysis Q, debate Q, Addiction Q threads have been started. All of which pretty much seem to be saying the same thing.

    Perhaps it's time to look in the mirror.
    Someone who maybe daily points out to an addict that they're an addict — isn't addicted to doing that.
    Codependency, as in continually pointing out that someone is an addict is in fact a kind of addiction. In fact, it could have a negative impact on the addict, rather than helping. No one, not even an addict wants to be reminded on a regular basis of their shortcomings and this action would in no way help the addict recover. The real question would be what's the payoff for the person repeatedly reminding the person that they are an addict? A more neutral response would be expressing ones concerns regarding the addiction, setting boundaries and moving on.
    Yes, of course, 'someone who maybe daily points out to an addict that they're an addict' isn't being very smart (or pragmatically useful! ).

    I was just making the rhetorical point about what's an addiction and what's not.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    from
    Why Being Right is So Addictive
    Robert Solley

    full article: https://medium.com/the-mission/why-b...ve-127cd7a1054

    Here are a few parts I think are relevant in the context of Q on Avalon.

    Quote The drive to be right is antithetical to relationship and emotional connection, as it elevates oneself at the expense of the other. But why is it so compelling?

    From the long view, being right has evolutionary value. Like negativity bias (our brains’ tendency to privilege threat), knowing how to thrive in a complex environment is an adaptive value that has been genetically selected for. This includes things like protecting oneself and one’s family from various dangers and knowing how to access and use resources. Knowledge is power.

    At the purely subjective level, being right just feels good. It goes along with all the good feelings of winning, being in control, and being “on top of things” (which relationship-wise is the problem!). I’ve long maintained that these good feelings are actually the product of a dopamine surge, the key reward hormone. Though I have yet to find any research evidence, there is anecdotal support for the idea — and possibly for adrenaline as well. It would also fit with the evolutionary hypothesis. After all, our brains have evolved to reward the thoughts, actions and feelings that help us survive.
    This article is about the phenomena of “being right” in an interpersonal relationship, about how it feels for one person to “be right” and declare the other one wrong. However, an addiction can be intensified by other addictions, that act as multipliers. Here we get the addiction of “being right” combined with the addiction of social networking, only to get a more power substance, the addiction of being in a group that is right, the crack cocaine of social networking for the purpose of spreading an ideology .

    Quote The ultimate expression of being right is what we call self-righteousness, which gives you a clue as to why it’s so unpleasant on the receiving end. On the delivery end the self-righteous person feels pumped up and (at least superficially) powerful. However, this is precisely what feels so bad for the receiver if he or she is not in agreement. On that end it feels overpowering and diminishing.
    And there are many of us on Avalon that feel diminished by this Q phenomena. It’s been here for a few years and at first it was a presence that some welcomed or at least ignored, but now it has grown in to a nuisance and we are seeing a reaction against it. As with any addiction, there is denial, and there is a lot of blaming of people who point it out. Addictive behaviors are extremely destructive and it is my sincere hope that this phenomena does not continue to dumb down the serious research we are doing or damage the social fabric of this community that has been built up over so many years.
    "If seeds in the black earth can turn into such beautiful roses, what might not the heart of man become in its long journey toward the stars?"
    --- G.K. Chesterton

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by Kryztian (here)
    And there are many of us on Avalon that feel diminished by this Q phenomena. It’s been here for a few years and at first it was a presence that some welcomed or at least ignored, but now it has grown in to a nuisance and we are seeing a reaction against it. As with any addiction, there is denial, and there is a lot of blaming of people who point it out. Addictive behaviors are extremely destructive and it is my sincere hope that this phenomena does not continue to dumb down the serious research we are doing or damage the social fabric of this community that has been built up over so many years.

    That's a very, very good summary.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Quote Posted by Kryztian (here)
    And there are many of us on Avalon that feel diminished by this Q phenomena. It’s been here for a few years and at first it was a presence that some welcomed or at least ignored, but now it has grown in to a nuisance and we are seeing a reaction against it. As with any addiction, there is denial, and there is a lot of blaming of people who point it out. Addictive behaviors are extremely destructive and it is my sincere hope that this phenomena does not continue to dumb down the serious research we are doing or damage the social fabric of this community that has been built up over so many years.

    That's a very, very good summary.
    Curious.

    The difference between summary and analysis is that summaries speak in generalities. Whereas analysis dig into the specifics. Some specifics might be:

    Quote How specifically are people feeling “diminished” by the investigative research conducted on the Q thread?
    Is there denial that Q people are researching?
    Is the collaborative effort of investigation a nuisance? To whom specifically? And how specifically is such research irritating?
    Where outside of the Q thread is serious research being conducted?
    Who seems dumb to you? Whose getting dumber?
    Can these questions be answered objectively? With fact based reason and evidence? Or are they being viewed reactively, through the filters of emotion?
    In order to restore the social fabric and build integrity, features are required to be brought into context with the whole. The integration of left brain (detail focus) with right brain (general awareness).

    The two hemispheres don’t always have to fight when they can work together collaboratively. Assuming the emotion can be taken out of the equation, which is where all the volatility comes from.

    If Kryztian can show how his summary ties into the specifics, then maybe we can begin to have a conversation that heals the rifts, because at the moment it just seems like you guys are trying to diminish what the Q phenomenon—and those of us that look into it—are about. Which would be ironic if the claim is that you guys feel diminished by the Q phenomenon.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Quote Posted by Kryztian (here)
    And there are many of us on Avalon that feel diminished by this Q phenomena. It’s been here for a few years and at first it was a presence that some welcomed or at least ignored, but now it has grown in to a nuisance and we are seeing a reaction against it. As with any addiction, there is denial, and there is a lot of blaming of people who point it out. Addictive behaviors are extremely destructive and it is my sincere hope that this phenomena does not continue to dumb down the serious research we are doing or damage the social fabric of this community that has been built up over so many years.

    That's a very, very good summary.
    How Many? WHO? Exactly?

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by KiwiElf (here)
    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Quote Posted by Kryztian (here)
    And there are many of us on Avalon that feel diminished by this Q phenomena. It’s been here for a few years and at first it was a presence that some welcomed or at least ignored, but now it has grown in to a nuisance and we are seeing a reaction against it. As with any addiction, there is denial, and there is a lot of blaming of people who point it out. Addictive behaviors are extremely destructive and it is my sincere hope that this phenomena does not continue to dumb down the serious research we are doing or damage the social fabric of this community that has been built up over so many years.

    That's a very, very good summary.
    How Many? WHO? Exactly?
    I’m actually more curious about where the strong aversion to people collaboratively sharing research on a thread stems from? (Which is essentially all the Q thread really is).

    I’ve always been of the psychological bent that if something makes you feel diminished, then that something is a potential source of inspiration to help raise you to a new level of empowerment. Marianne Williamsons quote springs to mind in that regard:


    I hear everyone’s concerns about Q and its potential damaging effects. I haven’t seen any thorough analysis (based on a comprehensive understanding of neuroscience) to show where or how those concerns are legitimate yet, not one that can’t be easily debunked at least.

    I’m not concerned about being right. I seek truth. If evidence is provided to prove I’m wrong about something, for me, it’s an opportunity to update my map of the world. I don’t see counter-facts or counter-evidence as something to be be denied or swept under the rug, more to be reconciled with the facts that already support the position one stands on. Debate and discourse is win/win when ego can be put to one side to analyse/challenge/consider/refute or disprove facts.

    As my heart wisdom tends to channel Ben Shapiro when my ego rears it’s voice, I often have to remind myself: “nature’s facts don’t care about your subjective feelings. Just stick to the evidence, reconcile anything that doesn’t fit, only then will the bigger picture emerge”.

    I’ve always found tracking trends to be wiser than prematurely asserting conclusions before a thorough analysis can be concluded. Even when conclusions are made, contrary evidence should be continually sought to update any contradictions that might emerge. It’s a path of retroductive analysis that keeps a persons Map of the World fresh, current and up-to-date.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    My hypothesis was that the compulsion (another word) to think almost exclusively about the Qanon issue starts to become unhealthy. And of course, those who are in that position will defend, and justify. But the indicators are also that many of those who are captivated by Qanon almost never post about anything else. That tells us something.
    Seems I'm having a hard time with language again, sorry Bill, your response is helping me make sense of it though. Captivated is a much nicer way of describing the Qanon following, and I've considered it might not be unhealthy for everyone. Whoever's in charge of Qanon has a pretty impressive little outlet, and maybe it's doing THEM some good.

    I compare this to when I had an online gaming addiction, which might have also been an obsession! There have been several games, and I remember thinking "I'm going to be playing this game forever" because I just could not imagine my life any other way. But then, the unimaginable happened! I got bored with the game and left. I enjoyed playing - I don't regret it - I just look back on it now like a huge waste of time.

    I'd also like to point out I'm not accusing anyone of being obsessed - just curious, and maybe a bit concerned.
    'Never post about anything else' sounds like obsession, and I'd say chances are a good deal of their thinking is regarding Qanon also. Maybe it's not all bad though, I mean, I enjoy puzzles and things that make me think too....

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    I do know there are others on the forum who are single-issue members (William Stanford is single-issue about bees! And snoop4truth is single-issue about Deborah Tavares)‚ but here we have a whole small phalanx of them, all kind of joined arm-in-arm like a defensive barricade.

    It's so obvious to see. I'd be more reassured if they all contributed less one-dimensionally. But many of them just don't.
    I started out this way, but things changed in my mind when I started to make connections. I recall thinking that my "train of thought" was "broken", and as foolish as that sounds, I'm pretty sure I'm onto something. It was like being stuck in some kind of loop.... I hate infinite loops

    EDIT:
    Quote Posted by Gemma13 (here)
    If you want to get your kids to learn something, say, “let’s play a game”!
    HAHAHA <3
    Brilliant, Gemma.
    Last edited by petra; 25th July 2019 at 12:58.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by KiwiElf (here)
    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Quote Posted by Kryztian (here)
    And there are many of us on Avalon that feel diminished by this Q phenomena. It’s been here for a few years and at first it was a presence that some welcomed or at least ignored, but now it has grown in to a nuisance and we are seeing a reaction against it. As with any addiction, there is denial, and there is a lot of blaming of people who point it out. Addictive behaviors are extremely destructive and it is my sincere hope that this phenomena does not continue to dumb down the serious research we are doing or damage the social fabric of this community that has been built up over so many years.

    That's a very, very good summary.
    How Many? WHO? Exactly?
    Who cares ... maybe do another poll if you really want to know "WHO" exactly, if that is important to you.

    Avalon has provided myself so much great information over the years, the "Q" material has provided me absolutely nothing positive that I can say has advanced my learning, but has given me negative experiences and left a sour taste in my mouth for one. Many members gone, nothing good. Why all the praise and defense of such "hope chasing" and political alignments that has brought all this about is beyond me, but the mechanisms that allow dogmatic religion are sure beginning to show ...

    My two cents.
    When you are one step ahead of the crowd, you are a genius.
    Two steps ahead, and you are deemed a crackpot.

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  28. Link to Post #35
    Avalon Member Kryztian's Avatar
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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by KiwiElf (here)
    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Quote Posted by Kryztian (here)
    And there are many of us on Avalon that feel diminished by this Q phenomena.
    That's a very, very good summary.
    How Many? WHO? Exactly?
    Hmmm, that sounds a little bit like you are about to embark on a witch hunt KiwiElf except the Sherlock Holmes emoticon probably indicates a little bit of sarcasm in that comment. Maybe you are seriously interested in knowing what Q critics think?

    Let me just say a lot of things were said in confidence to me (or at least without expectations that I would reveal names in this post) in PMs and in other places to the effect of:

    - "There are certain threads you just don't want to go on. There are certain people you don't want to get in arguments with." The "swamp critters" was at the heart of it, and the people who were dogmatically and unpleasantly argumentative were active on the Q-threads. When people commented on some threads that were treated like outsiders. Fortunately, many of the worst offenders are gone (#1 being Voice from the Wilderness). I think that in the last week or so almost everyone is behaving more civilly on Avalon. That's just my perspective, and if it's true, I don't know if it is because we are all maturing or maybe we are just tired of bickering.

    - As far as the "How Many" question goes, you might want to look at the numbers here. It's not an exact analysis, but the numbers do tell a story.

    For the record, I've stated before the Project Avalon is a place where we look at mysterious and questionable documents and analyze them. For quite some time, when people told me they were interested in Q, I told them to check on the threads on Avalon. I really do think we owe it to the world to produce a good critical look on "Q" materials. Unfortunately, the "critical" part has been removed from the equation. With a few exceptions, the thread is guided and populated by a group of people who assume the good intentions of the authors of these documents (people in the intelligence documents - historically, has the public gotten much helpful information directly from the CIA, OSS, NSA, etc.?) and believe in future outcomes based on this. This is no longer critical thinking. This is religion (the opiate type) and it is being cultivated on this thread. I look forward to the day when critical thinking will be present on all threads on Avalon, when assumptions can be challenged, and where people will welcome contrary opinions and look at them as an opportunity to be challenged and think more deeply.
    "If seeds in the black earth can turn into such beautiful roses, what might not the heart of man become in its long journey toward the stars?"
    --- G.K. Chesterton

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Accidentally placed this on wrong thread.
    Last edited by AutumnW; 25th July 2019 at 19:53.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by Jayke (here)
    I’m actually more curious about where the strong aversion to people collaboratively sharing research on a thread stems from? (Which is essentially all the Q thread really is).
    Where, oh where, has anyone on Avalon criticized the Q phenomena on the many thoughtful and constructively critical post that are here, merely on the basis that they are people sharing research??? Are you saying that those of us critical of Q don't like it when people get together and share research to cure a disease or solve or crime? Or are you saying that all people who share research are doing good work, including when they share research so that they can plan a terrorist attack or commit extortion???

    If there is to be any meaningful dialogue here on Avalon, Jakye, you have to stop creating a portrait of the Q-group here as victims based on criticism that doesn't actually exist. Time for a little more honesty here.
    Last edited by Kryztian; 25th July 2019 at 18:54.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    I'm kind of wondering why a thread that is supposedly about addiction is devolving into a bickerfest? Oh the venom, I can almost taste it.

    Back to topic!!!!!

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by Kryztian (here)
    Quote Posted by Jayke (here)
    I’m actually more curious about where the strong aversion to people collaboratively sharing research on a thread stems from? (Which is essentially all the Q thread really is).
    Where, oh where, has anyone on Avalon criticized the Q phenomena on the many thoughtful and constructively critical post that are here, merely on the basis that they are people sharing research??? Are you saying that those of us critical of Q don't like it when people get together and share research to cure a disease or solve or crime? Or are you saying that all people who share research are doing good work, including when they share research so that they can plan a terrorist attack or commit extortion???

    If there is to be any meaningful dialogue here on Avalon, Jakye, you have to stop creating a portrait of the Q-group here as victims based on criticism that doesn't actually exist. Time for a little more honesty here.
    Feel free to ask your questions on the ‘Q off topic’ thread Kryztian. If you sincerely care for honest dialogue, I’ll happily answer your questions over there.

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    Default Re: Qanon and the mechanism of addiction

    Quote Posted by peterpam (here)
    I'm kind of wondering why a thread that is supposedly about addiction is devolving into a bickerfest? Oh the venom, I can almost taste it.

    Back to topic!!!!!
    It's a symptom of a malaise that's not healing, whatever anyone does. It's unlikely to go away, until Qanon does (which will of course happen one day), or those supporting the meme choose to go elsewhere (if they do).

    There are all the attributes of cult members defending criticism, when the cult leader ('Q') is held to be infallible, impossible to question or dialog with, and forever making promises and saying 'trust the plan'.

    Those are all cult characteristics. People get addicted to being cult members, too, with a similar mechanism. Excitement, hope, never being quite certain, always hanging on promises, looking for tomorrow rather than today, and often badly seeking something better in their lives sourced externally rather than internally are all the commonalities.

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