Episode 7 True Believers: What Makes a Conspiracy Theory Believer?
Everyone has their favorite conspiracy theory. They may believe in them to a greater or lesser extent, but these theories are a meaningful part of our social lore. Whether true or untrue, conspiracy theories tell a story that makes sense of otherwise confusing events. Getting down to brass tacks, we use conspiracy theories to try to make sense of uncertainty and the unknown. So, what makes some people more game to believe?
Exploring the research on conspiracy theorists and conspiracy theory believers, interesting patterns emerge. Those struggling to cope with uncertainty, who are quicker to see patterns and connections when none exist, are more likely to buy into conspiracy theories. Those who feel disempowered are also more likely to believe there is a coordinated effort by those in power to keep them down. In these times of major social change, is it any wonder conspiracy theories are running rampant?
Alienation and boredom also create a lush environment for conspiracy theories to thrive. The isolation and limits on social activities following the emergence of COVID-19 left people alone without the social outlets we consider normal. If there is one thing we’ve learned from the epidemic and accompanying lock-down, there is no amount of online connectivity that can fully replace real world connection. Can we assume the epidemic contributed to the rise in conspiracy theories? Could it have contributed to the appeal of Q for so many?
Conspiracy theories, though, can be entirely or partly true. They also don’t grow in a vacuum. The medical system has repeatedly failed as an honest partner for minority and disenfranchised communities. The experimentation on the Tuskegee airmen. The theft of Henrietta Lack’s HeLa cells. The experimentation on Puerto Rican women while developing the birth control pill. Members of minority groups have wisely developed a healthy skepticism of the medical profession’s motives. It is substantially easier to attribute nefarious intent when trust has been eroded. The historical and social context need to be considered when questioning why some believe, where a theory came from, and how to address it.
If you are what you eat, you may also be what you believe. Evaluating the appeal of specific conspiracy theories illuminates how people view themselves in a social world. Those in power rarely, if ever, believe conspiracy theories about why they are in power. It is those who see their group as out of power who seek explanation for why. Likewise, the presumed motives for conspiracies highlight a belief in relationships and membership that those out of power lack access. Show me a society rife with conspiracy theories and I will show you a dysfunctional social structure.
In this episode, we are exploring power, social control, and the ramifications of a fractured population. This understanding is the viewfinder with which we will discuss specific conspiracy theories in the second part of this series.
