23 Absolutely Fascinating Confessions From A Former Conspiracy Theorist Who De-Radicalized Themself

[Xolodno]

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/23-absolutely-fascinating-confessions-former-041602791.html

23.Q: I have often read and heard that you can't pull people out of cults and conspiracies and that people need to come to their own conclusions. It always sounded to me like the conspiracy version of "you have to let them hit rock bottom," and that has always seemed distastefully indifferent to me. Do you think that's true? Are there meaningful and helpful ways to engage with people getting radicalized that can help pull them out or at least help them start questioning?

A: Yes. You can't force anyone to change their mind. Even if you manage to convince them, they choose to be convinced. No one else can make you change your mind except you. They need to come to a conclusion on their own before they truly believe it.

All you can do is let them know you are concerned for them, and you will be there to help them should they ever choose to leave and need your help. Being into conspiracy theories is just like being in a cult. Part of what keeps you there is how you feel isolated from the rest of the world. Let them know they'll have somewhere to go, and they're more likely to leave.

Thought this was interesting.

[usonian]

1. I have read some about cults.

The Magats display every behavior pattern that cults do, and very many are similar to addiction.

I read a couple of books by Anne Wilson Schaef, on addictive behavior, and bells started ringing. Matter of fact, a lot show up in the mob.

They all seem to feed on similar human weaknesses. And they all seem to "legitimize" some normally shunned behavior in exchange for one's dignity, blind loyalty, loss of self, opportunity and money. Examples are racism, misogyny, hare, violence, theft and others.

Strongest markers are projection, denial and hatred of "others" outside the cult. It's actually a very long list.

[Xolodno]

2. I quoted that one question as it resonated to me.

Have a few "friends" who used to be critical thinkers, until they weren't. They always had lofty goals where I was more grounded and risk adverse.

But one thing I noticed, parents did well, but again were grounded. But my friends wanted to venture out and become entrepreneurs and start there own business. I ran like hell away from that as some family members did that and failed, some were successful. My own father ran his own business, hardly every saw him, except when he was my boss when I was a teenager and forced me to work for him....without pay "don't worry, when you want to hang out with your friends I can give you money and I'll help you out with a car"...well, he cosigned on the car, but I paid for it when I escaped from his business to a paying job. As for hanging out with my friends, yeah, he didn't have the money at the time (later in life, actually borrowed from me, but that's another story). And the worst part, even if a family member was succesful, it ruined family dynamics, I wanted no part of that.

So anyway, these friends failed, spectacularly. And I could see it coming just by how many loans they would take, they assumed the bank was giving them all that money because they believed they were smart, which fed into their ego. So after they failed, did they blame themselves? No. They went into paranoia, fear, etc. and began reading, listening, etc. that confirmed that...and down the rabbit hole they went that seemed to have no bottom. They couldn't believe they failed. In one case, one friend related to me he had some solid accounts, and one by one, they left and couldn't figure it out. I knew the answer and told him, but he dismissed it. A larger competitor with deeper pockets decided to end him and when I told him who was the likely culprit, said "can't be, my dad works there". Going into business yourself is very cut throat.

This same friend railed against the COVID vaccine as he was way too deep in the conspiracies. I made the general announcement that I got the jab and the second. Some of these "friends" said I was a dead man walking. Well, I didn't die. He eventually reached out to me asking questions, by this time, he went to work for a mortgage company and gave up running a business. Well, apparently they required the vaccination. So he asked what I experienced and I told him; sore arm some chills but have had way worse colds and flu's. But other than that nothing. Fairly sure he swallowed his pride and got it.

First time Dump ran, he would post several times a day on facebook promoting him (despite saying in the past he was never going to push a favorite candidate). This second time around, didn't say a damn word about him. So maybe he's on the mend and coming back to reality.

[usonian]

3. Yes, it's always someone else's fault.

I read a lot on entrepreneurship, and the books don't talk about the enormous difficulty, and the high failure rate.

Sometimes it really is the other guy's fault, but blaming is the enemy of focusing on the goal.

People love to blame, and are easily manipulated by charlatans.

I expect a boatload of anti-immigrant hate to cover up the grand grift. People fall for it, "And the grift goes on". Fascists know how to manipulate people based on their lowest instincts.

[Xolodno]

5. Very True

My parents often would not accept responsibility for poor choices. And now most of my siblings have fallen into the same habit, save for one who figured it out recently. All it takes is someone to sympathize and confirm "it wasn't your fault and XYZ is to blame" and boom, the manipulation begins.

I learned early on, if I wanted something in life, I'm going to have to do it myself and I will make a few mistakes along the way. I just learn from it and move on as there is nothing I can do to change it. My father to his dying day, always complained that no one would help them in buying a starter home early in their marriage. He gave up good jobs due to religious nuts dictating how he should live, those nuts do not pay the bills. We sometimes starved and even when we got food donations, he and my mom would scrutinize it as to why, was it kosher, etc. Eventually they did buy a house, but often struggled to keep up with payments. In my 20's had to help out with that a few times. My grandfather (father's father) was an alcoholic and didn't have much wisdom, but he did say one thing that stuck with me "Too much religion is not good for you".

There is more, but it would be a novel, but lets just say the siblings that like to blame barely acknowledge that the reason they have a roof over thier head and some family assets is because of me. And they still come calling when help is needed. My mom still keeps cheating death and my sister who takes care of her (paid by the state to do so) became a MAGA, go figure, this coming year, we are going to stop enabling them and move out of state (to be honest, they usally end up following where we go, but won't have the means to this time). As the old meme goes "Just when I think I'm out! They pull me back in!". Now, we are getting out for good.