About Conspiratorial:

On social media, memes intended for a conspiratorial audience are common, with Impact font and red circles and arrows drawing tenuous connections. People not part of the group may immediately dismiss these kinds of memes, but for people following conspiracies, they provide proof of their beliefs.

The conspiratorial approach seeks to explain complex or troubling events by ascribing them to the secretive actions of a malicious group. This form of rhetoric taps into the innate human tendency to seek patterns and make connections, even where none objectively exist. The allure of a conspiracy theory lies in its ability to offer a straightforward, emotionally satisfying explanation for otherwise incomprehensible situations.

Promotion of conspiracy theories undermines trust in institutions and fuels division. It can even incite action based on false premises; Pizzagate is a well-known example, as are 2020 election fraud allegations. Conspiratorial thinking often serves to deflect accountability and to cloud issues in a fog of uncertainty, which makes constructive discussion nearly impossible. They often rely on entrenched biases, especially racism, misogyny and antisemitic dog whistles (employing terms like cabal, globalist, or lizard person). For example, theories that COVID vaccines were rushed are easily debunked, but if someone doesn’t trust those institutions setting the record straight, they aren’t likely to change their opinion, and may become further entrenched in conspiracy as a response to feeling attacked.

For those at the receiving end of a conspiratorial argument, refuting the claims can be difficult. The nature of conspiracy theories is such that any evidence to the contrary is often dismissed as part of the conspiracy, creating a closed loop that’s impervious to counterargument. People trapped in conspiracy theories are inclined to regard loved ones’ attempts to reach them as direct attacks on their beliefs.