Daemon

The first inkling that I had that the mechanisms of the USA electoral system were compromised was when I saw a news report about how Bush was elected in 2000. At the time, I found it difficult to trust my intuition and it's only in the last few months that a random conversation with a friend made me consider the possibility more seriously. I've just started reading David Shimer's Rigged: America, Russia and 100 Years of Covert Electoral Interference, which promises to be quite interesting as does Jonathan Simon's CODE RED: Computerized Election Theft and The New American Century. Feeling lucky that I'm European, that we vote on paper and that the tallies are properly audited. Keeping my fingers crossed that the Americans wake up before it's too late. 🤞🏻 ☮️

The software ignore function is useful for decluttering threads. ☮️

You might find that looking into the concept of Johari's Window is time well spent. ☮️

Back on the topic of the psychology of conspiracy theories, as nobody seems interested in the election rigging detour. ☮️

Thank you. I am grateful that you have clarifed your position. Farewell. ☮️

I see some circularity, possibily brought about by attempts by the mind to understand the mind by using the mind. Thinking about thinking is an infinite regression. It is similar to trying to think about infinity. However I am not asserting that it is a pointless endeavour because if you are able to persist without going mad in the process, it may convince you of the futility of that attempt and thereby provide an opening into directly knowing reality. ☮️

To begin, some background reading on possible election rigging in the USA from Jennifer Cohn's Twitter [1] feed (ironically). #RealityWinner https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1115806204918263808.html ☮️ [1] https://twitter.com/jennycohn1/status/1285962760979746817?s=19

Compare and contrast ☮️

🎣 ☮️

If you are making the point that some conspiracy theories are rooted in fact, I've already acknowledged that possibility and, as also stated, I am about to address it using the specific example of possible vote rigging in USA elections. ☮️

What do you consider to be the other side? ☮️

Straw man. Ignored. ☮️

A final word on the danger of QAnon published by the West Point Combating [sic] Terrorism Centre. An article with 10 substantive notes making 111 citations, written by authors with relevant academic credentials. https://ctc.usma.edu/the-qanon-conspiracy-theory-a-security-threat-in-the-making/ before moving on to a concrete example of how the facts behind another conspiracy theory (possible vote rigging in North American elections) are being excavated. Hopefully, this issue will further illustrate the knife-edge, touched upon by both Gary Kasparov and Timothy Snyder) that must be walked by any reputable journalist to avoid being legitimately labelled as a conspiracy theorist. ☮️

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The point is that by definiition it is facts that separate facts from fantasies (i.e. conspiracy theories). It is by digging out the facts that reputable journalists and scientists unearth the truth. The (reputable) historian Timothy Snyder urges people to challenge themselves to respect the truth and to develop their critical faculties by reading properly-researched, properly-referenced books and long articles[1] (instead of relying on the conspiracy theory memes regurgitated by conspiracy theorists in such places as bulletin boards, Twitter feeds and 4Chan). To succumb to conspiracy theories is not only to succumb to tyranny but to be recruited as a useful idiot to support them by propagating the chaos that tyrants spread. ☮️ [1] Snyder, T. On Tyranny. (2017). Review - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/book-party/wp/2017/02/24/20-ways-to-recognize-tyranny-and-fight-it/

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Maybe. ☮️

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/19/us/politics/trump-qanon-conspiracy-theories.html ☮️

How QAnon works like a video game to hook people. e.g. https://www.axios.com/qanon-video-game-cbbacb1e-969c-4f07-93cd-69e41bc6feeb.html ☮️

I did not make that assumption but as you have raised the issue it begs the question of what is your direct experience? ☮️

That is a common assumption but having no recollection of thinking during deep sleep cannot be conclusive evidence of cessation of thinking during deep sleep because, similarly, having no memory of having misbehaved when drunk does not rule out that possibility either. In any case, as further food for thought, what evidence is there that everyone is not Enlightened in deep sleep but that most sink back into ignorance in the morning? ☮️

https://novaramedia.com/2020/08/13/microdose-erik-davis-on-the-cosmic-right/ ☮️

As an insider's perspective Mary Trump's book is interesting especially as she's not only his niece but also a clinical psychologist. Here's a taster. ☮️

I know of several who fulfill these criteria. They give shaktipat as part of an initiation into the Mysteries of living and dying that you wish to explore but they will require your commitment to practice before giving it. How many hours a week are you prepared to devote to meditation and for how many years are you prepared to persevere? ☮️

How many hours per week are you prepared to devote to meditation? For how many years are you prepared to persevere? ☮️