Questions and answers on conspiracy theory

"Since I entered politics, I have chiefly had men's views confided to me privately. Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the Field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organised, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it." Woodrow Wilson, The New Freedom (1913)

What is Conspiracy Theory?

"Conspire" from Latin literally means "breathe with" or "breathe together". A "conspiracy theory" attempts to explain the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events as a secret plot by a covert alliance.

If blockbuster books and movies are anything to go by, everyone loves a good conspiracy theory. Whether it is James Bond battling some secret group of mad scientists, or a secret arm of the CIA with its own agenda - conspiracy theories are the bread and butter of much entertainment. Yes Prime Minister anyone?

And why not? Isn't everyone is involved in a conspiracy at some time in their lives? Children conspire against parents and teachers; workers against bosses; and country against country - I would argue that it is part of human nature.

But given all this, the term “conspiracy theory” is still successfully used to ridicule or denigrate the credibility of anyone in the public eye who dares mention secret agendas, covert plots or sinister deals.

How prevalent is conspiracist sentiment in Australian society, and where does it most often surface - on the left or right, in churches or mosques, among new agers and environmentalists?

After 20 years of active communication with conspiracy thinkers of all variations, I can make the following observations:

The born again, fundamentalist Christian movement has the greatest number of conspiracy theorists. For them, at the heart of it all, is Satan. Most believe in international secret power groups conspiring (with Satan) to bring a world government, a cashless global currency, and a biochip implant aka Mark of the Beast.

A growing number of new agers are examining conspiracy theories dealing with history, science, and the paranormal. Nearly all the “new age channelers” include in their theories variations of evil non-physical entities with a hidden agenda to bring about a one-world government and more. Nearly all UFO believers accept the concept that someone in authority, somewhere, knows more about UFOs than we are being told, and that this is being covered up.

The UFO community tend to believe that such authority rests with groups and organisations “higher” up a chain of command than governments, and that there is an active conspiracy to keep information from the media and the public.

The bulk of environmentalists draw from the left wing and academic sections of society, where conspiracy theories are not generally entertained.

How influential are groups with conspiracist tendencies on Australian political life?

While there ARE a large number of people who believe in grand conspiracies, they are not united. Even the growing numbers of born-again Christians are not represented by their own “mainstream” religious figureheads. All share a common belief in the “evidence” of the existence of conspiracies (i.e. secret power groups, famous quotes and so on), but vary greatly in what to do about it in terms of political action.

What can be done to prevent conspiracist ideas gaining more influence in a society increasingly immersed in cyberspace communications?

The age of cyberspace communications is seeing the access to, and transmission of, information on a unprecedented scale in recorded history. This is an information haemorrhage that is simultaneously clearing up many older conspiracy theories while breeding new ones.

However two significant factors exist that allow and encourage the growth of conspiracy thinking:

Secrecy: Remove secrecy and you remove conspiracies. Conspiracies can ONLY flourish in an environment of secrecy. If decision makers are fully and transparently accountable to the public, then conspiracies cannot exist. If “national security” or “commercial in confidence” was removed - you would have few, if any conspiracies.

The media: purveyors of Internet-based information are noticing a discrepancy with what can be found on the net, compared with what is reported in the mainstream media. The lack of coverage of a story, or the spin given to a story - give further ammunition to informed readers and viewers that conspiracies exist, and that the media is complicit in a possible conspiracy.

Conspiracy theories either flourish or die with each injection of new information, thus cyberspace becomes a two-edged sword to their very existence. To prevent conspiricist ideas from gaining more influence there needs to be more accountability and transparency in all sectors of society.