Having been raised in the least extreme version of a apocalyptic doomsday cult (I was raised mormon) but having family members who've taken the doomsday/prepper stuff pretty far, let me assure you that there's WAY more than meets the eye with these "off-the-grid" types, and none of it is fun.

I can't say where your buddy acquired his paranoia (religion? Too many dystopian novels? Ran with the whole Matrix narrative?) but for the people I know, it boils down to this: There's an epic battle of good and evil raging on earth, and these are the last days, and the evil elite are trying to take our free will and destroy our health and happiness. Why? Well for my family, because Satan! That's all the explanation you need! Satan!!!!

"Why do you believe they're using chem trails to kill old people?"

"Because they're influenced by satan."

"How come you think the pharmaceutical companies are out to destroy our health with vaccines?"

"Money."

"But don't alive people spend more money?"

"Well they want power over us."

"But why do they want power over us?"

"Because they're influenced by satan."

And you just cannot argue with that shit.

Masks are also the first step to world domination, by the way.

Anyway when a person believes this good vs. evil narrative, they end up scanning the world for evidence to support their views - chem trails and microchips and child sex cults, OH MY!

You likely just observed the tip of his paranoia iceberg. By taking his beliefs to the nth degree, he forfeits the privilege of participating in society in a meaningful, joyful way. But to him, it's worth it because...Satan? The evil elites? The matrix?

Who f'ing knows.