| > QAnon is just more fun. As a counter-example, to me being right or approaching truth consistently and in a repeatable manner is much more fun than believing whatever I want to believe. I know which beliefs I'd like to be true, but self-deception isn't as fun as being right; right as in claims made within an independently validated methodological framework that makes my claims reproducible. That's isn't inherent, I assume, but learned. > Teaching will not solve the problem with incentives - Citation desperately needed! The, arguably, oldest human system of hierarchical organization called Church would like to have a word with you: a system based purely on psychological and social incentives, nothing else, giving relevance to itself and propagating certain world-views, beliefs and thought-systems. |
> Citation desperately needed!
You might find this take on QAnon from a game designer's perspective interesting:
https://medium.com/curiouserinstitute/a-game-designers-analy...
> It uses many of the same gaming mechanisms and rewards [as ARGs and LARPing].
> When players arrive at the “correct” answers they are showered with adoration, respect, and social credit.
> ... the breadcrumbs [from Q] are not facts, they are [...] Puzzles and clues for the “investigators” to uncover. [...] solving puzzles is extremely rewarding from a biochemical standpoint and the thoughts we gain from them are special to us.