This is a big part of why I don't take QAnon too seriously as an existential threat (though as a font for stochastic violence they certainly are), and why the Chapo hosts all underestimated/downplayed what they might do before the Capitol riot.
These peoples' conception of praxis is literally just posting. Yes, they often get together in public to protest, but these are always either Trump rallies or purely for spreading awareness of something that isn't real, literally a real-life Twitter hashtag campaign (#savethechildren). This isn't real organizing despite appearances. Theyre not doing anything or organizing to accomplish a tangible objective.
Even the Capitol riot was quite literally an extension of this conception of "posting is praxis) and was a large part of why they had no idea what to do when they got as far as they did. People dunk on them as stupid for livestreaming themselves but that element was the entire point of the protest-turned-riot. They literally believed that if they pulled off some huge public spectacle on livestream and enough people saw it, The Great Awakening would happen, everybody would have a Damascene Moment and convert to their side, and Trump would be President and restore Real America. Its why, even more than white privilege, they are genuinely surprised that law enforcement not only didn't side with them but are now using those livestreams to hunt them down and prosecute them.
I wouldn't underestimate the threat disorganized conspiracy nuts can pose though. All it takes is a couple dedicated quacks to pull off an Oklahoma City. Are they an existential threat? No, but it wouldn't surprise me if these people pull off some nasty lone wolf domestic terrorist attacks, and cause a statistically significant increase in hate crimes.
Not to mention the rallying behind the "Blue Lives Matter" flag. In addition to the threat of stochastic terrorism, they are signaling that they believe that the state's primary function should be to utilize its monopoly on violence to oppress black and brown communities, and they are willing to carry out mass casualty events in order to achieve that. They aren't just posting. They are participating in direct action and we have to be serious about that.
Simply dismissing them because of their buffoonish clownery is a huge mistake, in my opinion. These people are deadly serious and capable enough even in spite of themselves.
This is a big part of why I don't take QAnon too seriously as an existential threat (though as a font for stochastic violence they certainly are), and why the Chapo hosts all underestimated/downplayed what they might do before the Capitol riot.
These peoples' conception of praxis is literally just posting. Yes, they often get together in public to protest, but these are always either Trump rallies or purely for spreading awareness of something that isn't real, literally a real-life Twitter hashtag campaign (#savethechildren). This isn't real organizing despite appearances. Theyre not doing anything or organizing to accomplish a tangible objective.
Even the Capitol riot was quite literally an extension of this conception of "posting is praxis) and was a large part of why they had no idea what to do when they got as far as they did. People dunk on them as stupid for livestreaming themselves but that element was the entire point of the protest-turned-riot. They literally believed that if they pulled off some huge public spectacle on livestream and enough people saw it, The Great Awakening would happen, everybody would have a Damascene Moment and convert to their side, and Trump would be President and restore Real America. Its why, even more than white privilege, they are genuinely surprised that law enforcement not only didn't side with them but are now using those livestreams to hunt them down and prosecute them.
I wouldn't underestimate the threat disorganized conspiracy nuts can pose though. All it takes is a couple dedicated quacks to pull off an Oklahoma City. Are they an existential threat? No, but it wouldn't surprise me if these people pull off some nasty lone wolf domestic terrorist attacks, and cause a statistically significant increase in hate crimes.
Not to mention the rallying behind the "Blue Lives Matter" flag. In addition to the threat of stochastic terrorism, they are signaling that they believe that the state's primary function should be to utilize its monopoly on violence to oppress black and brown communities, and they are willing to carry out mass casualty events in order to achieve that. They aren't just posting. They are participating in direct action and we have to be serious about that.
Simply dismissing them because of their buffoonish clownery is a huge mistake, in my opinion. These people are deadly serious and capable enough even in spite of themselves.
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I mean, if police was putting in any effort whatsoever, the capitol thing wouldn't happen and no one would care.
Yeah they're meeting up to play out their internet version of fictional reality. It's amazing stuff.
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