New Qanon hit peice from Australian MSM -
How the QAnon conspiracy theory is tearing family and friends apart in Australia
Paul and Antony have known each other for more than a decade, when they first met serving together in the military.
But over the past six months during Victoria's various stages of lockdown, Paul has been receiving increasingly strange content from his friend over WhatsApp.
Antony, a former intelligence analyst, has been sending memes and YouTube videos all connected to a rapidly evolving conspiracy theory called QAnon.
"We'll get to a point where it will get ridiculous and we may not speak for a few days," Paul said. "There's that genuine concern and passion, even though he thinks I'm just a sheep."
"It's not ignorance or stupidity, but a[n] … esoteric fantasy that only them and a handful of others really know the truth."
What is QAnon?
QAnon's followers broadly believe that US President Donald Trump is waging a secret war against corrupt and child-abusing elites, including parts of government (dubbed the "deep state") and A-list celebrities.
One supporter, a newly nominated Republican candidate, is reported to have called the enemy in this war a "worldwide cabal of Satan-worshiping paedophiles".
And QAnon theorists follow an anonymous figure called "Q", who leaves cryptic clues in internet forums about Trump's next moves in the "war".
The internet-driven conspiracy theory is becoming harder to ignore amid the fear and economic disruption caused by the pandemic.
QAnon's reach extends beyond the US, with a growing number of Australians being pulled into QAnon's orbit — leaving friends and family wondering why their loved ones find this vision of the world so comforting and persuasive.
Paul and Antony have known each other for more than a decade, when they first met serving together in the military.
But over the past six months during Victoria's various stages of lockdown, Paul has been receiving increasingly strange content from his friend over WhatsApp.
Antony, a former intelligence analyst, has been sending memes and YouTube videos all connected to a rapidly evolving conspiracy theory called QAnon.
"We'll get to a point where it will get ridiculous and we may not speak for a few days," Paul said. "There's that genuine concern and passion, even though he thinks I'm just a sheep."
"It's not ignorance or stupidity, but a[n] … esoteric fantasy that only them and a handful of others really know the truth."
What is QAnon?
QAnon's followers broadly believe that US President Donald Trump is waging a secret war against corrupt and child-abusing elites, including parts of government (dubbed the "deep state") and A-list celebrities.
One supporter, a newly nominated Republican candidate, is reported to have called the enemy in this war a "worldwide cabal of Satan-worshiping paedophiles".
And QAnon theorists follow an anonymous figure called "Q", who leaves cryptic clues in internet forums about Trump's next moves in the "war".
The internet-driven conspiracy theory is becoming harder to ignore amid the fear and economic disruption caused by the pandemic.
QAnon's reach extends beyond the US, with a growing number of Australians being pulled into QAnon's orbit — leaving friends and family wondering why their loved ones find this vision of the world so comforting and persuasive.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2020-08-24/how-the-qanon-conspiracy-theory-is-affecting-australian-families/12564566