Everything Is Rotten An unbeliever on conspiracy, social media, and critical thinking

By: Amie Stager

We live in a republic of lies. We know that the government keeps secrets, and we know that politicians are corrupt. The state of our rotten world makes us despair, but to rot is to be part of a process of energy transfer and growth. The pursuit of truth matters, and it has always mattered. Empirical knowledge is out there, despite what some believe.

When I think of rotting in our society, I think of obvious evils, like child sex trafficking, that have become popular media subjects. Two cases come to mind involving Jeffrey Epstein and the government agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). But a damaging and popular conspiracy theory about sex trafficking and pedophilia has been spreading on social media, and you can vote it into office in November, if you believe in democracy.

According to the Star Tribune, the Minnesota Republican Party has endorsed six candidates linked to the paranoid far-right conspiracy group QAnon. Around the country, 77 candidates running for Congress and at least two dozen state legislature candidates are also linked to QAnon. They’ve been using social media to promote a theory that President Trump is being attacked by a deep state of elite sex traffickers, pedophiles, and criminals, including high-profile celebrities and political figures. Over time, QAnon grew from a fringe conspiracy theory to a loud and widespread movement with millions of users in thousands of groups on Facebook. It co-opted a movement against child sex trafficking and is emboldening Trump supporters ahead of the election.

The September 18th podcast episode of Gimlet Media’s “Reply All” details the shady origins of the Internet theory. It started in October 2017 when a user (or group of users) on the anonymous discussion board 4chan claimed that former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was going to be arrested. More and more “intelligence leaks'' containing codified language about government officials and institutions arrived from “Q,” who believers say works for the president or has high level authority clearance.

This is not a new thing. The US government has a history of adopting paranoid and conspiratorial thinking. Conspiracies have a grain of truth to them, otherwise they wouldn’t be plausible. Theories that the powerful elite is full of abusers are not exactly outlandish. Child sex trafficking and abuse does exist in powerful, high levels of society and government (see Epstein, ICE, and the Catholic Church). The #MeToo movement has exposed famous sexual abusers to the public. Anyone who has paid close attention to President Trump’s campaign will notice he is advised by Roger Stone, a Republican lobbyist and convicted felon who preaches the use of disinformation for political gain and has a tight alliance with far right conspiracy peddler Alex Jones. President Trump, who promoted birtherism against President Obama, has been accused of sexual assault of a minor. Another powerful person on our presidential ballot, Joe Biden, has also been accused of sexual assault. Does someone smell something?

In the process of decomposition, there is a stage called active decay in which maggots feed on dying matter and fluids are purged. In our pursuit of truth, social media offers a sinister path lined with rot. Those with good intentions trying to raise awareness for sex trafficking victims are unknowingly recruited into QAnon groups. Evangelical Christians, known for their support for the president, are being targeted. Belief in QAnon is weakening relationships between family members and friends.

I get it. My aunt fell for Pizzagate. We should all understand or empathize with what it’s like to be swayed by social media. Almost our whole lives have been dominated by it. During a global pandemic, it’s one of the best ways we can stay connected with each other. But as frequent and habitual media consumers, we cannot always control the messages that are shown to us. The Netflix film “The Social Dilemma” documents how social media companies and platforms like Facebook and YouTube have exploited our psychological vulnerabilities to make a profit. Social media has brewed up an extremely polarized political environment, an alternate reality where empirical knowledge cannot exist and distrust is the norm. Social media, like other revolutionary technologies such as the printing press, the radio, and TV, has been a democratizing force in the way it gives people a voice. But the platforms have become too crowded.

What’s most upsetting to me about the rise of QAnon is that people who genuinely care about an issue of justice are getting swept up in an alternate reality’s battle for good versus evil. Why? Is it a weakness in the education system? Is it a profound lack of media literacy? Is it the desire to belong to something? Is it fear of authority and a sense of control? Is it social media companies exploiting its users? The answer is all of it and more. When matter is decomposed, where do the energy and nutrients go? Beware the cycles of motivated reasoning and confirmation bias. If you have the power to join a movement online or in person, especially one rooted in skepticism of authority, you have the power and responsibility to do all you can to research and investigate who is behind the movement.

We’re all terrified of sex trafficking, but calling for the death of politicians and celebrities on social media is not the solution. Educate yourself on what real sex trafficking looks like. Stereotypical representation in the media focuses on the worst and unimaginable. People are likely to be abused or trafficked by someone who they know personally. If you really want to fight against sex trafficking, donate to survivors and educate yourself before you become food for worms.