T. Kenny Fountain
@tkennyfountain.bsky.social
Associate Professor of English, UVA. Scholar of rhetoric (old & current), studying conspiracy theory belief, disinformation, extremism, and visual media. Writing a book, Imagining Conspiracy Theories.
I'm often underwhelmed by psychoanalytic accounts of conspiracy theories; they're overcommitted to paranoia as an animating affect (when I contend it's suspicion and intrigue). But Alenka Zupančič's book on disavowal is a lucid account with smart insights on conspiracy theories & misinformation.
September 26, 2025 at 11:11 PM
I'm often underwhelmed by psychoanalytic accounts of conspiracy theories; they're overcommitted to paranoia as an animating affect (when I contend it's suspicion and intrigue). But Alenka Zupančič's book on disavowal is a lucid account with smart insights on conspiracy theories & misinformation.
Yesterday, Trump posted on Truth Social an image taken directly from the Q drops, specifically post #4012 from April 30, 2020. In the original post, Q claims RussiaGate is the " biggest political scandal in American history." 2/5
August 2, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Yesterday, Trump posted on Truth Social an image taken directly from the Q drops, specifically post #4012 from April 30, 2020. In the original post, Q claims RussiaGate is the " biggest political scandal in American history." 2/5
Fascist and authoritarian regimes often threaten and seek to dismantle any press that opposes their agenda. While presses that support their agenda (like Fox News) remain untouched, if not given favors.
July 27, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Fascist and authoritarian regimes often threaten and seek to dismantle any press that opposes their agenda. While presses that support their agenda (like Fox News) remain untouched, if not given favors.
So, Congress decides to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, and on that same day, Trump's deputy AG decides he will meet with her. It seems this administration is determined to look incredibly suspicious.
July 23, 2025 at 2:29 AM
So, Congress decides to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, and on that same day, Trump's deputy AG decides he will meet with her. It seems this administration is determined to look incredibly suspicious.
The DHS seems to be promoting an American version of the Volksgemeinschaft, which was a major component of Nazi propaganda. Am I reading into things? Maybe. Has this administration echoed fascist propaganda? Yes, it has.
July 14, 2025 at 10:51 PM
The DHS seems to be promoting an American version of the Volksgemeinschaft, which was a major component of Nazi propaganda. Am I reading into things? Maybe. Has this administration echoed fascist propaganda? Yes, it has.
Happy Mother's Day!
May 11, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Happy Mother's Day!
Musk, then Trump, then Vance: calling for a judge to be removed & seeking to undermine the separation of powers. It seems pretty obvious the goal is to consolidate power in the executive branch. We are likely to hear more of this in the coming weeks.
February 10, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Musk, then Trump, then Vance: calling for a judge to be removed & seeking to undermine the separation of powers. It seems pretty obvious the goal is to consolidate power in the executive branch. We are likely to hear more of this in the coming weeks.
So one can say racist things, advocate eugenics, brag about being racist, & the US VP will come to your defense, call you a "kid" who needs a second chance (he wasn't a kid but an adult), & then you get to work again for Musk's DOGE. Is the goal to minimize, normalize racism & white supremacy?
February 7, 2025 at 8:59 PM
So one can say racist things, advocate eugenics, brag about being racist, & the US VP will come to your defense, call you a "kid" who needs a second chance (he wasn't a kid but an adult), & then you get to work again for Musk's DOGE. Is the goal to minimize, normalize racism & white supremacy?
This February, for me, is Federico Finchelstein month. I've read his book on fascist lies, and I'm halfway through his history of fascism and populism. There are many great scholars of fascism. @finchelsteinf.bsky.social is one of them.
February 5, 2025 at 6:44 PM
This February, for me, is Federico Finchelstein month. I've read his book on fascist lies, and I'm halfway through his history of fascism and populism. There are many great scholars of fascism. @finchelsteinf.bsky.social is one of them.
Without downloading any new pics, where are you mentally?
January 24, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Without downloading any new pics, where are you mentally?
Excited to get a hardcopy of my latest article on conspiracy theory belief, immersion/absorption, and QAnon.
January 22, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Excited to get a hardcopy of my latest article on conspiracy theory belief, immersion/absorption, and QAnon.
I'm a little surprised by how hard David Lynch's passing has hit me. It got me thinking about my favorite of his films -- Twin Peaks: Fire Walk the Me. The scenes with the angel are iconic Lynch: melancholic, hypnotic, redemptive, and teetering just on the edge of being too much.
January 17, 2025 at 1:59 AM
I'm a little surprised by how hard David Lynch's passing has hit me. It got me thinking about my favorite of his films -- Twin Peaks: Fire Walk the Me. The scenes with the angel are iconic Lynch: melancholic, hypnotic, redemptive, and teetering just on the edge of being too much.
Here is the abstract of my co-authored article on QAnon. My first time publishing in a religious studies journal.
January 13, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Here is the abstract of my co-authored article on QAnon. My first time publishing in a religious studies journal.
My co-authored article (with Chandler Jennings) on QAnon, immersion/absorption, and conspiracy theory belief is out in Nova Religio volume 28, number 2. Excited to see this is (proverbial) print!
January 13, 2025 at 10:34 PM
My co-authored article (with Chandler Jennings) on QAnon, immersion/absorption, and conspiracy theory belief is out in Nova Religio volume 28, number 2. Excited to see this is (proverbial) print!
They're using AI tools to put in place solid pedagogical practices we've known about for decades. Minimize lectures, use class time for guided practice & exploration. We don't need AI tools to incorporate these ideas in our classes.
December 9, 2024 at 1:44 PM
They're using AI tools to put in place solid pedagogical practices we've known about for decades. Minimize lectures, use class time for guided practice & exploration. We don't need AI tools to incorporate these ideas in our classes.
Not the first to say it, but the words written on the bullet casings fired by the man who killed the United Health CEO are the title of a book critiquing American's insurance industry, especially its tendency to deny care. (Not celebrating his death, but the connection needs to be pointed out.)
December 6, 2024 at 12:58 PM
Not the first to say it, but the words written on the bullet casings fired by the man who killed the United Health CEO are the title of a book critiquing American's insurance industry, especially its tendency to deny care. (Not celebrating his death, but the connection needs to be pointed out.)
MAGA's love of these improbable AI-generated images is an entire essay in itself. As if they prop up one unreality with another. As if the only way to get representations of their reality to have a computer manufacture them.
November 12, 2024 at 1:07 AM
MAGA's love of these improbable AI-generated images is an entire essay in itself. As if they prop up one unreality with another. As if the only way to get representations of their reality to have a computer manufacture them.
If there's one book that explains how extremism and white supremacy are being mainstreamed, it is Cynthia Miller-Idriss's Hate in the Homeland. I can't recommend this book enough! It's smart, well-written, impeccably researched, and highly accessible.
December 29, 2023 at 9:10 PM
If there's one book that explains how extremism and white supremacy are being mainstreamed, it is Cynthia Miller-Idriss's Hate in the Homeland. I can't recommend this book enough! It's smart, well-written, impeccably researched, and highly accessible.
My weekend read: This is a very good, high-level historical overview of far-right extremism, basing much of its argument on empirical data drawn from incidents of domestic terrorism and other acts of violence. The chapter on far-right discourse makes this rhetorician very happy.
December 17, 2023 at 11:53 PM
My weekend read: This is a very good, high-level historical overview of far-right extremism, basing much of its argument on empirical data drawn from incidents of domestic terrorism and other acts of violence. The chapter on far-right discourse makes this rhetorician very happy.