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đŸȘ” The Threshold

Vague conspiracist forms like innuendo exist to evade accountability for their claims

Properties2
tagsja-picks, xref, causal_relationships, trade, singleton, category/causal-relationships
aliases@muirhead_lot_2019, loc. 96

2 min read

Vague conspiracist forms like innuendo exist to evade accountability for their claims

Evidence

The new conspiracism’s characteristic forms—bare assertion, ominous questions, and innuendo—are permissive. They have the appeal of elasticity and irresponsibility. Because of its vagueness, “a lot of people are saying” can embrace an expanding universe of conjured plots and public enemies. And “just asking questions” evades ownership of the claim. The author of any single conspiracist charge is often indeterminate; charges can arise spontaneously as a tease on a radio talk show or an anonymous throwaway on some fringe website. Regardless of whether conspiracists identify themselves or remain anonymous, a charge leveled without evidence that takes the form of vague innuendo avoids responsibility for what it asserts. It suffices to announce, “I would love to know more. What I know is troubling enough.” — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 96

Categorization

  • XREF: Relates to research on plausible deniability and strategic ambiguity in political discourse. — connects to: Conspiracy claims gain credibility by mixing precise detail with untestable vagueness — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic
, 383; New conspiracism thrives on innuendo that is only ‘true enough,’ never actually verified. — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying: The New
, 68; Conspiracism’s purpose is delegitimizing opponents, not correcting error — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying: The New
, 16 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

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