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Are_we_sure ago

PG arose from a long series and pattern of weird coincidences and pieces of circumstantial evidence, enough for people to go 'Hang on, this is all very strange and creepy'

Actually it first started with political activists who were SURE the emails hid sinisters acts and anonymous political LARPERs who primed these activists who already were deeply, deeply conspiratorial. It was only after these political actors primed the pot, did any creepy coincidences start. And what do you know, the deeper you looked, sinister acts did pop out. All you had to do was change the meaning of ambiguous sentences into sinister code and voila, malefeasance!

The series and pattern you describe is a very familiar series of cognitive processes that involve, tunnel vision, confirmation bias and not giving the benefit of the doubt to an extreme, to the point where people's humanity is denied and people are demonized.

Folks who knew of Marina Abramovic before last summer, knew she was provocative performance artist. She may or may not be to your taste, but she was a genuine artist and respected by serious and sincere people. I don't assume her fans are Satanists. Any more than I assume the fans of AC/DC are Satanists. Any more than I assume Anthony Hopkins or Thomas are serial killers.

Politics and Tribalism are two of the most powerful emotional/anti-rational forces we have. If you wanted to pick two things that would make people deny the humanity of people on the side of these issues, it would be hard to pick two more powerful agents. Religion (which informs both political and tribalism, might be the only thing more powerful.)