Trump, QAnon and the Return of Magic
Common sense is not so common anymore. This is the crowning message of Trump, QAnon and the return of magic, a vivid but harrowing portrait of our current state of decay. The film is a scathing critique of our cultural and sociopolitical climate fueled by harmful and irresponsible speech, the proliferation of social media, and the lack of distinction between truth and fantasy.
Conspiracy theorists have always existed, but social media has given them a more dominant and visible public forum. It also paves the way for more followers who may also be disenfranchised or vulnerable.
At the center of the confusion is QAnon, a social movement founded in 2017 that claims widespread child trafficking led by Satan, who worships pedophiles. Supporters of QAnon overwhelmingly support the current US President, Donald Trump, whom they see as a hero against the perverted and depraved cabal. The president’s frequent retweets about her plot and a general disinterest in denouncing her actions on the public stage help her accomplish her task.
Unfortunately, QAnon is not an exception. Conspiracy campaigns are attracting public attention like never before. It seems to fulfill basic human needs. The film outlines the motivations behind this disturbing phenomenon.
It begins with the concept of magical thinking—a relatively innocuous exercise steeped in fables and superstitions. In our current environment of unprecedented fear and anxiety, such thinking taken to extremes can deepen divisions and even endanger lives. The film examines the denizens of conspiracy-oriented ideas, including their reliance on symbols and patterns, how they exploit our basic need to seek solace through the search for meaning, and the social conditions that allow their misinformation campaigns to spread easily .
Using footage from pop culture spectacle, news coverage, and other popular media, the film itself represents a theory of what we’re doing wrong as a society. But it is deeply rooted in commonsense thinking and a strong belief in the work of scientists and other evidence seekers.
Directed by: Kirby Ferguson
