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The Quiet Damage
The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family | Jesselyn Cook
8 posts | 8 read | 14 to read
The riveting story of QAnons devastating impact on the American family, grappling with the seductive allure of disinformation, the trauma it causes, and how we might set ourselves free. The QAnon conspiracy theorieswhich posit that a nefarious cabal of elites is secretly ruling our society, poisoning our bodies, and harming our childrenhave come to represent the peculiar mania driven by social media disinformation campaigns and its dire consequences on our politics. But whats often overlooked is the raw destructive power these theories have on the American family. In an age in which partisanship has created deep divides within the homebetween parents and children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wivesthe extreme belief structure of QAnon widens those divides into seemingly insurmountable chasms, leaving people lost, confused, and broken. With studies showing that nearly 19% of Americans believe in QAnon-related theories, the true toll of QAnon on our mental and social health is as vast as it is urgent to confront. In The Quiet Damage, celebrated reporter Jesselyn Cook unfolds the heartbreaking stories of five representative families from couples young and old to rural white parents to urban Black siblings, to show how QAnon shattered bonds once believed unbreakable. Cook paints a portrait of American suffering, of the vulnerabilities that have left people susceptible to outrageous theories promising order and control in a world where both are increasingly in short supply. Charting the arc of each believers path from their first intersection with QAnon to the depths of their cultish conviction in the theorys promise, toin some fortunate casestheir rejection of conspiracy thinking and the mending of broken bonds, Cook offers a fascinating look into the psychology of how and why ordinary people come to believe the unbelievable. Her reporting lays bare how we have been taken hostage by grifters who profit from a network built on false hopeand how we might eventually release our loved ones, and ourselves, from their grasp. At once a riveting account of the American family in crisis and a sociological exploration of the hidden costs of our global crisis of disinformation, The Quiet Damage is profound, brilliantly researched and beautifully written.
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Jas16
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Pickpick

Wow, this was unexpectedly good. A look at Qanon and people sucked into believing their conspiracy theories and also the lives of the loved ones affected. I didn‘t realize how deeply invested I was until something good happened to one of the people and I was so excited I got tears in my eyes. Nonfiction does not often hook me that way but this was interesting and so empathetically told. Definitely one of my top reads of the year.

BarbaraBB Great review! 1w
AmyG J….thank you so much for your lovely gift, my sweet book friend. You are so thoughtful and kind. Have the most wonderful holiday season! 😘 (I am thrilled to read both….especially Erasure as I want to read more of his books). (edited) 1w
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Anna40
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We are f-d sums up what I think after reading personal accounts of believers or members of the movement and their families.According to those who have let themselves get sucked into QAnon madness, Trump is waging war against pedophile elite Satan worshippers(guess who they are)&while he might not have started the movement he also did nothing to stop it-au contraire.I have NO empathy for believers, it‘s like saying fascists and Nazis

Anna40 are just poor people who needed a purpose in life. And this is our president. We are f-d. 1mo
Leftcoastzen I am tempted to read it . We are f-d . Nice review! 1mo
Anna40 @Leftcoastzen warning: serious adverse effects, such as extreme fury and rage, may occur after reading. 1mo
TheBookHippie Big enclave of them here 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 1mo
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MallenNC
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Reading this right after the election was an interesting experience. The stories in this book were heartbreaking and the author took an empathetic approach to them. She helps her readers understand how people came to believe in these conspiracy theories and how much damage this did to their families. There isn‘t as much resolution of some of the stories but unfortunately that‘s probably the case in real life. This was my #BookSpin for November

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 1mo
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Chelsea.Poole
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It‘s easy to dismiss the QAnon believers, but Cook takes a closer look at individuals who have gone down the rabbit hole. Each profile of someone affected by this movement is thorough, giving readers an idea of their background then dives into how each person fell into the conspiracy. Families of the people are at a loss and Cook handles it all with care. If anyone wants to understand this unbelievable phenomenon, start here. Another audio pick!

Christine Agreed, this was so well done. 3mo
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birdie_gw
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I listened to the audiobook and am so deeply impacted by the stories she shares. Told with empathy and well researched. Essential reading to understand the wild ride of the past few years.

pdxannie Oooo this popped up on a booklist recently and sounded intriguing. Adding it to my list officially. 4mo
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Christine
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I thought this was outstanding. Incredibly readable and so respectful of the humanity and complexity of its subjects. Valuable in its demonstration not only of how people fall into conspiracy belief systems, but also of the vital importance of strengthening our empathy skills — and our mental health support structures/resources.

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Megabooks
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It‘s easy to look at QAnon believers and think, how does this even make sense to you? Cook takes another approach and looks at families where one member‘s fall down the rabbit hole rips them apart - sometimes permanently. This book is dark and emotional, but I‘m glad I read it. It‘s an angle of this cult that I hadn‘t seen covered yet. 😢

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GerardtheBookworm
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Once again, I've opened Pandora's Box and went down the rabbit hole! In this series of short interviews and commentaries, author Jesselyn Cook examines several families who have lost loved ones to the QAnon conspiracy cult. From the religious fervor, socio-economics, internal hatred, and insane brainwashing that occurred after the election of 2016, this is a horrible car wreck that you can't look away.

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