You're Wrong About How to Deprogram a Guy in 10 Days with Endless Thread
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Mar 17, 2026 Amory Sivertson, NPR Endless Thread producer who covers internet culture and conspiracy movements, and Ben Brock Johnson, Endless Thread co-producer known for investigating online mysteries and misinformation. They explore deprogramming people from cult-like conspiracies. They talk about vaccine skepticism history, how online communities replace belonging, when to engage or withdraw, and practical communication rules to plant doubt.
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Dismissal By Experts Fuels Radicalization
- Feeling dismissed by experts can escalate normal skepticism into deep opposition.
- Amory describes parents who felt shut down by doctors, which pushed them toward anti-vaccine communities.
Use Respectful Questions Not Insults When Persuading
- Use respectful, curious language when trying to change someone's mind: ask questions, share experiences, and avoid insults.
- Ben lists deprogramming rules: don't tell people they're stupid and build rapport first.
Conspiracies Fill Voids Of Purpose And Connection
- Isolation and mental-health crises make people vulnerable to conspiracies that offer purpose and joy.
- Jatarth fell into QAnon after isolation and bipolar episodes, finding meaning and community in the conspiracy.