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This was an interesting read. It’s more complicated than “oh these poor people are financially insecure.” Most of them were doing just fine currently, but interestingly, had a history of more bankruptcy and liens and such than the general population. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/02/10/capitol-insurrectionists-jenna-ryan-financial-problems/
Here is the bit I found the most interesting and potentially convincing. It fits with some stuff I’ve read from former Q people. It’s not the whole reason people get into this, but it’s an interesting thread
Here’s what I wonder, which the article didn’t get into: instead of the bankruptcies etc being motivating factors, what if they’re instead symptoms of underlying personality traits? A certain amount of entitlement and impulse control issues. Or a little of both.
The Q person this made me think of was this woman who was interviewed on the NYT podcast Rabbit Hole after getting out of believing in the conspiracy theory. She talked about how losing everything in 2008 and then again in a hurricane convinced her that the game is rigged
That it, especially given the bank bailouts of 2008, taught her that government is for the rich and no one is looking out for the masses. Which...is not necessarily an incorrect take! It just doesn’t mean that politicians are also in a pedophilic cabal.
Anyway, obviously financial issues are not going to be the only reason someone follows Trump or storms the Capitol. Racism was a clear motivation for a lot of it. But studying stuff like this can help identify paths to radicalization, which can in turn help prevent it.
I want to be clearer on this point below. I am definitely not saying that any one person’s bankruptcy, lein, or other financial problems are a reflection on their personality or a moral failing. That would for one thing be a huge self-own, since I’ve had my share of $ problems https://twitter.com/louisathelast/status/1359510936206385160
Here’s what I am saying: Trump himself is an embodiment of a certain archetype when it comes to money. He enters into deals he has no intention of paying, he spends impulsively, and he goes into bankruptcy to avoid his creditors before starting up again. Right?
It stands to reason, to me, that many of his most ardent followers would fall into those same behavior patterns on a smaller scale. Because they’re similar people: grifters and cheaters. People who just keep pursuing get rich quick schemes and screwing over others
And I wonder if the data points coming out are in any way pointing to that, rather than the maxim of “economic problems causes terrorism” which, as the article points out, isn’t really supported by the evidence but keeps getting broadcast
