In our society where information and entertainment are at your fingertips, few groups have captured the attention of the general public like the rise of QAnon. In the book The Storm is Upon Us, the author, Mike Rothschild, dives headfirst into the world of QAnon, and unravels its complex conspiracy theories and cult-like dynamics. The book examines QAnon's origins, growth, and societal impact. From the psychology behind its adherents to the ways that the ideals of the group permeate and affect mainstream discourse, each chapter gives us a glimpse into the rabbit hole of misinformation and extremism. The chapters flow in a cohesive order and in later chapters, the author references previously mentioned people and case studies. To further discuss
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Chapter 4 focuses on the conspiracy theories that set precedence for QAnon. In this, the author details anti-Semitism, Pizzagate and the related adrenochrome conspiracies, affinity fraud via the company called Omega Trust as well as NESARA, and the scandals surrounding dinars in Iraq. These previous conspiracies come together to create one all-encompassing conspiracy. This also sets the foundation for the author to debunk many ideas later on in the book. Chapter 5 focuses on the visible growth of QAnon by looking at the frequency that Donald Trump retweeted Q-supporting accounts, the turnout of Q supporters at rallies, the overwhelming amount of merchandise that QAnon could buy and sell, the fall of 8chan and the turbulent rise of 8kun. The books were extremely popular to the point where they were on top 100 lists and were only removed after the insurrection on January 6th. This highlights the popularization of Q’s ideas as well as the neutrality that large companies had when it came to supporting these products. The topics in this chapter are aligned with THE PAPER ON RESOURCE MOBILIZATION THEORY as QAnon was able to successfully mobilize the resources of believers in terms of both online engagement as well as real-world activism, to expand its reach and influence. Chapter 6
Chapter 4 focuses on the conspiracy theories that set precedence for QAnon. In this, the author details anti-Semitism, Pizzagate and the related adrenochrome conspiracies, affinity fraud via the company called Omega Trust as well as NESARA, and the scandals surrounding dinars in Iraq. These previous conspiracies come together to create one all-encompassing conspiracy. This also sets the foundation for the author to debunk many ideas later on in the book. Chapter 5 focuses on the visible growth of QAnon by looking at the frequency that Donald Trump retweeted Q-supporting accounts, the turnout of Q supporters at rallies, the overwhelming amount of merchandise that QAnon could buy and sell, the fall of 8chan and the turbulent rise of 8kun. The books were extremely popular to the point where they were on top 100 lists and were only removed after the insurrection on January 6th. This highlights the popularization of Q’s ideas as well as the neutrality that large companies had when it came to supporting these products. The topics in this chapter are aligned with THE PAPER ON RESOURCE MOBILIZATION THEORY as QAnon was able to successfully mobilize the resources of believers in terms of both online engagement as well as real-world activism, to expand its reach and influence. Chapter 6