![roxane gay new york times advice column roxane gay new york times advice column](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2017/12/31/opinion/sunday/31gay/31gay-videoSixteenByNineJumbo1600.jpg)
While conversations continue about who to support in the upcoming election, QAnon believers are injecting comments into conversations, comments about Satanic forces, blood-sucking pedophilic liberals, and child pornography rings run by Democrats. The QAnon phenomenon has escalated those tensions. Rules were created to diffuse the situation, mandating no political conversations, so that a holiday dinner might be conducted in peace. Family dinners became battlegrounds: Some family members were disinvited to traditional family gatherings. During the 2016 Presidential race, families were torn apart those supporting, facing off against relatives opposed to Trump. The issues raised in these advice columns are all-too familiar in the Trump era. People whose minds have been taken over by QAnon, are impervious to facts and tend to repeat two QAnon-advanced memes: “the truth will come out,” and “I’ve done my research.” Gay wrote: “A surprising number of people have fallen into QAnon and other assorted sinkholes where intelligence and common sense go to die.” Gay, as many others dealing with the uncompromising, and seemingly immutable views of QAnon followers, suggested that Lauren – who thankfully is working from home - counter her bosses “disinformation with factual information,” but if he’s not receptive, she advises that she “keep her distance,” because “people who have given their minds over to QAnon don’t want the truth.” In her column in the NYT Business Section, Roxane Gay, the author most recently of Hunger, responded to a question from Lauren in California regarding unsolicited texts from her boss. Battering your head against a brick wall is not.” Perhaps you can help her see (gently) that she believes these dangerous lies because she wants to – not because she has any evidence of them.” Finally, Galanes concludes with an observation that is becoming clear to people all across the country dealing with QAnon faithful: “Trying to salvage a relationship is worth it. Galanes, whose column I read regularly in The New York Times Sunday Style section, suggested that since “Friend” has already tried contesting her neighbor’s beliefs with facts, that now she “try listening.” He wrote: “Ask her to walk you through the proof of her allegations. QAnon, which was certainly underestimated, and underreported, even six months ago, is now the talk of the town penetrating and grabbing foothold hold in mainstream politics.Ī question to The New York Times Social Q’s columnist Philip Galanes was signed by “Friend.” During the quarantine, Friend’s next-door neighbor has embraced such QAnon perennials as “PizzaGate,” and the belief “that Hollywood celebrities sacrifice children to drink their blood.” To no avail, “Friend” has tried to disabuse her of those beliefs. On a recent Sunday, two New York Times advice columnists provided counsel on what to do about “the family next door” pushing QAnon conspiracy theories, and a “pretty intelligent, chill, fun boss” texting pro-QAnon twaddle. Advice columnists, usually addressing questions about dysfunctional relationships, children running amuck, bothersome relatives, over-inquisitive neighbors and the erosion of social mores, are now confronted with questions about QAnon. Advice columns reflect the gestalt of our times serving as a cultural touchstone.