QAnon: A False Prophets Conspiracy

Vladislav Šolc
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Abstract

Examining the QAnon movement through a Jungian lens, this analysis draws parallels between archetypal defense mechanisms and the Homeric myth of Odysseus, specifically his stay on Ogygia Island. The paper introduces terms like "Dark Religion" and "theocalypse," exploring the phenomenon of mind possession in religious fundamentalism and conspiracy theories. Symbolically, Calypso, as "the concealer," functions as an archetypal protective system, diverting ego-consciousness from reality and constructing a false belief system. "Theocalypse" describes religious inflation by unconscious contents, resulting in specific mytho-poetic ideologies and archetypal images whose function is to protect ego from experiencing painful emotions. The manifestation of Dark Religion is evident in QAnon Conspiracy Theory followers who believe in a secret war led by Donald Trump against a satanic child-trafficking cabal. This dark belief system is characterized by traits such as seeking secret signs and clues, absolutism, rejection of modernity, reactivity, aggression, a paranoid worldview, and the assertion of a special ability to see with their hearts—reading between the lines, to name a few. Commonalities between conspiratorial and fundamentalist thinking emerge from the dynamics of inferior consciousness and subsequent ego inflation, explaining both the archetypal nature of conspiracism and its resistance to rational correction. Conspiratorialists assert additional qualities, such as being chosen to perceive the truth, promoting a superior truth without relative values or "gray" areas (superiority). Their knowledge is held unwaveringly and treated as infallible faith, often invoking sources like idols and refusing to question their authority. Vehement rejection of opposing theories (defensive selectivity) characterizes their mindset, along with a surrender of will to their leaders (submission to authority). Conspiracists actively pursue the goal of converting others (reactivity) and accept responsibility for the state of affairs only in a fantasy world, avoiding self-reflection (projection). Conscious thinking remains free from unconscious influence only when recognizing numinous contents and withdrawing projections from objects. A symbolic perspective, treating conspiracy theories as symbols rather than rational constructs, provides a non-dismissive understanding of strong adherence to such beliefs. Examining QAnon symbolically through the lens of Jungian psychology, while understanding how adherents enact unconscious complexes and cultural complexes, offers more effective ways of understanding their beliefs than what traditional schools provide. Breaking away from restrictive beliefs requires embracing living symbols tethered to reality, facilitating genuine feeling-insight, authentic suffering, and thereby fostering a connection with one's psyche.
QAnon:假先知的阴谋
本文通过荣格学派的视角审视 QAnon 运动,分析了原型防御机制与荷马史诗中奥德修斯神话的相似之处,特别是他在奥吉亚岛的逗留。本文介绍了 "黑暗宗教 "和 "启示录 "等术语,探讨了宗教原教旨主义和阴谋论中的心灵附体现象。从象征意义上讲,卡吕普索作为 "遮蔽者",发挥着原型保护系统的作用,将自我意识从现实中转移出来,构建了一个虚假的信仰体系。"启示录 "描述了无意识内容对宗教的膨胀,导致特定的神话诗歌意识形态和原型形象,其功能是保护自我免受痛苦情绪的体验。黑暗宗教的表现在 QAnon 阴谋论的追随者身上显而易见,他们相信一场由唐纳德-特朗普领导的秘密战争,对抗一个贩卖儿童的撒旦阴谋集团。这种黑暗信仰体系的特征包括:寻求秘密迹象和线索、绝对主义、拒绝现代性、反应性、攻击性、偏执的世界观,以及声称自己具有用心灵看问题的特殊能力--读懂字里行间,等等。阴谋论和原教旨主义思想之间的共性来自于自卑意识和随之而来的自我膨胀,这解释了阴谋论的原型性质及其对理性矫正的抵制。阴谋论者宣称自己还具有其他特质,比如被选中来感知真相,宣扬一种没有相对价值或 "灰色 "区域(优越性)的卓越真理。他们的知识坚定不移,被视为无懈可击的信仰,常常像偶像一样援引资料来源,拒绝质疑其权威性。坚决拒绝反对理论(防御性选择)是他们的思维特点,同时他们还向领导者屈服(服从权威)。阴谋论者积极追求改变他人的目标(反应性),只在幻想世界中对事态负责,避免自我反省(投射)。有意识的思维只有在认识到虚无的内容并从客体中撤回投射时,才能不受无意识的影响。将阴谋论视为符号而非理性建构的符号学视角,为人们理解对此类信念的强烈坚持提供了一种非歧视的方式。通过荣格心理学的视角对 QAnon 进行象征性研究,同时了解追随者如何形成无意识情结和文化情结,为理解他们的信仰提供了比传统学派更有效的方法。要摆脱束缚性的信仰,就必须接受与现实相联系的活生生的符号,促进真正的感觉-洞察力、真正的痛苦,从而促进与个人心灵的联系。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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