Conspiracy theories convert vague existential dread into manageable concrete fear

Evidence

Conspiracy theory has a counterphobic effect, existential fear is banished by transforming it into a concrete fear. In addition, there is the narcissistic benefit, the increase of power in the pseudo-competence. — Holm Gero Hümmler, Ulrike Schiesser, Fact and Prejudice, 702

Categorization

• XREF: This reversal of anxiety into false competence echoes the ‘counterphobic’ dynamics readers know from religious-fundamentalist and paranoid political literatures. — connects to: Conspiracy belief stems from universal human meaning-making rather than outsider pathology — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 32; Americans recurrently embrace religiously framed conspiracy panics about children and the Devil — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 236; Fear of invisible government manipulation drives false flag conspiracy theories. — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 351 (+5 more)

Related

• Conspiracy belief offers psychological reassurance by making the world meaningful and purposive (similarity 0.85)
• Fear of invisible government manipulation drives false flag conspiracy theories. (similarity 0.83)
• Conspiracy beliefs erode democratic participation and breed extremism (similarity 0.82)
• Conspiracy theories satisfy epistemic, existential, and social needs (similarity 0.82)
• Vague conspiracy theories benefit sellers more than specific testable ones. (similarity 0.81)
• Threat and insecurity from structural conditions drive heightened conspiracy thinking (similarity 0.81)
• Conspiracy theories give concrete form to a group’s sensed loss of power (similarity 0.81)
• Conspiracy theories have repeatedly caused serious global harm throughout history (similarity 0.81)
• Conspiracy theories usually aim to name an enemy, not to build a coherent story. (similarity 0.81)
• Conspiracy fabrications arise from social resentment, not just vested interest. (similarity 0.81)
• Conspiracy belief functions as a coping mechanism for groups facing loss and marginalization (similarity 0.81)
• Conspiracy belief compounds and tolerates flagrant logical contradictions (similarity 0.80)
• Conspiracy theories serve as cover stories for avoiding hard realities (similarity 0.80)
• Conspiracy theory requires a vision of threatened political values to attach to (similarity 0.80)
• Conspiracy beliefs fundamentally function to delineate and locate evil (similarity 0.80)