A good (juicy! exciting!) conspiracy theory is a kind of interactive version of a good thriller on TV or at the movies. Take the #QAnonCult. The web allows you to LARP your way into it on many different levels: as a true believer OR as a self-aware role-player. 3/
Conversation
An interesting aspect of the #QAnonCult is that it has very low barriers to entry. In a strange way, it fits the definition of a Carsian #infinitegame while appealing to a crowd that thinks they are playing a finite game with victory conditions. 4/
1
QAnon fits the definition of an infinite game: it is amorphous, has few rules, blurred boundaries with reality, and no victory conditions. Like Tantalus, the closer "victory" appears, the further away it gets. It's a perfect model for an infinite game pretending to be finite. 5/
1
The QAnon game is able to support multiple types of players at the same time. 6/
1
The 4-Chan crowd plays for the Lulz, for the in-group social capital they gain from gulling the plebs, and as a way to take their puerile instincts mainstream in society. (E.g. Social acceptance and status gain for Incel / man-o-sphere ideology). 7/
1
The politicians and other power aggregators like mega-church pastors play because anywhere a fired-up crowd of "their kind of people" gathers is a place to go and get power, money, status, votes etc. It's purely transactional for them: another day at the office. 8/
1
The "true-believer" crowd plays for the powerful shared experience. It's their own personal Hollywood with no casting director or beauty standard to hold them back. #QAnonCult is a mash-up of a right-wing megachurch, and people snorting coke and riffing their best ideas 9/
1
Even I am playing this game. Right now. I'm like a broadcaster who's calling a sports game. At times I'm commenting on how the game is going, who's winning, who's playing well. At other times (like now) opining about the rules, refereeing, etc. END/
2
Replying to
Lol this moon knight tweet showed up just below your thread… it’s the most anti-Occam marvel show ever
1
Replying to
The algorithm is an NPC in this game too, which I failed to point out in my thread. Also, it has a sense of humor, humor being a critical component in any #infinitegame

