Not that long ago, conspiracies were for wing nuts in tinfoil hats. Now they’re everywhere. What happened?
We’ve definitely seen them gain a lot of momentum in the last few years—the last year, in particular, with COVID-19 and the divisive political climate. Conspiratorial thinking becomes more popular during times of strife and instability. People are scared and they’re looking for explanations.
What’s the distinction between a conspiracy theory and healthy skepticism?
Broadly speaking, a conspiracy theory is a belief that explains an event or a set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot, usually by a powerful organization. In the case of QAnon, it’s the belief that there’s a secret cabal of Satanist pedophiles running a global child sex-trafficking ring and plotting against Donald Trump.
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ME & MY SHELF
Chitra Divakaruni is the author of 23 books including The Forest of Enchantment, Mistress of Spices and Palace of Illusions. Her latest book is An Uncommon Love: The Early Life of Sudha and Narayan Murthy.
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