Full Description
QAnon, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Meaning diagnoses a particular social challenge facing Americans in the 21st century: the rise and spread of dangerous conspiracy theories across the internet.
Rather than dismiss such theories as the product of delusions, this book argues that the true conspiracy these theorists are trying to uncover is really located in a critique of neoliberal capitalism, austerity, and economic precarity. The authors contextualize QAnon as a misguided response to larger economic conditions endemic to late capitalism. Such a scholarly approach provides unique insight into some of the salient factors that make conspiracy theories such as QAnon so popular at a time of unprecedented information literacy. In their assessment, fighting conspiracy theories thus requires a radical realignment of the social, political, and economic priorities of the United States.
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Introduction: QAnon, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Meaning
Chapter One: Basket of Deplorables: Labeling Theory, Moral Panics, and Subcultural Identity
Chapter Two: The System is Rigged: Structural Betrayal and the Rise of QAnon
Chapter Three: The Gamification of QAnon: Apophenia, Cognitive Dissonance, and Parasociality
Chapter Four: The "Big Tent" Conspiracy Theory: QAnon and the Left
Chapter Five: Who are Q?: The Demographics of Conspiracy Theory
Chapter Six: Do They Really Believe this Stuff?
Conclusion: QAnon Goes Mainstream
Bibliography
Index
About the Authors
