It's not the silliness of the beliefs, I'm talking about the rabbithole thinking phenomenon. What I saw with QAnon (and I experienced in my own thinking) reminds me of what I hear about Scientology, where people are revealed increasingly fantastical things as they continue in.

I'm not saying this makes a cult, I'll take your point there. But I am wondering if it's an aspect of a real cult, i.e. if these can be called "cult tactics". And if so, if there's at least value in making the qualified comparison. QAnon is still detrimental, introspection still worthwhile to avoid such things, etc. Nobody will chase me down, but it can still be detrimental (even if not a cult) if I still actually believe in it (which I imagine many cult members do and which also helps keep them in the cult).

And to be clear, Scott Adams wasn't detrimental other than making me feel stupid. QAnon is worse.