QAnon is for Sad, Lonely Boomers

[MLD Woody]

All makes a lot of sense, especially when backed by the linked studies and what the reporters found in these groups. I've said on here for years that older generations that didn't grow up with the internet are much more likely to be tricked by actual Fake News (and studies have backed that up). Growing up with it you learn to build a healthy skepticism and how to distinguish a legitimate source. Boomers are spending more time on social media than Millenials now and it clearly isn't good for them. 

This paragraph summarizes it well:

However, boomers, a majority of which voted for Donald Trump, didn't grow up with the internet, and didn't develop their relationship with technology in the same was as subsequent generations. They're soaking up the latest tech but they may not necessarily be as skeptical of less mainstream platforms like 4chan and 8chan (another, even fringier platform where Q now posts his/her/their latest updates), places where trolls reign supreme and people often fabricate events out of thin air just to get a rise out of others. Boomers are looking for political content to share, and these forums have plenty to give. Whether or not it's factual often takes a backseat to whether or not it's provocative.

 

I'm not sure anything annoys me more on these forums than willful ignorance. Ridiculous religious beliefs, political beliefs, etc. I thought that was the same thing here. It is becoming more and more clear though that this is just the result of a very susceptible and fragile group of people latching onto the ramblings of an internet troll so that they can feel like they have meaning. Mental illnesses or elderly delusions aside. Even though there has been some mainstream talk it still seems like mostly a fringe group that can't really affect anything in the real world, which is good. It is just the perfect storm of sad, lonely, not tech-savvy people just wanting to feel like they belong to something. 

 

People Tell Us How QAnon Destroyed Their Relationships

What I Learned Inside the Lonely, Sad World of QAnon Facebook Groups

Why Baby Boomers are Eating Up the QAnon Conspiracy Theory

 

[Canton Dawg]

Funny stuff, the Internet was created in 1969.

I was introduced to the Internet in 1986.

To say the “older generations” didn’t grow up with the Internet is an ignorant statement.

[Westside Steve]

The internet? I thought that was controlled by Russian Bots.

WSS

[cccjwh]

3 hours ago, Canton Dawg said:

Funny stuff, the Internet was created in 1969.

I was introduced to the Internet in 1986.

To say the “older generations” didn’t grow up with the Internet is an ignorant statement.

 

Boomers: This generation generally includes anyone born in the US between 1946–65. Maybe you have a difference definition of when someone is "growing up"?

 

 

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2018/acs/ACS-39.pdf

The Current Population Survey (CPS) has been collecting data about computer use since 1984 and about Internet use since 1997. In 2013, the American Community Survey (ACS) also began collecting data on these topics as mandated by the 2008 Broadband Data Improvement Act.

[Canton Dawg]

2 minutes ago, cccjwh said:

 

Boomers: This generation generally includes anyone born in the US between 1946–65. Maybe you have a difference definition of when someone is "growing up"?

 

 

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2018/acs/ACS-39.pdf

Internet? Or World Wide Web?

Or are you going to argue semantics Karen?

[cccjwh]

1 minute ago, Canton Dawg said:

Internet? Or World Wide Web?

Or are you going to argue semantics Karen?

Wow, you really don't understand the graph. It's pretty much spelled out for you Karen. Maybe you should ask for a manager to explain it to you?

[Canton Dawg]

43 minutes ago, cccjwh said:

Wow, you really don't understand the graph. It's pretty much spelled out for you Karen. Maybe you should ask for a manager to explain it to you?

I don’t need a manager to explain to me that I’ve been on the Internet before the millennials were the “wet spot” on the mattress.

[cccjwh]

10 hours ago, MLD Woody said:

All makes a lot of sense, especially when backed by the linked studies and what the reporters found in these groups. I've said on here for years that older generations that didn't grow up with the internet are much more likely to be tricked by actual Fake News (and studies have backed that up). Growing up with it you learn to build a healthy skepticism and how to distinguish a legitimate source. Boomers are spending more time on social media than Millenials now and it clearly isn't good for them. 

This paragraph summarizes it well:

However, boomers, a majority of which voted for Donald Trump, didn't grow up with the internet, and didn't develop their relationship with technology in the same was as subsequent generations. They're soaking up the latest tech but they may not necessarily be as skeptical of less mainstream platforms like 4chan and 8chan (another, even fringier platform where Q now posts his/her/their latest updates), places where trolls reign supreme and people often fabricate events out of thin air just to get a rise out of others. Boomers are looking for political content to share, and these forums have plenty to give. Whether or not it's factual often takes a backseat to whether or not it's provocative.

 

I'm not sure anything annoys me more on these forums than willful ignorance. Ridiculous religious beliefs, political beliefs, etc. I thought that was the same thing here. It is becoming more and more clear though that this is just the result of a very susceptible and fragile group of people latching onto the ramblings of an internet troll so that they can feel like they have meaning. Mental illnesses or elderly delusions aside. Even though there has been some mainstream talk it still seems like mostly a fringe group that can't really affect anything in the real world, which is good. It is just the perfect storm of sad, lonely, not tech-savvy people just wanting to feel like they belong to something. 

 

People Tell Us How QAnon Destroyed Their Relationships

What I Learned Inside the Lonely, Sad World of QAnon Facebook Groups

Why Baby Boomers are Eating Up the QAnon Conspiracy Theory

 

 

It does makes sense though. Just like the "Servers" talking points from a few years back. The story was that the FBI never got the DNC's servers. Which is correct the FBI never got the physical DNC servers. They gave the FBI the copies of the servers, which the FBI installed in their own virtual environments. The hackers never physically touch the DNC servers so there was not reason for the FBI to take them. All the forensic checks were done on the virtual servers, which are exact copies of the originals. 

 

 

[cccjwh]

1 hour ago, Canton Dawg said:

I don’t need a manager to explain to me that I’ve been on the Internet before the millennials were the “wet spot” on the mattress.

1. Your experience doesn't reflect the majority  boomers. 

2. Unless you were still a child when you first connected to the internet, you didn't grow up with the internet.

3. Even if you were a child when you first connected to the internet, the social networking infrastructure wasn't anywhere near what it is now.

Me having to explain these basic facts, shows you aren't as smart as you think you are Karen. You completely missed the point of Woody's post. 

 

[calfoxwc]

Woody didn't have a point - just more slurs against a group of people he isn't. The bigotry of the op is typical woodpecker.

and the hostility vs anyone who doesn't fall in line with the lefty ideas... is also typical.

Lefties demanding power are coming out of the woodwork, arguing for

argument's sake - to get power and notoriety on the net.

Like the Wisconsin students? who want to get rid of the Abraham Lincoln statue - because he wasn't

"pro-black"....

 

 

[tiamat63]

The issue with Q, is that, as Sherlock Holmes would say.

"Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts"

The largest of their problems being that when confronted with level headed conclusions if not outright denouncements clear as day, incredibly loose connections are then dog whistled to certain events either monolithic or nearly complete abstract in order to preserve the "aura" of the movement. 

 

JF and his posting style is about the most home grown example.  It is an idea born not of truth seeking, but of seeking validation through attention to matters that can be rationalized when you remove the layer of negative standard in which the "evidence" is based upon.

[Canton Dawg]

1 hour ago, cccjwh said:

Unless you were still a child when you first connected to the internet, you didn't grow up with the internet.

 

I grew up with the automobile too, that doesn’t make me a better driver than previous generations.

 

[cccjwh]

2 minutes ago, Canton Dawg said:

I grew up with the automobile too, that doesn’t make me a better driver than previous generations.

 

If the previous generation never drove, yeah I think you would be a better driver. But driving and using the internet is comparing apples to oranges. 

[Canton Dawg]

7 minutes ago, cccjwh said:

If the previous generation never drove, yeah I think you would be a better driver. But driving and using the internet is comparing apples to oranges. 

When it comes to arrogance, the millennials are legends.

[MLD Woody]

12 minutes ago, Canton Dawg said:

I grew up with the automobile too, that doesn’t make me a better driver than previous generations.

 

You'd be a better driver, on average, than those that grew up without it. 

 

On average, if you didn't grow up with the internet, you are going to be less adept at using it than those that did. Someone just getting an email in their 40s isn't going to understand the in's and out's of the internet as well as someone that took classes in school on doing research on the internet, who had an email most of their life, who used chatrooms and IMs, etc etc etc

On average

 

That makes those that aren't as used to the internet more easily tricked. Again, look at the studies about boomers sharing fake news. Through in some mental issues and/or loneliness and you've got your QAnon followers. 

[Canton Dawg]

1 minute ago, MLD Woody said:

You'd be a better driver, on average, than those that grew up without it. 

 

On average, if you didn't grow up with the internet, you are going to be less adept at using it than those that did. Someone just getting an email in their 40s isn't going to understand the in's and out's of the internet as well as someone that took classes in school on doing research on the internet, who had an email most of their life, who used chatrooms and IMs, etc etc etc

On average

 

That makes those that aren't as used to the internet more easily tricked. Again, look at the studies about boomers sharing fake news. Through in some mental issues and/or loneliness and you've got your QAnon followers. 

How do you know those spreading shit aren’t just trolling?

[MLD Woody]

46 minutes ago, Canton Dawg said:

How do you know those spreading shit aren’t just trolling?

The original QAnon shit is probably just trolls.

 

Those that believe it now, that have active reddit a, facebook groups, buy merchandise, show up to Trump rallies in Q shirts... Probably aren't trolling. 

You think JAFBF has been trolling for 175+ pages?

[DieHardBrownsFan]

[lodilobo]

This guy reminds me of 20 - 30 years ago, observing kids doing the dumbest things you could imagine......thinking that...."if that's the future, we are in big trouble".... Well......we ARE in big trouble. 

[hoorta]

16 hours ago, MLD Woody said:

All makes a lot of sense, especially when backed by the linked studies and what the reporters found in these groups. I've said on here for years that older generations that didn't grow up with the internet are much more likely to be tricked by actual Fake News (and studies have backed that up). Growing up with it you learn to build a healthy skepticism and how to distinguish a legitimate source. Boomers are spending more time on social media than Millenials now and it clearly isn't good for them. 

This paragraph summarizes it well:

However, boomers, a majority of which voted for Donald Trump, didn't grow up with the internet, and didn't develop their relationship with technology in the same was as subsequent generations. They're soaking up the latest tech but they may not necessarily be as skeptical of less mainstream platforms like 4chan and 8chan (another, even fringier platform where Q now posts his/her/their latest updates), places where trolls reign supreme and people often fabricate events out of thin air just to get a rise out of others. Boomers are looking for political content to share, and these forums have plenty to give. Whether or not it's factual often takes a backseat to whether or not it's provocative.

 

I'm not sure anything annoys me more on these forums than willful ignorance. Ridiculous religious beliefs, political beliefs, etc. I thought that was the same thing here. It is becoming more and more clear though that this is just the result of a very susceptible and fragile group of people latching onto the ramblings of an internet troll so that they can feel like they have meaning. Mental illnesses or elderly delusions aside. Even though there has been some mainstream talk it still seems like mostly a fringe group that can't really affect anything in the real world, which is good. It is just the perfect storm of sad, lonely, not tech-savvy people just wanting to feel like they belong to something. 

 

People Tell Us How QAnon Destroyed Their Relationships

What I Learned Inside the Lonely, Sad World of QAnon Facebook Groups

Why Baby Boomers are Eating Up the QAnon Conspiracy Theory

 

Nah Woody- it's much more dangerous than that. Must have been living in a bubble... I had to do a crash course on Qanon, 4chan, & 8chan. Don't go entirely blaming us Geezers though. Qanon is attractive to more age groups than just the over 60 crowd. People haven't changed all that much in the last 30 years. The Ghosts of David Koresh and Jim Jones are alive and well- the major difference now is with the Internet- they can reach uncounted more "converts". Gee, I suddenly was able to connect the dots where a good portion of the conspiracy crap is coming from, and why a growing portion of locos (make that sheep) believe it with every fiber of their being....  

EDIT- PS Looks like Reddit took down some Q forums for advocating violence according to the article...  

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/06/qanon-nothing-can-stop-what-is-coming/610567/

[hoorta]

7 hours ago, MLD Woody said:

On average, if you didn't grow up with the internet, you are going to be less adept at using it than those that did. Someone just getting an email in their 40s isn't going to understand the in's and out's of the internet as well as someone that took classes in school on doing research on the internet, who had an email most of their life, who used chatrooms and IMs, etc etc etc

That makes those that aren't as used to the internet more easily tricked. Again, look at the studies about boomers sharing fake news. Through in some mental issues and/or loneliness and you've got your QAnon followers. 

Regarding the bold, not necessarily true Woody. Depends on your current level of intelligence. Doesn't take much computer savvy to learn how to use one on a rudimentary level anymore- and there's tons of Maroons out there on line now. I will grant you that paranoia tends to increase as you age along with alzheimers and dementia.   That could make oldsters more susceptible to paranoid conspiracy theories.  There's all kinds of wackiness out there, some more dangerous than others. Take the guy who killed himself trying to prove\disprove the Flat Earth Society. 

But let's jump it ahead to a different level just for the sake of argument- your familiarity, comfort, and ability to use new technology can depend on your age. The younger you are, the faster you adapt. I say this as a former AV\HiFi geek... (Don't really see the need for an 11 channel receiver in my man cave) I spent hours trying to teach my father in law how to use email and the Internet, and then spent hours more ungumming the works when he fouled the machine up. Or take a more recent innovation like cellphones.   I was a holdout for a long time- until I figured out one would free me from being housebound when I was on call for work. Oh, I know how to use one for what I need to do now, but a 10 year old kid could probably show me phone tricks I don't know exist....   If you saw it on the Browns Forum- I have an unbridled hatred for exclusive electronic ticketing for sporting events....  Referring to the above paranoia- that I'm not totally immune to- I refuse to use my phone as an electronic wallet.... 

[MLD Woody]

3 hours ago, hoorta said:

Regarding the bold, not necessarily true Woody. Depends on your current level of intelligence. Doesn't take much computer savvy to learn how to use one on a rudimentary level anymore- and there's tons of Maroons out there on line now. I will grant you that paranoia tends to increase as you age along with alzheimers and dementia.   That could make oldsters more susceptible to paranoid conspiracy theories.  There's all kinds of wackiness out there, some more dangerous than others. Take the guy who killed himself trying to prove\disprove the Flat Earth Society. 

But let's jump it ahead to a different level just for the sake of argument- your familiarity, comfort, and ability to use new technology can depend on your age. The younger you are, the faster you adapt. I say this as a former AV\HiFi geek... (Don't really see the need for an 11 channel receiver in my man cave) I spent hours trying to teach my father in law how to use email and the Internet, and then spent hours more ungumming the works when he fouled the machine up. Or take a more recent innovation like cellphones.   I was a holdout for a long time- until I figured out one would free me from being housebound when I was on call for work. Oh, I know how to use one for what I need to do now, but a 10 year old kid could probably show me phone tricks I don't know exist....   If you saw it on the Browns Forum- I have an unbridled hatred for exclusive electronic ticketing for sporting events....  Referring to the above paranoia- that I'm not totally immune to- I refuse to use my phone as an electronic wallet.... 

When my dad finally, FINALLY upgraded from his flip phone to a smart phone he got the same one as me so that I could show him everything. He runs his own business and you'd think having a smartphone would make that easier. He's a smart guy too, masters in Engineering. 

Every time I help my mom with something on her phone I end up closing 15+ apps running in the background. 

[DieHardBrownsFan]

[tiamat63]

16 minutes ago, MLD Woody said:

When my dad finally, FINALLY upgraded from his flip phone to a smart phone he got the same one as me so that I could show him everything. He runs his own business and you'd think having a smartphone would make that easier. He's a smart guy too, masters in Engineering. 

Every time I help my mom with something on her phone I end up closing 15+ apps running in the background. 

These cases of interactivity rely not so much on intellect, but rather being adept and immersed in the subject.  

Or maybe it really is a generational thing...? 

 

Make no mistake, if I could trade all this bullshit social media and smart phones just to have Myspace and my Razr back... I absolutely would.

[MLD Woody]

Just now, tiamat63 said:

These cases of interactivity rely not so much on intellect, but rather being adept and immersed in the subject.  

Or maybe it really is a generational thing...? 

 

Make no mistake, if I could trade all this bullshit social media and smart phones just to have Myspace and my Razr back... I absolutely would.

Good ole Razors and Myspace with auto play songs. Honestly I never got into any social media... even when I probably should have. 

 

And it's definitely generational. My cousin was fully functional on a digital camera at like 4 years old. 

[tiamat63]

6 minutes ago, MLD Woody said:

Good ole Razors and Myspace with auto play songs. Honestly I never got into any social media... even when I probably should have. 

 

And it's definitely generational. My cousin was fully functional on a digital camera at like 4 years old. 

I barely have my facebook at this point and am incredibly limited with it (by choice)   Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat... never cared for any of it.       I honestly think there are compelling arguments to make that, as a society/culture, we are too* interconnected now.   I think it's a bad thing to be far too accessible.   I remember having AIM and leaving an away message before I would go to work when I was 16-17.  Then I got my phone and texting was still pretty expensive, and even then the conversations were limited.   People didn't randomly start conversations out of pure boredom.   There was much more in-person interaction and far less social fatigue IMHO.   (2004-2007ish would be the ideal time frame in my mind)   I think it's contributing to stress, mental health issues.... a myriad of things to be exact.    I don't think Humans are "hard-wired" for that type of daily, rather overwhelming  stimulation.   

How many people do you know that take breaks from social media?  Tons.  Just about every person will at some point.   I think this lends a certain validity to my theory that social media is inherently damaging to the human psyche' and that, much like physical or mental work, requires a vigilance in one managing their time with it. 

[MLD Woody]

1 minute ago, tiamat63 said:

I barely have my facebook at this point and am incredibly limited with it (by choice)   Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat... never cared for any of it.       I honestly think there are compelling arguments to make that, as a society/culture, we are too* interconnected now.   I think it's a bad thing.    I think it's contributing to stress, mental health issues.... a myriad of things to be exact.    I don't think Humans are "hard-wired" for that type of daily, rather overwhelming  stimulation.   

How many people do you know that take breaks from social media?  Tons.  Just about every person will at some point.   I think this lends a certain validity to my theory that social media is inherently damaging to the human psyche' and that, much like physical or mental work, requires a vigilance in one managing their time with it. 

Yeah I agree. The only thing I've ever used my Facebook for is to communicate with my random match roommate my freshman year. Other than that it's just collected friend requests from highschool and college. Like I said before, I maybe should have tried to be a little more connected, but that ship has sailed. 

 

Only thing I use and keep updated is LinkedIn, because it has a good purpose. Getting jobs and my career. Though it is becoming more and more tainted with normal social media tyke bullshit. 

[tiamat63]

2 minutes ago, MLD Woody said:

Yeah I agree. The only thing I've ever used my Facebook for is to communicate with my random match roommate my freshman year. Other than that it's just collected friend requests from highschool and college. Like I said before, I maybe should have tried to be a little more connected, but that ship has sailed. 

 

Only thing I use and keep updated is LinkedIn, because it has a good purpose. Getting jobs and my career. Though it is becoming more and more tainted with normal social media tyke bullshit. 

I'm glad people more towards our age (I think you're a few years younger than me?) are slooooooowly catching onto this, especially with Facebook.

Our use of social media, at least the volume we consume/contribute... has got to go.

[calfoxwc]

Stereotypes are often a matter of bigotry. Years ago, years ago, I worked with the fatherinlaw who was in his eighties - and he quickly ended up emailing, attaching pictures, he even used Word and wrote a book on the history of his church - of course, he doesn't do that anymore - he's going on 98. Some years ago - there were many of his elderly friends who used computers to communicate - they didn't hear well with telephones...

  I will admit that kids beat us older folks in video games. It is what it is.

We learned on archaic ping-pong and word adventures. They learned on fancy graphics, high speed realistic motion, and computer voices.

Like Madagascar races... it doesn't matter what character I pick, the one they pick is faster. lol

[MLD Woody]

1 hour ago, tiamat63 said:

I'm glad people more towards our age (I think you're a few years younger than me?) are slooooooowly catching onto this, especially with Facebook.

Our use of social media, at least the volume we consume/contribute... has got to go.

I'm 28. I think a lot of people around my age started to pull away from it a handful of years ago. Hence the studies now that show boomers the most active on facebook. I'm not sure if it was to time overall or specifically my group getting older, but it's definitely died off. 

With Snapchat, TikTok, Vine, etc I'd be more concerned about Zoomers. Their whole life has involved social media for the most part.