Fair warning: this episode is philosophical and theological, and I swerve a bit out of my lane to argue that we should think of cultish-behavior, like engagement with conspiracy theories and evidence-free logic, as an addiction. 

Thinking about QAnon, or Far-Right Trumpism (or Far-Left conspiracy theories) as addictions allows us to better understand both addiction and the folks who are engaging in these movements. It feels good to know something that others do not, and to figure out a riddle that invariably paints you as the center of the universe. But without the criticism of those who care about us, we can sink into a world of alternative facts, and once we are there, things get scary. Paradoxically, things also become more controllable. 

Just like addictions to drugs like heroin, engagement in conspiracy theories & extremist ideologies always provides a predictable  effect, reliably putting us back into our cozy space where we have figured out the world, where we have discovered why it is seems aligned against us. We come to ignore the negative consequences of our beliefs, and we develop a tolerance, requiring more and deeper theories each time to provide the same effects. And like all addictions, COVID has only made things worse, because isolation inclines us to turn to drugs, gambling or conspiracy theory even more. 

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