Conspiracy Theories Radio Report- Why do we believe in them?

Conspiracy theories have been dominating the internet and making us question almost everything we can make a conspiracy out of. But why are we so attracted to them? A conspiracy theory is defined as a fear of a nonexistent conspiracy or the unnecessary assumption of conspiracy. The mere fact that there is little or no proof of the conspiracy itself is seen as evidence of its truth by believers which begins to spin the web of confusion and deceit that builds upon our fears.

Conspiracy theories have become a cultural phenomenon in the US mainly, which has encouraged psychologists and sociologists to investigate in more depth and find out more about why we trust them so much. They are relevant in the UK too of course, but not as much as it is in the US. Professor of political science and FBI consultant Michael Barkun has written several books, his most well known: A Culture of Conspiracy which looks at how American society has changed so drastically after the introduction and rise of conspiracy theories such as 9/11, UFOs, JFK and Obama’s American citizenship.

The following graph shows the number of Americans who believe in different conspiracy theories, broken down by sex, political party, race and age.

In the UK, almost 60% of Britons believe in conspiracy theories, but it mainly looks at how the country is run and government such as immigration levels and the Brexit vote. So, they’re not as extreme as some of the US’ theories such as mind control and moon landings, but Britons, to an extent, believe that the government are hiding things from us or not exactly being truthful about how they inform and share information with us.

One of the biggest conspiracy theories of all time, The Illuminati, is believed to be a secret organisation formed of government and celebrities whose ultimate goal is to gain global dominance. It’s supposed leaders are believed to be Beyoncé Knowles and Jay-Z.

JFK Assassination

One of the most circulating conspiracy theories in the US up to date is the assassination of the 35th president of the United States, John. F Kennedy. The Fifth Estate is a Canadian newsmagazine television programme who go beyond everyday news into original Journalism, uncovering unsolved murders, conspiracy theories and many controversial topics. The following episode is on some of the latest things they have uncovered about the JFK conspiracy theory:

 

The Radio report

My radio report focuses on the following:

• Why do we believe in conspiracy theories and what makes us attracted to them?
• A clip of my phone interview with Professor Michael Barkun
• A brief explanation of Professor Barkun’s Three classifications of conspiracy theories which are also talked about in more depth in his book: A culture of Conspiracy