Abedin, Huma, 86
Ackison, Melissa, 73
adrenochrome, 20, 29–32, 51, 74–75, 180
Alcoholics Anonymous, 142
algorithms, 10, 67, 69, 177; need for adjusting, 130–32
Alice in Wonderland, tropes from, 8
Amazing Polly, 163
American Enterprises Institute, 78
Antifa, 46
anti-Semitism, 4, 13, 28–31, 62, 69, 155, 160, 185–86, 195; history of, 23–27; in Russia, 166, 172; Soros and, 28, 166, 179–80; Trump and, 28
anti-vaxxers. See vaccine skepticism
Argentino, Marc-André, 3, 153, 157
Arthur, Tina, 137
Asch, Solomon, 133
authority, distrust of, 60, 63, 83, 87, 96–98, 153
Baader-Meinhof Gang, 52
Babbitt, Ashli, 41–42, 45–46, 110
Bannon, Steve, 15
Beanz, Tracy (née Diaz), 8–9, 15, 44, 168
Beaty, Katelyn, 152
Beck, Aaron, 138
Berkowitz, Reed, 7
Biden, Joseph, 33, 49, 77–78, 110, 111, 113, 117
bin Laden, Osama, 176
Black Lives Matter movement, 28, 44, 46, 176
Blankfein, Lloyd, 28
Boebert, Lauren, 3, 18, 71, 195
Boko Haram, 55
Bolsonaro, Jair, 161
bots, 10, 131, 167–68; positive use of, 135–36
Breitbart News Network, 13, 180
Brennan, Fredrick, 11, 12–13, 16
Brock, Larry, 110
Bush family, 34
Bushey, Kevin, 153
Cambridge Analytica, 131
cannibals, 100, 113, 115, 139, 192
CDC (Center for Disease Control), 71, 72
Cernovich, Mike, 22
Chansley, Jacob (aka Jake Angeli, “Q Shaman”), 39, 51
Chansley, Martha, 51
Charlottesville riot (Unite the Right rally), 166–67
Chavez, Manny, III (Defango), 6–7, 9, 10–11
children: blood of, 1–2, 4, 24, 29–31, 58, 74–75; hypocritical treatment of, 12, 47, 50, 59, 104, 164; propaganda about, 58, 59; trafficking and abuse of, 2, 50, 56, 58–59, 61, 74–75, 76, 89, 91, 96–98, 137, 164, 173, 175–76, 178, 185. See also women: maternal instincts of
Christian Broadcasting Network, 153
Christian denominations: evangelicalism, 150–55, 173; Catholicism, 22, 23, 27, 29, 31, 96–98, 150, 151; Protestantism, 22, 23, 96–97, 151; Russian Orthodoxy, 22, 23–24
Clapier Lisa, 8
Clinton, Hillary, 2, 13, 29, 33, 49, 72, 75, 86, 98, 101, 139, 171, 178, 187; baby face of, 176; Pizzagate and, 4, 57, 89
cognitive dissonance, 115
Comello, Anthony, 48
conformity and groupthink, 133–35
conspiracy theories: film and fiction inspirations for, 25–26, 34–36, 74, 180; in Great Britain, 162; in Japan, 156, 159; persistence of, 145; psychology of, 65–66, 108–10, 124, 178, 188–89; susceptibility to, 27, 35, 61–62, 66, 120, 124, 138
Cooper, Anderson, viii
Corsi, Jerome,
COVID-19 pandemic, 30, 130–31; Canadian response to, 163; denial and resistance to, 33, 61–62, 67, 69–70, 71–74, 94–95, 102–3, 124, 152, 185–86; gender reactions to, 94; as hoax, 94, 102, 109, 176; QAnon surge during, 36, 60, 66, 69, 107–8, 121, 136, 140, 150, 160, 163, 189; in Russia, 168, 170–71; Trump and, 71, 161, 168. See also vaccine skepticism
critical thinking, 121; neglect in U.S. education of, 124–25, 194
“cultural worldview” concept, 81–82, 111–12
Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso), 96
Da Vinci Code, The (film), 74
deep state, 1–2, 4, 20, 46, 48, 127, 154, 165, 170
DeGeneres, Ellen, 76
Democratic Party, 2, 3, 4, 13, 23, 29, 137; Pizzagate and, 22, 56; QAnon believers within, 71, 72, 78; Russian disinformation about, 165; sex scandals within, 86–89, 184
DéQodeurs (French website), 164
DeSantis, Ron, 9
Disarm the Deep State (super-PAC), 18
Dole, Bob, 126
domestic terrorism, 60. See also right-wing extremism
Dominion voting machine conspiracy, 28, 35–36, 77
D’Souza, Dinesh, 9
Dunning, Brian, 30
Durov, Pavel, 168
echo chamber effect, 66–67, 68
8chan (and 8kun), 2, 9, 12–13, 16–17, 18, 35, 116
Eisenhart, Lisa, 110
Elizabeth II and royal family, 34, 75, 162
Elsässer, Jürgen, 160
Epoch Times, 73
Epstein, Jeffrey, 75, 90–91, 162, 173, 175
Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), 53
expertise, distrust of, 153
Facebook, 2, 4, 9–10, 14, 21, 39, 40, 44, 67, 69–70, 73, 131–32; QAnon purge from, 45, 115–16, 129, 155; QAnon’s global accounts on, 156–57, 161, 162; Russian use of, 123, 168, 171; Trump banned from, 115, 130; vaccine skepticism on, 191
Fauci, Anthony, 73
5G technology, 33, 62, 63–64, 72, 77, 152, 162, 185
flat earth theory, 93, 183, 188
Flynn, Michael, 5, 20–21, 22, 44–45, 129; Japanese followers of, 156, 159
Flynn, Michael, Jr., 22
4chan, 2, 6–7, 9, 11–12, 22, 31, 38–39, 116
Francis, Pope, 98
Freedom of Mind Resource Center, 148
free speech issues, 16, 124, 189
Fugitt, Mark, 152
Fulbright, Cecilia, 50, 58–59, 69
Gaga, Lady, 178
Gates, Bill, 73, 75, 94, 109, 180–81, 183, 186
Gateway Pundit (website), 73
gender roles. See under women
Gilbert, David, 3
Gilbert, Valerie, 115
Goedsche, Hermann, 25
Gold, Bizzie, 74
Goldwater, The (website), 13
Gottlieb, Robert, 48
Great Awakening, 13–15, 15, 33, 50; religious concept of, 152
Greene, Marjorie Taylor, 3, 18, 56, 71, 186, 195
Griffiths, Barbara, 31
Hamilton, Carrie, 53
Harris, Kamala, 33
Hanks, Tom, 30, 74, 76, 98, 178
hashtags: #ChurchToo, 96; #CueAnon, 155; #Fight-ForTrump, 115, 130; #FollowTheWhiteRabbit, 8–9; #HoldTheLine, 115, 130; #MarchForTrump, 115, 130; #PizzaGate, 166; #Q17, 155; #ReleaseTheMemo, 168; #SaveTheChildren, 45, 68, 104, 149, 163–64, 175–76; #17Anon, 155; #TheGreatAwakening, 50; #WW-G1WGA, 21, 122, 166
Hayes, Dave (aka Praying Medic), 154–55
Hildmann, Attila, 161
Hitler, Adolf, 26
Hollywood elites, 29–30, 36, 74, 75–76, 77, 106; sex scandals among, 89–90, 96, 177–78
Holnburger, Josef, 159
Hoover Dam standoff, 47
Hope Not Hate, 155
Huxley, Aldous, 30
InfoWars. See Jones, Alex
Instagram, 2, 10, 39, 45, 72, 74, 115–16; QAnon’s effectiveness on, 71, 77; Russian propaganda on, 123
isolation. See loneliness and social isolation
Jadeja, Jitarth, 117–18, 140–41
Janich, Oliver, 160
January 6 insurrection, 3, 28, 38–43, 110–11, 130, 166, 177; aftermath of, 117, 120, 129, 151; rioters’ psychological problems, 42–43, 60, 110, 137–38, 189–90; Trump’s responsibility for, 41, 43, 116, 117; women and, 38, 41–43, 45–46, 51–52, 91, 94–95, 103, 117, 137
Jaselskis, Ryan, 57
Jennings, Josh, 104
Jensen, Michael, 60
Jews and Judaism, 23–24, 27, 32, 96; vaccine skepticism by, 155. See also anti-Semitism; space lasers
Johnson, Boris, 162
Joly, Maurice, 25
Jones, Alex, 5, 22, 28–29, 31, 94–95, 129
Kabilis, Derek, 152
Kahneman, Daniel, 67
Kaminska, Izabella, 65
Kennedy, John F., and family, 21, 186–87
Khaled, Leila, 54
Kohlchan, 160
Kremer, Kylie Jane, 38
Ku Klux Klan, 55
LaPorte, Danielle, 163
Last of the Mohicans (film), 36
Lauer, Matt, 178
Laura GK, 73
Lincoln, Abraham, 36
Live Action Role Player (LARP) games, 4, 6, 7–8
Lively, Melissa Rein, 69–70, 118–19
lizard people. See reptilian conspiracy theory
loneliness and social isolation, 66–67, 83, 107–8, 109, 121, 140–41, 173, 151, 188–89, 194
Loufbourow, Lili, 63
Madonna, 75
mainstream media, distrust of, 60, 64, 75, 102, 153
Mama Wolf, 75
mass shootings, 12, 16, 109, 167
Matrix, The (film), 79–80, 161
meaning: loss of, 82; need for, 106, 111, 112, 144
Mendes, Tristan, 165
Men in Black (film), 34
mental illness, current crisis in, 136–38
Mikovits, Judy, 73
mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), 145–48, 192, 193
Moonves, Les, 178
Moreno, Eduardo, 49
Mughrabi, Dalal, 54
Munchausen syndrome by proxy, 48, 104, 137
Naidoo, Xavier, 160
Nazism, 7, 26, 31, 116, 124; neo-Nazis, 46, 59, 67, 142, 165, 167, 187, 190
Netanyahu, Yair, 180
Northrup, Christiane, 73
numerology, 114
Obama, Michelle, 33
Orban, Viktor,
Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria, 40, 100
Omega Kingdom Ministry, 153
Orban, Viktor, 179
O’Sullivan, Donie, 39
othering, 152
Palin, Sarah, 195
Parler, 2, 20, 39, 40, 45–46, 116, 131, 155
Patriot Soapbox (YouTube channel), 14
pedophilia, 11, 13, 20, 49, 59, 91, 101; Trump vs. pedophile rings, 50, 56, 75, 91, 100, 131, 164. See also religion: sex abuse scandals in
Pelosi, Nancy, 40
Pence, Mike, 51
Perron, Lenka, 59, 60, 66–68, 104
Peterson, Anne Helen, 161
Petrie–Blanchard, Neely, 50
Pfieffer, Rebecca, 65
Pizzagate, 4, 22, 28, 47, 56–57, 89, 162, 188; Russian promotion of, 166, 168; women’s role in, 56–57
Plandemic (documentary), 72–73
Plaskett, Stacey, 41
Podesta, John, 56
Podesta, Tony, 49
political correctness and cancel culture, 39, 106, 108
post-traumatic stress disorder, 42, 137
Powell, Rachel, 94
Prigozhin, Yevgeny, 170
Prim, Jessica, 49
Princess Bride, The (film), 5
Priola, Christine, 91
Protocols of the Elders of Zion, 24–27, 29, 62–63, 166
Proud Boys, 9, 46, 79, 116, 187, 190
Purge, The (film), 4
psychological warfare techniques (psyops), 10, 169
Putin, Vladimir, 166, 168, 172; background of, 169–70
Q: identity of, 5–21; name origin of, 1–2; post-election silence by, 115, 117, 173; rejection of, 118, 161; writing style of, 15
Q: Into the Storm (HBO docuseries), 5, 11, 12, 21
QAnon: antecedents of, 22, 145; appeal and emotional rewards of, 64–68, 70, 103–4, 106–9, 112, 141, 194; basic beliefs (tropes) of, 1–2, 20, 24, 36, 145, 185; beginnings and evolution of, 2–4, 6, 8, 10–14, 18, 39, 44; branded merchandise for, 16, 21, 44–45; cult-like quality of, 2, 18, 142, 165; decentralized organization of, 187; factual basis of fabrications by, 83, 85–103, 171, 173; failed prophecies of, 2, 33, 77, 110, 112–15, 151, 172–73, 187, 190; film and fiction appropriations by, 21, 25–26, 30, 180; gamelike quality of, 6, 64; inclusion of other conspiracies in, 22–23, 33, 61–62, 76–77, 80, 155, 161–62, 164, 167, 176, 188; monetization of, 9, 14, 17–18, 44, 173–74; purity and, 70–71; religious parallels to, 12, 97–98, 167, 173, 174; terrorist designation of, 47, 59–60; violence and, 46–51, 59, 104, 177
QAnon abroad, 36, 77, 150, 156–68, 183–84, 196; in Brazil, 150, 156, 161; in Canada, 163; in China, 150, 168; in England, 150, 162; in France, 150, 164–65; in Germany, 150, 159–61; in Italy, 162; in Japan, 156, 159; in the Netherlands, 162; in Russia, 150, 166, 167–72
QAnon followers: “bakers,” 9; demographics of, 3–4, 14, 187, 188; “diehards,” 57, 113–15, 120, 146, 192–93; “doubters,” 115–16, 120, 121, 143, 190, 193–94; education levels of, 3, 77, 188; families of, 43, 117, 118–19, 120, 141, 146, 165; grievances and motives of, 17, 42, 60, 66, 83, 104, 106–8; personality traits of, 67, 188–89; psychological problems of, 42–43, 48, 60–61, 119, 121–22, 136–38, 188–89, 190; proselytizers and recruitment of, 58, 63–65; religion and, 48, 102, 103, 115, 150–54; soldiers and veterans among, 42, 49–50, 188; statistics on, 3, 60–61, 78, 137, 150, 154, 188–89; suspension of disbelief by, 34, 108; “underground railroad” of, 49. See also under women
QAnon survivors and “defectors,” 70, 78, 116–19; rehabilitation strategies for, 121–44, 191–92
QAnon: The Search for Q (Vice News docuseries), 5, 21
“Q-drops,” 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17, 64–65, 69–70, 117–18, 153, 168, 173, 194
racism, 11, 12, 15, 32, 46, 69, 71, 165, 166, 195; in Europe, 166; Trump and, 182–83; white women and, 40, 70, 182–83, 55, 182
radicalization and deradicalization, 7, 60, 81, 98, 111–12, 142, 144, 177, 189–91
Reagan, Nancy, 126
Reddit (and Subreddits), 13–16, 45, 116
Red Zora, 52
religion, 12, 150–55, 167; sex abuse scandals in, 96–98; violence and, 54. See also Christian denominations; Islam; Jews and Judaism
Reply All (podcast), 18
reptilian conspiracy theory, 23, 34, 48, 77, 176, 186, 188; film inspiration for, 34
Republican Party, 2, 71, 151, 174, 179; sex scandals within, 87–88, 184; women in, 71, 88, 195
Rich, Seth, 13
Riggleman, Denver, 160
right-wing extremism, 16, 39, 40, 60, 69, 79, 187, 190
Roberts, Dread Pirate, 5
Russian disinformation, 122–24, 131, 132, 165, 166–72, 180, 183–84
Ryan, Jenna, 117
Sanders, Bernie, 72
Satan: Gates’s relation to, 152; worshipers of, 2, 3, 4, 27, 29, 47, 48–49, 74, 120
Save the Children charity, 58, 60, 149–50; QAnon’s appropriation of, 45, 68, 104, 149, 163–64, 175–76
Saville, Jimmy, 173
Sayoc, Cesar, 29
science: distrust of, 92–95, 171, 184–85; unfamiliarity with, 124, 181. See also vaccine skepticism
Scientology, 142
self-thinking and research, QAnon encouragement of, 18, 63–64, 106–7
sexual misconduct: by actors, 89–90, 96, 98, 177–78; by British royalty, 90, 162; by financiers: see Epstein, Jeffrey; by politicians, 75, 86–89, 182, 184; by religious leaders, 96–98; by yoga instructors, 97
shame vs. embarrassment, 87
Sicknick, Brian, 41
Smith, Melanie, 156
Snowden, Edward, 5
social media influencers, 8, 43, 63–64
social media literacy and filters, need for, 121, 124–26, 129–30, 194
Sojili, Léonard, 165
Sommer, Will, 33
Soros, George, 28–29, 75, 98, 102, 109, 139, 166, 179–80, 183, 185
Sovereign Citizens Movement, 50
space lasers, 76, 176, 185, 188
Stahl, Leslie, 152
Stetzer, Ed, 173
Stone, Roger, 28
“Storm” prophesy, 33, 77, 112, 113, 172–73, 190
Tarrant, Brenton, 16
Telegram, 9, 20, 40, 77, 115, 116, 117, 131; in Germany, 161; in Russia, 168, 171
3 Percenters, 187
Tippy Top (Easter Bunny), 20
trolls, 121, 124, 132–34; troll farms, 22, 170, 183–84
Trump, Donald, 6, 11, 13, 17, 30, 33, 46, 56, 112, 182–84, 195; anti-Semitism of, 28; evangelical supporters of, 150, 153–54; female supporters of, 38, 43, 49–51, 71, 91, 94–95, 99, 102–3, 118–19, 164, 182–83; foreign views of, 156, 159, 160, 161, 162, 165–66, 168, 183–84; idolization of, 1, 4, 9, 75, 98, 100–103, 154, 166, 182–84; immigration policy of, 104; pardons issued by, 117; post-election disappointment in, 116–18; as Q+, 91; sexual misconduct by, 75, 182; support for QAnon by, 20, 101, 116, 118; as time-traveler, 34. See also under COVID–19 pandemic; January 6 insurrection; pedophilia; Twitter
Trump, Donald, Jr., 28
Trump, Ivanka, 164
Twitter, 3, 8, 9–10, 21, 40, 62–63, 115–16, 129, 155; QAnon purge from, 44; Russian infiltration of, 122, 166, 167; Trump and, 6, 75, 101–3, 115, 127, 129
2016 presidential election, 17, 89, 99, 123; evangelicals and, 150, 154
2020 presidential election, 3, 13, 35–36, 40, 62, 77, 91, 95, 99, 110, 111, 164, 195
2021 presidential inauguration, 33–34, 172; reactions to, 34, 77–78, 113–15
“unfreezing” stage, 82–83, 105, 106
V (television miniseries), 34–35
vaccine skepticism, 33, 61–62, 73, 94–95, 171, 185, 191; microchips and, 94, 124, 176, 181, 186; religion and, 155; Gates and, 181, 186
Vanderbilt, Ashley, 102
Vandersteel, Ann, 56
Vice News, 5, 19–20, 44. See also QAnon: The Search for Q
volunteering, benefits of, 142–44
Wagner, Russ, 153
Warner, Anthony Quinn, 62
Watkins, Jessica, 51–52, 58–59
Watkins, Jim, 5, 11, 12–18, 35
Watkins, Ron, 5, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18, 21, 35
Watts, Clint, 5
Weather Underground, 128
“Where we go one we go all” motto, 20–21, 93, 108, 160, 186–87
White, Paula, 153
white nationalism, 39–40, 46, 167
Wikileaks, 56
Wilders, Geert, 162
Williams, Robbie, 162
Winchell, Justin, 43
Winfrey, Oprah, 73, 75, 98, 143, 178
Wolfe, Buckey and James, 48
women (predominantly white): distrust in medical science by, 92–95; in extremist movements, 52–55, 61; gender roles of, 88, 90, 92, 99–101, 143, 182; maternal instincts of, 39, 58–59, 61, 91, 98, 139–40, 149, 175; pastels use by, 58, 129, 176; QAnon and, 2, 8, 38–52, 56–78, 90–91, 93–94, 108, 175–76; sexual conservatism of, 88; transgender, 100; violence and criminal behavior by, 47–55, 61, 137. See also under January 6 insurrection; Pizzagate; racism
Women for America First, 38
World Health Organization, 171, 172
Wright, Matthew, 47
Yellin, Janet, 28
yoga community, 70, 72–74; sex abuse in, 97
YourVoice America, 56
YouTube, 8, 14, 73, 153; French disinformation on, 165; Russian disinformation on, 123
xenophobia, 70
Zakaria, Fareed, 64