America’s Stranger Problem and How It Is Helping People Believe Conspiracy Theories.
I’ve noticed this thing, you might have as well. It seems that as of late, conspiracies and conspiracy theories are running rampant among the populous of the United States. From the big dog Q Anons who believe, among other things, that Democrats harvest the blood of babies in order to obtain “Adrenochrome”. To the white supremacists (also very much based on conspiracy). And lets not forget flat earthers. It is scary to think of the consequences that will result from having (at sometimes what is guessed to be) around 20% of the population fully invested in conspiracy theories¹.
What has always been most confusing to me is how these people can suspend what could be considered common knowledge and steam roll it with fantasy that would make any story writer jealous. It’s hard to know for sure, one can only take inputs and outputs and infer something from that.
After hearing hours and hours of theory from the people who believe this stuff, I’ve found something which I think is incredibly interesting. If I had to make a venn diagram in order see what all of these conspiracies shared, I would come across some of the obvious things. Lies… lots of lies. If you’re conspiracy theorying[sic], there's a high chance of a lie or two being involved. Also found, would be a need to feel like you understand something others don’t. There’s also group based information sharing, and a dedication to the evolving of the theory. But, the thing that ended up truly standing out to me was… “they”. It is almost impossible to hear a person discuss a conspiracy theory which they believe without using the word they. And this is not being used in the typical way. You know, where you say “they” but you actually know who they is.
If you ask these theorists, “yes, but who are they”, you will almost certainly never get a specific and direct answer about who the theorist (theoretically) knows to be “they”. Instead they usually point to groups of people in an organization, or consider a specific public figure to be behind it. And this is where I find, the stranger problem. I consider the stranger problem to possibly one of the biggest driving forces behind conspiracy theories.
I can’t speak for anything before the 90’s, but it seems to me that as a people we keep growing further and further apart. Our current capitalist system which so celebrates income and wealth drives us to try and earn as much as we can and share as little as we can… because after all, how else are we supposed to earn as much as we can (for those wondering, I am indeed pointing out a cyclical problem). This in combination with our natural grouping habits, wealth gaps, and the internet, seem to all be contributing to us ironically social distancing. On top of all of this, covid 19, which has certainly forced us further apart.
When looking for who is most susceptible to conspiracy theories, it seems that a majority are more isolated than usual. Whats worse, is the additional isolation caused by their wild beliefs (no offense, they are definitionally wild). Growing up here I remember how, at least my generation (gen-y), had a constant directive pounded into our heads… don’t talk to strangers. Now, is this sound advice? Absolutely. But when looking at how we seem to act in general, it seems that as a nation, we have taken that to heart.
Don’t talk to strangers. Keep them estranged.
All of the main characters or groups in conspiracy theories share one thing for certain to these believers. They are strangers. This comes with many benefits to the theorist. For example, anything can be applied to them, they are but vessels for any story. And, them being strangers is a excuse for not knowing or getting to know them. This gives the average believer space in order to continue believing what they believe. Plausible deniability to themselves if they ever dare to self analyze. Or it is even applied to groups, in which case everyone within the group is a stranger.
The stranger problem, is that this is not true. Those conspiracies about a vast army takeover… do they not have a family member or know someone in the army? Do they believe they will be part of it? The conspiracies about the news media being a giant network of people working only to control minds. Do they not have a family member in the media or know someone who works in the field? Do they believe they are part of it? What about the conspiracies that the covid-19 vaccine is secretly… well I don’t know, what is it today?… chips!… lets say GPS chips. Do they not have a family member who’s a scientist or doctor high up in the field or know someone who is? Do they believe they are part of it?
Well, maybe no. Maybe the answer is no, they don’t really know that many people involved. Which in turn can make it a bit easier to think something as simple as “they are all involved”, or, that person’s a baby murderer. To the people who know Bill Gates in real life, it would be crazy to think he invented covid-19. To the people who work in the highest ranks in the army, they know they wouldn’t implement martial law in such a nefarious nature. And the families and friends of the countless people who worked on vaccines, would see accusations that their loved one are purposeful reckless in their field or enacting a grand plot, as incomprehensible. Why? The reason is simple, because they know them. They know them as much as one could possibly know another.
It is clear that conspiracy theorists believe they are a different part of the population. Separate in that they perceive reality differently. And there is only one way to change that. Bring them back to our actual shared reality using undeniable touchstones. And what better touchstone than the one that forms at the core of a relationship.There is hope here, but until this problem gets proper recognition…
The United States has a conspiracy problem. The United States has a stranger problem.
As an aside. For any people deep into a conspiracy theory and are reading this, I thought that I would add this. Please don’t think that this is an attempt to give a blanket pass to the people or organizations in your focus, quite the opposite, they often deserve scrutiny. But this is an attempt to help people realize that maybe the reason you can think “they” are whatever you think they are, is in fact because you don’t know them at all.
