Jane, whose real name has been disguised for privacy, is feeling apprehensive about sharing her story with me. She doesn’t want her identity or the name of her small town in south-coast Devon to be revealed. She’s not exposing government corruption or organized crime, but rather wants to discuss her former meditation group. For decades, the group had gathered happily, bonded by their shared interests in environmental issues, spirituality, and alternative health. Jane considered many of them her close friends, and she assumed they were all on the same page. But then COVID-19 arrived.
During the initial lockdowns, Jane was in London where she contracted COVID-19 and had to be hospitalized. It was during her hospital stay that she realized something had changed. A friend from her meditation group called her and insisted that she didn’t have COVID-19. Jane was taken aback and questioned why she had been admitted to the hospital. Eventually, the friend admitted she was ill but still believed it couldn’t be COVID-19 because she denied its existence. Fortunately, Jane’s hospital stay was short, but by the time she was ready to rejoin her meditation group after recovering and restrictions were lifted, everything had changed.
The group had shifted toward far-right views, bordering on racism, and had become fervently pro-Russian due to the conflict in Ukraine. It all started with skepticism about COVID-19’s existence, opposition to lockdowns and mask-wearing, and evolved into a denial of almost everything mainstream, even labeling the BBC as liars. The breaking point for Jane was when the group played a conspiratorial video before a meditation session, claiming that 15-minute cities and low-traffic zones were part of a global conspiracy. This was contrary to the purpose of meditation, which is meant to promote relaxation and detachment from worldly worries. Jane decided to leave the group.
While the radicalization of a seemingly normal, middle-class, hippy-ish group may appear as an isolated incident, the truth is far from it. People who study conspiracy theories have become concerned about the “wellness-to-woo pipeline” or even the “wellness-to-fascism pipeline.” It goes beyond just sharing videos among friends. For example, Attila Hildmann, one of the leaders of the QAnon movement in Germany, initially gained recognition as a vegan cookbook author. However, in 2021, he played a role in a violent protest where demonstrators stormed the steps of Germany’s parliament. He was under investigation for numerous alleged offenses but fled to Turkey before he could be arrested. Similarly, Jacob Chansley, also known as the “QAnon Shaman,” participated in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. He identifies with “shamanic arts,” follows a natural and organic diet, and has been described as an “ecofascist.”
Wellness has become a gateway to QAnon, one of the most dangerous conspiracies linked to attempted insurrections and mass shootings. There’s something about the combination of skepticism towards mainstream narratives, the intimate relationships between therapists, spiritual advisors, personal trainers, and clients, and the current conspiratorial climate that has led to this new form of radicalization. How did we reach this point?
Many individuals interested in spiritualism, alternative medicine, meditation, or personal training hold views within the mainstream or choose not to share their niche beliefs with clients. However, upon researching this issue, I discovered numerous responses from people sharing their experiences, though mostly less intense than Jane’s. People were reluctant to provide their names, likely due to the personal nature of wellness interactions, which discourages them from sharing potentially betraying stories.
One person recounted how their pole-dancing instructor would talk about CIA cover-ups of alien evidence while hanging upside down on the pole. Another individual mentioned their physiotherapist discussing “current affairs” and muttering about the Rothschilds, leading them to discontinue their sessions. Some personal trainers turned out to be anti-vax, causing tension for clients, especially when they learned about their clients’ professional affiliations.
These stories span various activities from yoga to weightlifting, and the shared conspiracy theories range from wellness-related ones about 5G and Wi-Fi risks to more widespread theories involving pedophile rings and banking conspiracies.
What makes individuals in the wellness and fitness realm susceptible to conspiracy theories? It’s not surprising that young men frequenting the gym may be influenced by QAnon and similar ideologies. This group spends significant time online, and there’s a perceived crisis of masculinity within the “incel” movement and other similar groups. Various right-wing influencers target this demographic. When you add a masculine gym culture and a community that seeks “secrets” to achieve optimal health, conspiracy theories find fertile ground to grow.
However, more intriguing is how women, who could be old enough to be these men’s mothers, find themselves enticed by the same rhetoric. These women often have extensive life experience, education, and established careers. Caroline Criado Perez, author of “Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men,” suggests that the answer lies in examining why women turn to wellness and alternative medicine in the first place.
New age and conspiracy theories both present themselves as alternative knowledges challenging established truths. Perez argues that we should not blame women for turning to alternative medicine but rather attribute it to the gender data gap. Traditional medicine has historically neglected the female body, leaving significant gaps in knowledge about how diseases manifest in women. Women are more likely to suffer from autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, and chronic fatigue, often reaching a point where doctors cannot offer solutions. These conditions are under-researched, and the treatments available are often ineffective.
In conclusion, the convergence of skepticism, intimate wellness relationships, and the absence of comprehensive gender-based medical research has created an environment where radicalization can flourish. It’s essential to explore these factors to understand how we reached this point.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
