I was just thinking of when I first encountered conspiracy theorists

[captain queeg]

I was from a small midwestern town and looking back I had a pretty sheltered life and hadn’t seen much of the wider world. I spent several months hitch hiking around the US back in the 70s. I met all kinds of people but one flag I quickly recognized was when someone started talking about the Rothschilds I dismissed them as wacko. I’d listened to them the first couple times and had decided they were nut jobs. I. Don’t remember running into any other similar types who were so convinced of some alternate reality

Nowadays, thanks to the internet, there are all sorts of people every bit as crazy. I guess not just the internet, but associated social media, and of course Fox News and the like. So many people live in an alternate world. Their reality bears little resemblance to facts. It’s a scary trend.

[Joinfortmill]

1. Yup and they're more 'in your face' about it.

[Claustrum]

2. There was always conspiracy theories on both sides.

But the difference between the republicans now and republicans 10-20 years ago are that their party leader (or the presidential candidate) would shoot down most of those conspiracy theories. McCain famously shot down a supporter for badmonthing president Obama. TFG made it a point to bully people into believing them. He made it cool to believe in them. They don't feel shame or hide the fact that they believe in it. I will never forgive and forget the harm TFG did to this country and the rabbit holes that he led us into.

[captain queeg]

3. That is true, he encouraged the crazies

Th rethug party has morphed into something that I find hard to believe. I hope TFG and his enablers are going down, but they won't be extinguished.