This is not a game, learn to play the game

This chapter unpacks the conceptual challenges in Huizinga&s;s Homo Ludens through the lens of the QAnon conspiracy, addressing the tension between play and seriousness in political violence. Nick van Rijn explores how the denial of play&s;s origins in reality and the escalation of seriousness contribute to political polarization, motivating violence on moral, aesthetic, and epistemological grounds. Using QAnon as a case study, the chapter demonstrates how the conspiracy&s;s rules invite active participation, turning adherents into contributors to world-making. The denial of the play element in QAnon&s;s messaging, underpinned by a Manichean worldview of ‘good’ vs. ‘evil’, justifies violent actions, such as the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, highlighting how the interplay between play and seriousness can fuel extremist political behavior.