Q and QAnon are examples of the paranoid style

In a recent post, I discussed the influential 1963 essay by Richard Hofstadter about the paranoid style in politics. The paranoid style in politics is not a clinical diagnosis of individuals but a style characterizing a certain kind of political thinking that may be held by ordinary people. In the case of a paranoid individual, they fear that sinister forces are targeting them personally. In the case of the paranoid style in politics, people do not think that they themselves are under attack as individuals but believe that their way of life, their values, even their nation, is under attack by evil forces. This gives them the sense that their desire to fight back vigorously against these shadowy and malign agents, however misdirected, even delusional, their fears might be, is a noble cause that must be fought to the finish.
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Hearings? What hearings?

I am following the he congressional hearings on the causes of the riot on January 6, 2021, the latest of which is taking place today. Jordan Klepper talked to some people who were attending a Trump rally in Mississippi s asked them for their response to the hearings so far. Many said that they had not watched the hearings at all (unsurprising), some said that they were not even aware that hearings were going on (surprise), and some even said that they had no idea what the term ‘January 6th’ refers to and did not know what had happened on that day in 2021 (incredible).

When he showed them clips of Trump’s own attorney general Bill Barr saying that the election fraud claims were “bullshit”, they claimed that it might be doctored video. When two women said that they only believed Trump and his family, he showed them the clip of Ivanka Trump saying that she believed Barr when he said there was no fraud. Their response? That it was not Ivanka at all but possibly a clone. That actually is plausible. There is something curious about Ivanka’s stiff affect. She looks like a Barbie doll with a voice synthesizer installed.

Wellness and woo

The concept of ‘wellness’ has been gaining ground in the US. It is a vague term and, as I understand it, it means taking proactive steps to maintain one’s health, such as eating healthily, getting exercise, avoiding harmful practices like smoking, getting enough rest, and so forth. The idea is that by doing so, one can stave off some of the ailments and illnesses that can affect one’s wellbeing.

An additional layer is laid on in the name of holistic’ approaches to health, with the idea that the mind and body are connected and that one should also try and maintain a healthy mindset. These could include practices like yoga, meditation, relaxation techniques, and other activities that seek to reduce stress, blood pressure, and the like.

All that is perfectly reasonable.
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Another review of the lead up to the insurrection

I linked earlier to the Frontline documentary American Insurrection by ProPublica reporter A. C. Thompson who followed the trail of hate groups starting in Charlottesville to the insurrection on January 6th. Thompson had been following the evolution of many hate groups and he was able to piece together all that footage to tell a compelling story.

The Daily Show‘s Jordan Klepper does a similar exercise in a comedic vein except for some serious moments. He had been attending Trump rallies during his time in office and he now has a retrospective leading up to January 6th, mixing footage that I had seen before with new ones. I was particularly interested in a section that began at the 11:30 mark where he tells us what goes on behind the scenes with his producers and camera crew. He addresses questions that he is frequently asked, such as: Are the people he interviews real? Is what they say scripted? Do they agree to be interviewed? Was he ever close to getting his ass kicked? The answers are: yes, no, sometimes, and definitely.

Estimating crowd sizes is tricky

The National Parks Service used to issue estimates of the sizes of crowds at various public events but stopped doing so after getting hammered on all sides, both by those who wanted larger figures and those who wanted smaller ones. So now there are no ‘official’ crowd sizes, enabling anyone to make any claim that suits their purposes. Take for example, the Million Maga March in support of Trump held in Washington DC last Sunday. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany excitedly tweeted that a million people had actually turned up, while Trump initially claimed hundreds of thousands and later said tens of thousands.
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Roseanne Barr thought Valerie Jarrett was white?

Roseanne Barr has been running through various excuses for the racist comments that not only got her show canceled, even her management company dropped her, and some of her co-stars and producers condemned her, though I did notice that John Goodman has been silent during all his.

First there was the old standby that what she said was just a joke. Then came the attempt to shift blame by saying that other people have said worse things. Why do people consider that a defense? However bad your words or actions, you can ALWAYS find someone who is worse so it is hardly worth saying.
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Evidence? We don’t need no stinkin’ evidence!

Jordan Klepper visits a rally for Donald Trump and encounters people who believe the weirdest things. Many of the people shown are Ohioans, my peeps.

(This clip aired on September 20, 2016. To get suggestions on how to view clips of The Daily Show outside the US, please see this earlier post. If the videos autoplay, please see here for a diagnosis and possible solutions.)