Where there is smoke, there is fire. But where there is theory, is there fact? People are often predisposed to pessimism, looking at life with a glass-half-empty worldview and assuming the worst in one another. Who could blame them? Have you seen the news? However, this pessimism becomes problematic when people refuse to take events at face value. Should something terrible occur, people choose to believe that the story is more grim and gory than broadcasted to the public eye or that powerful actors manufactured it behind the scenes.
Where paranoid thoughts meet twisted ideas is the crossroads of conspiracy theories. They lurk across the media, preying upon a jaded, susceptible audience to gain traction.
“People like to believe things that match with what they already believe about the world,” said Joseph Uscinski, a University of Miami political science professor specializing in conspiracy theories. “If you have a worldview that believes shadowy conspiracy theories run the world, you will believe them.”
So, when theories surrounding staged moon landings, microchips or even child sex trafficking rings surface, some faultfinders see facts within cynical fiction. However, plenty of people are intrigued by conspiracy theories but dismiss them as entertaining and far-fetched.
“People believe in conspiracy theories because they are interesting, and they give people something to believe in,” said Sofia Noonan, a junior majoring in media management. “Conspiracies are usually very dramatic, and who doesn’t love some drama?”
“Because our generation is so technologically oriented, anyone and everyone has access to public portals and sites, resulting in conspiracy theories being thrown around left and right,” said Alex Almenara, a senior majoring in political science. While Almenara says that she has been interested in following conspiracy theories since middle school, she always takes them with a grain of salt.
“The interesting thing about conspiracy theories is that they claim something is going on in secret,” said Uscinski. “There is no evidence shown and no evidence against it because conspirators are going to throw red herrings out to trick people,.”
“The few conspiracy theories I would not be surprised if they were true are the ones with the most evidence and information that back up their legitimacy,” said Almenara. Often encountering many conspiracy theories on platforms like Reddit or Facebook, Almenara noted that most of the time, conspiracy theories are baseless arguments with only one piece of evidence.
“In my opinion, an idea purely based on belief does not make a conspiracy legit,” said Noonan. For her to consider a conspiracy theory credible, Noonan said she needs to see that there is factual evidence and deep research involved in its development.
“I would say the government knows aliens exist based on — probably fake — videos that would be much more legit than the baseless theory that Bill Gates is responsible for COVID-19,” said Noonan.
When asked about the most ridiculous conspiracy they had seen in the media, both Almenara and Noonan cited the theory that the earth is flat.
“It’s just not flat. It’s literally not,” said Noonan.
“You will see conspiracy about everything,” said Usckinski about the conspiracy theories that haunt the Internet. “They are just ideas, and new ones are being made up constantly.”
Citing the Taylor Swift Super Bowl and Princess Kate’s hiding theory, the professor said he has witnessed how a conspiracy theory can be here today and gone tomorrow.
“Social media makes it so easy for people to comment on or engage with conspiracy theories, giving the theories a life of their own,” said Noonan.
Speaking of their rapid spread, Noonan believes that conspiracy theories prey upon the human tendency to believe what they see in front of them. When conspiracy theories gain a wider audience online, some impressionable people see one post or article, which becomes their truth.
“Many individuals will use baseless or untrue evidence to back up their theories, and nobody will fact-check these individuals,” said Almenaraa. “People will read these theories and immediately believe them and then spread the misinformation to their friends based on the shock value.”
While people are prone to spreading conspiracy theories containing misinformation via the Internet, most do not believe the theories they see spread online. According to Uscinski, less than 10 percent of people believe in these conspiracies, which is fringe relative to how much coverage they garner in the media.
“I frequently encounter conspiracy theories on social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube with posts typically taken from online forums like Reddit,” said Noonan. “While I find them interesting and funny, I always take them with a grain of salt.”
Referencing the many theories she has seen on paranormal activity, Noonan said that while she does not believe them, she reads them because she is interested.
“I don’t like saying conspiracy theories are harmful … the harm comes from people acting upon those ideas,” said Uscinski. “It is more about the people who believe in the theory than the theory itself.”
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This article was published in Distraction’s Fall 2024 print issue.
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