For this theory to be true, countless people would need to be actively and competently suppressing the revelation of these vile acts over a long period of time, while the main whistleblower remains anonymous on a message board and posts mysterious pronouncements on par with Nostradamus. The recent QAnon conspiracy theory serves as a perfect example: it’s the idea that a secret, liberal underground government made up of Satan-worshipping child molesters opposed Donald Trump, and that Trump and his allies would bring about the near-Biblical destruction of this deep state and usher in a paradise of peace and prosperity. When we talk about grand conspiracy theories, we mean the claim that there exists a secret plot between a large number of powerful people or organizations, usually an entire industry or many large governments, to consistently deceive us in order to reach an often evil goal. It’s also important to point out that there have been real cover-ups, notably the Watergate scandal, a smaller scale conspiracy that was ultimately exposed and well documented. Then there are beliefs tied to alternative medicine and the paranormal (things like homeopathy and astrology), and while they often overlap with belief in a giant cover-up, they are not in and of themselves conspiracy theories. If you believe crunchy peanut butter is superior to smooth peanut butter (as you should), the opposing faction is not deserving of a tin foil hat. Not everyone who disagrees with us about the outside world is a conspiracy theorist. So what works? No magic bulletįirst, a survey of the landscape. Ridiculing a close friend’s belief or calling them stupid and paranoid is unlikely to have the desired effect. Are 5G telecommunications towers causing COVID-19? Are masks making us sick, or even worse, are they government-issued muzzles to keep the population in check? Is Bill Gates’ grand plan to inject us with trackers under the guise of beneficial inoculations? When the rest of us are confronted with these conspiratorial speculations, it’s very easy to resort to mockery, and when it happens to someone we know, the impulse to angrily shake them out of this nonsense can be hard to resist. The Internet’s endless depths of information and opinions combined with the isolating and anxiety-generating effects of the pandemic have made it easier than ever to fall down the rabbit hole looking for answers. Besides, breaking up with a conspiracy theory is, well, heartbreaking. Being told your favourite conspiracy theory is dumb, dangerous and nonsensical is unlikely to bring you to your senses. This is the analogy that Mike Kropveld, the director of Info-Cult in Montreal, used in an interview with Radio-Canada when discussing deeply rooted beliefs in grand conspiracy theories. If your relative is right in their assessment, how likely are you to listen to them? Wouldn’t you rather fight back? Not only is your loving partner being criticized, but you feel personally attacked as well. Imagine if a close family member told you your romantic partner was a bad match for you.
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