Conspiracy Theories as a Means to Cope with the Unexplainable

Conspiracy theories may be rooted in fact, but are they necessarily fiction?

BY: CLAUDIA MINARDI

Untitled (Government and Business) by Mike Kelley via The Intercept

It’s hard to imagine a world without conspiracy theories; it’s as if they were the foundation of society. 

There is even a conspiracy theory over where the term “conspiracy theory” originated. Some say the CIA coined the phrase and were responsible for its negative connotation to avoid any skepticism surrounding the Kennedy assasination. Unfortunately, this has been disproven, as there are official documents regarding the investigation of Kennedy’s murder that show that the CIA was not attempting to deceive the public. In these papers, the term “conspiracy theories” is mentioned once, however, it was not in a negative context. In fact, the term was not even defined in the documents, meaning that it was a common phrase at the time.

Interestingly enough, it is very difficult to find the origin of conspiracy theories. The actual term is believed to have been created in the 1800s but became more widespread in conversation throughout the 1950s. 

It is difficult to determine when first conspiracy theory came to be. When I hear the word conspiracy theory, I personally think of the Illuminati, the moon landing, and Lizard People. 

These are all popular and fairly recent examples. 

UFO Polaroid by Jim Shaw via British Journal of Photography

What place do conspiracy theories have in our society?

I originally believed they helped  explain the unexplainable, make sense of the unknown. After all, humans are afraid of what cannot be explained. To combat this fear, we came up with a detailed answer, a theory that temporarily puts everything together so we are no longer left in the dark.

And this does make sense. For example, the Kennedy assassination was an early instance where the population began to speculate whether the government was keeping important information from them. The government, which was supposed to lead, guide, and be transparent with its people, was suddenly acting suspicious. So conspiracy theories were created, not as a definitive answer, but as a temporary solution until we are told the real story.

According to the Conspiracy Theory Handbook, there are four main reasons why conspiracy theories are popular in our society. 

The first, as I’ve mentioned, is to explain the unexplainable. Events that are strange and therefore don’t have a straightforward explanation, if any explanation at all, inspired conspiracy theories to try to cope with this fear of the unknown.

The second is that they stem from a fear of powerlessness. Those whose power feels threatened are more likely to spread conspiracy theories to secure their position.

The third is to deal with threats. Conspiracy theories allow us to shift the blame of a danger/threatening event onto a specific group to relieve us of our worries. It also helps to give these events the “big” cause it deserves, even if it was due to ordinary circumstances. 

Lastly, conspiracy theories serve as a way to go against mainstream politics and their interpretations. 

However, it seems that the purpose of conspiracy theories is deeper than these societal pressures. In fact, it has biological roots. 

Conspiracy theories may be hardwired into our brains

Nearly 12000 years ago, humans lived and traveled in small groups. Although this may sound like a simple life, there were still many threats to be aware of. It has been proven, thanks to retrieved fossils, that groups would violently harm enemy and rival groups as a means for protection. 

As obscure as this information is, it does have a link to conspiracy theories. 

The humans of 12000 years ago had one big driving thought when making most of their decisions: how well can they assume the intentions of others? By accurately guessing whether other groups are peaceful or dangerous, they can decide what their plan of action will be, or how aggressively they must strike.  

This single thought could be the difference between survival and death. An example I came across was the shadow of a rock being mistaken for a tiger. If one were to believe the rock was in fact a dangerous predator, and flee, they would live to see another day. However, if we flip the example so that it was a tiger the human mistook for a rock, they would probably be dead meat. 

This skepticism helped to keep humans alive and has become a key component in our evolution until today. The only problem is that we don’t have to worry about the same amount of threats as the early humans did. Therefore, this skeptical nature of us, this “Us vs Them” ideology, is still hardwired into our brain, yet serves no survival purpose. 

So, it’s put to use in creating conspiracy theories. 

Martian Portraits by Jim Shaw via British Journal of Photography

Throughout history, from Medieval times to Ancient Rome, conspiracy theories not only existed but were widespread, especially when it came to government/leader conspiracies and different group conspiracies. The witch hunts of the 1400s up until the mid 1700s, for example, were built on conspiracies.  

If there is a group that possesses different traits, or an event that occurs that cannot be explained, we regress into that skepticism that kept the early humans alive. Only back then, this caution was because there were countless dangers to be aware of. In our time, this way of thinking won’t determine if we survive the night. 

Even though this mindset did have a valid purpose, in today’s world, it is used to dissect powerful groups and enhance the “Us vs Them” ideology when it comes to the little people against big corporations and governments.

It’s an interesting aspect of our biology that could account for why conspiracy theories are so widespread. 

There also seems to be some socially accepted hierarchy in the world of conspiracy theories. The infamous faked moon landing or accounts that the Earth is flat, while popular, are laughable. They are interesting nonetheless, but they are easily dismissed and reduced to “just a theory.”

In the age of COVID-19, countless conspiracies have emerged. For example, rumours were circulating that COVID-19 was a weapon created in a lab. From here, it targeted the World Health Organization, saying they cannot be trusted since they are working alongside the creators of the virus. There are even claims that link COVID-19 to 5G technology, resulting in the destruction of cell towers across Europe.

An alternate theory suggests the virus is a hoax, or at least isn’t as severe as the media is making it seem. 

The paper The Atlantic polled 2023 Americans between the dates of March 17 and March 19, 2020, asking if they believed in a number of conspiracy theories, including the two mentioned above. The results showed that 29 percent of people surveyed agreed that the virus’ severity was being exaggerated. Whereas 31 percent believe that COVID-19 was purposefully created and released.

What makes this theory more accepted than the others? It certainly has the same level of outlandish ideas, yet it wasn’t immediately brushed off as nonsense. 

Untitled (I Gerald Ford am the 38th Puppet of the United States by Emory Douglas via The Guardian

It could be the fact that theories regarding the moon landing and the flatness of the earth are relatively harmless. Sure, they may be strange and ignore proof that suggests otherwise, but they aren’t harming anyone. Believing the 1969 moon landing was a production to “beat the race” against other countries isn’t endangering a group of people. So we tend not to believe them.

However, conspiracy theories claiming there is a “deep state” that is run by Satanic pedophile Democrats, as the QAnon theory believes, is extremely harmful. It puts a target on an entire political group and even certain individuals. The theory therefore gains more traction, more popularity, and eventually more supporters. 

I believe the content matter also has an impact on whether people genuinely believe a conspiracy theory, or if it’s considered laughable. It seems that theories rooted in politics and cover content related to the medical industry are often accepted into society. These are everyday topics that most people stay up to date on while formulating their own opinions. Like the majority of issues, we are skeptical of certain information or people, and when a conspiracy theory addresses a shared opinion, we tend to believe it. This is referred to by psychologists as a confirmation bias: we agree with those who share our beliefs and ignore those who go against what we believe. Any skepticism about political members (Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis) or about medical issues (vaccines could be the cause of illnesses) can be relieved with a conspiracy theory that amplifies your voice. 

Conspiracy theories can be harmful because they create false and complex scenarios, however, it can often work the other way. The truth can often be believed to be a conspiracy, and therefore many people will refuse to “fall victim” to it. Climate change is a perfect example of this. About one third of the United States’ population believes climate change is a conspiracy, a hoax created by scientists. 

Black Cloud by Sarah Anne Johnson via Dilettante Army

Inside the mind of a conspirator

Again, referring back to the Conspiracy Theory Handbook, there are 7 main points that conspiracy theorists live by. The steps, coincidentally, spell out “CONSPIR,” which may warrant a conspiracy theory of its own. 

Here is a brief breakdown of the key aspects:

C - Contradictory

A defining trait of conspiracists is that they can simultaneously believe in two contradicting ideas. The main goal is to prove the truth is incorrect however they can, so opposing points are not a big concern. An example that fits this mold is the theory that Princess Diana’s death was in fact a murder, yet she also faked her death. Dispute that these two ideas cannot coexist, the theory requires you to agree with both points to disprove the official reason that she died in an accident. 

O - Overriding Suspicion

It is crucial that skepticism levels are through the roof when dissecting the account issued by the government, corporation, etc. Any official facts, proof, and statements are automatically taken with a grain of salt, even if it is convincing.

N - Nefarious Intent

This step means that those the conspiracy is targeted against are malicious and not to be trusted. They have bad intentions and are the enemy in the equation. This can be the authority, the government, the elite, or even a corporation. 

S - Something Must Be Wrong

Conspiracists are adamant that there is an issue with the information coming from the official account. Their insistence that something in the picture is wrong/off is a key concept in building a conspiracy theory.

P - Persecuted Victim

Conspiracy theorists play the victim, someone who is being deceived and plotted against. Yet they also take on the role of the hero, courageously rising against those who they believe are hiding important information. 

I - Immune to Evidence 

Conspiracy theories and evidence simply don’t mix. If a theory is met with information that is meant to disprove it, the theory only grows stronger by implying the opposing side is trying to silence them. 

R - Reinterpreting Randomness

In the world of conspirators, there are no such things as accidents. Every action that occurs has a reason, no matter how big or small. Minuscule or overlooked details of an occurrence could actually play a large part in a conspiracy.

Are Conspiracy Theories Good or Bad?

Overall, conspiracy theories aren’t born from thin air. There are strange events that occur without explanation, or information you believe you aren’t receiving, that can inspire such theories. They are basically ways we cope with our fear of the unknown and how we navigate life with these anxieties. 

It is important to note that even though they serve a purpose and can be entertaining (I myself have fallen down the infinite rabbit hole of Wikipedia and Reddit pages about possible secret, elite societies that control the world), conspiracy theories can often get out of hand and pose many dangers.

I feel this has become apparent in light of the pandemic. When I was in elementary school, the kids in the schoolyard would joke about the Earth being flat or the Illuminati. But today, within the past year alone, there have been countless conspiracies about the origin of the virus, Trump and Russia, QAnon, and COVID-19 cures. Each week, a new conspiracy is unleashed to the world and we have to reevaluate the information we are being told.

As the saying goes, “the truth is out there.” It’s just not in the conspiracy theory podcast you’re currently invested in.