In this satirical post, tech veteran Joshua Stylman reflects on watching a close friend of nearly three decades—once a sharp, curious, and empathetic thinker—drift into full-blown conspiracy thinking after the pandemic. What began with skepticism toward public health guidance escalated into distrust of all institutions, “doing his own research,” homeschooling his kids, rejecting vaccines, stockpiling gold, and seeing false flags everywhere. Stylman describes the painful encounter at a recent party, the emotional toll on family and friendships, and his sadness over the friend he’s effectively lost, while grappling with whether the radicalization stems from algorithms, personal pain, or something deeper—and whether there’s any path back.
Read the full post HERE.
