Conspiracy beliefs mark subcultures rooted in fringe religion and politics

Evidence

In sum, New World Order theory claimed to provide an overarching explanation for contemporary politics by fi tting all events into a single scenario: a diabolically clever and unscrupulous secret organization was in the process of seizing control of the world. As the preceding chapter discussed, this scenario appealed to both religionists and secularists. The former saw in it the end-time events associated with the Antichrist, while the latter regarded it as confi rmation of their fears of elite domination. To the extent that both groups found such ideas compelling, New World Order became a generic, “ecumenical” conspiracy theory, which—at least in its overall confi guration—could be shared across the religious-secular boundary. — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 346 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Over and over, I found that the people involved in conspiracy communities weren’t necessarily some mysterious “other.” We’re all prone to believing half-truths, forming connections where there are none to be found, finding importance in political and social events that may not have much significance at all. That’s part of how human beings work, how we make meaning, particularly in the United States today, now, at the start of a strange and unlikely century. … Still: we are the suspicious and the conspiracists are us, and there are more of us all the time. — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 32 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Conspiracy theorists are often caricatured as a small demographic composed primarily of middle-aged white male Internet enthusiasts who live in their mothers’ basements. But polls tell a different story: conspiracy theories permeate all parts of American society and cut across gender, age, race, income, political affiliation, educational level, and occupational status. — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 48 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Stigmatized-knowledge belief channels believers toward conspiracy theories — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 186; New World Order conspiracy theory spans the religious-secular divide — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 346; Conspiracy belief stems from universal human meaning-making rather than outsider pathology — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 32 (+8 more)

Related

• Conspiracy belief stems from universal human meaning-making rather than outsider pathology (similarity 0.86)
• Conspiracy belief is pervasive across every demographic group, not a fringe phenomenon (similarity 0.85)
• Conspiracism is the belief that hidden evil powers control human destinies (similarity 0.85)
• Conspiratorial belief is mainstream across American demographics. (similarity 0.85)
• Conspiracy belief is universal across demographics while specific theories split along party lines (similarity 0.84)
• Conspiracy millenarians draw on a shared reservoir spanning religion, aliens, and strange races (similarity 0.84)
• Conspiracy belief has long spanned the American political spectrum (similarity 0.84)
• Stigmatized-knowledge belief channels believers toward conspiracy theories (similarity 0.84)
• Conspiracy theory has long filtered how Americans view rival political forces. (similarity 0.83)
• Conspiracy beliefs fundamentally function to delineate and locate evil (similarity 0.83)
• New World Order conspiracy theory spans the religious-secular divide (similarity 0.83)
• Conspiracy thinking is just normal political thinking exaggerated (similarity 0.83)
• New World Order conspiracy theory fuses millenarian Christianity with secret-society pseudohistory (similarity 0.83)
• Bizarre fringe beliefs can grow into devastating orthodoxies (similarity 0.83)
• Stigma level, not truth, determines which conspiracy beliefs reach mass audiences. (similarity 0.82)

Broader Connections

• New World Order conspiracy theory spans the religious-secular divide #corroborates (0.85) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 346
• Conspiracy belief stems from universal human meaning-making rather than outsider pathology #complicates (0.80) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 32
• Bizarre fringe beliefs can grow into devastating orthodoxies #expands (0.75) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 1136
• Conspiratorial belief is mainstream across American demographics. #complicates (0.75) — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 48
• Conspiracy theories become dangerous when fused with resurgent nationalism and white supremacy #expands (0.70) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 108