for your cash-flow problems. Subscribing to the idea that the coronavirus was created in a lab in China turns facemask resistance into an act of patriotism. And in the world of COVID-19, stress, uncertainty, and powerlessness is our daily diet. That’s why it increasingly feels as if conspiracy theories are increasingly the currency of thought and communication. In the world of COVID-19, stress, uncertainty, and powerlessness is our daily diet. That’s why it increasingly feels as if conspiracy theories are increasingly the currency of thought and communication. Why? It’s easy to blame social media. Uscinski argues that’s not the case, though, in a recent article in The Atlantic ... A common misconception is that the Internet, and social media in particular, is responsible for the seeming proliferation of conspiracy theories in American political culture. But while these platforms make spreading any idea easier and more efficient, the Internet is but a tool for disseminating a human concoction. For the most part, social scientists have yet to find evidence that conspiracy beliefs have increased in the Internet age. Part of the reason conspiracy theories spread so quickly – and are so intoxicatingly compelling – is that sometimes, conspiracies
How to create a conspiracy theory, in four easy steps... Think of something that many people don’t understand, can’t control, feel threatened by, or that inspires a strong emotional response . The universe is your oyster... coronavirus, 9/11, Hillary Clinton, the earth’s roundness, Sandy Hook, your cable company’s hold music, vaccines, O.J., the lunar landing... Make up a story that “explains” the object of disaffection . It should have what Uscinski calls a “strategic logic,” and focuses on threat or danger. A nodding relationship to reality is not required. Remember the words of American journalist and social critic H.L. Mencken: “No one in this world... has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people.” Even if you’re not in it for the money, it’s a good motto for all enterprising conspiracy theorists. Weave in someone rich, famous, infamous, or well-known so that he is doing something secretly that advances his own aims and hurts everyone else. Bonus points for figures who inspire jealousy or disdain – by dint of wealth or geekiness or political affiliation – like, say, George Soros, Anthony Fauci, Bill Gates, or Kamala Harris. Douse the narrative in the gasoline of viral-ness . Research in late May found that almost half of all Twitter accounts talking about COVID-19 were bots. YouTube, with its “Up Next” recommendation algorithm, is potentially a conspiracy-theory “gateway drug,” Wired magazine wrote. And don’t forget Facebook, the granddaddy of all
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October 2020
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