On Facebook, I am subscribed to a page where, regularly, videos of licensed conspirators are relayed. One of the latest rantings circulating concerns the 240 positions recently abolished at Quebecor, including 140 within Groupe TVA, which would be attributable to the fact that journalists are being punished for having, in some way, fueled the “narrative” of health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This gave rise to a festival of delusions of all kinds.
Conspiracy theory leads the way. From the famous fake Protocols of the Elders of Zion (written by the Russian secret police and published in 1903 in the Tsarist Empire) to the small industry set up by American radio host Alex Jones (who became entangled in his lies at his trial in 2022 over the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting), to the excellent but fictional television series X Files, the conspiracy theorists are at attention. They keep watch. Hold out their pointy ears and hold their eyes open with toothpicks. Constructed in more or less organized networks, they have antennas everywhere.
The big problem is that most of those who fantasize are not looking for the strict truth since, it is well known, the truth is elsewhere. No, what interests them is what they imagine to be behind the scenes of the events that take place on a daily basis. To “unveil” them, they immediately reject any official position of the authorities to stick to the simple question: who benefits from the crime?
On this account, anyone who receives compensation through any insurance policy could be suspected of having fomented a conspiracy. Too bad for the grieving wife who mourns her lost lover: if she receives money from the insurance for the death of her man, it is because she is surely guilty.
It’s big, isn’t it?
In effect. But paranoid conspiracy thinking works that way.
However, its greatest strength is that it reverses the burden of proof. If in the logic commonly accepted in law, philosophy or science, it is necessary to stick to the demonstration of the facts by substantiated arguments and tangible proofs, as was the case during the attacks of September 11, 2001 signed and claimed by bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, the conspiracy theorists reverse the burden of proof and lead us into their fantasies: “You can’t demonstrate that this is not a coup orchestrated by the American government, so they are the culprits!” »
Not satisfied with muddying the waters, the conspirators invent events that did not take place. Like this story of Jews absent from work (from 300 to 500 of them died in the twin towers of the World Trade Center) or, again, they reconcile activities that have no connection between them.
Unforeseen?
The conspirators believe that, like a score played by a perfect orchestra, it would be possible to act on hundreds of people without even leaks in the media or an unforeseen event turning everything upside down.
As political scientist and historian Pierre-André Taguieff points out in his Short treatise on conspiracy, followers of this way of thinking do not believe in chance. Besides, don’t they always say, with a proud look and a sideways smile: “As if by chance…”.
For Taguieff, conspiracy “theory” functions as a mock social science. It plays the role of a pseudo-sociology and an imaginary political science.
Social and political role
If the conspiracy theory can be used to give meaning to events that are devoid of it, help to arouse interest when one wants to flirt with a fake blonde who sports a tribal tattoo or even impress the grand-nephews during party of Christmas, it can also, through what the researcher Philippe Breton calls an “abusive reframing”, serve to manipulate individuals.
Didn’t we recently hear Vladimir Putin assert that “perversion and child abuse up to pedophilia are declared to be the norm […] ” In Occident ?
Abusive reframing aims to present the facts in a way that elicits automatic outrage where an honest description of events alone would not suffice. This technique is often used in the speech of leaders of religious sects, in political propaganda politicians and, of course, among libertarian agitators.
Like the narcissistic pervert who, rather than defending himself when a fact is underlined, counterattacks by accusing his interlocutor of something even more serious, just to reverse the situation, the arrogant conspirator displays his ultracrepidarianism with the satisfied look of someone who has just discovered the four-hole buttons.
Huge chaos
As the historian and philosopher Marcel Gauchet reminds us: “Ever since there has been power, there has been a conspiracy, that is to say secret action aimed at seizing it or influencing it. »
Yes, there are conspiracies, but it’s not all about who benefits from the notorious crime.
My generation believed that the Internet would make knowledge accessible to everyone. In fact, social networks are creating immense chaos. We had proof of this with the recent leaks showing that the Fox News network, which fueled the January 6, 2021 assault on Capitol Hill by QAnon followers, knew full well that Trump was lying when he said that the election of Biden had been robbed. But it should not displease the credulous Americans who wanted to be confirmed in their prejudices, because they were going to get information elsewhere, which led to immense losses of income for the chain.
Putin confirmed to us, a few days ago, through his manipulative discursive strategies which were also aimed at this movement and which he probably does not believe himself, that he had learned from it. What if the threat came from within?