The Innovation of Decentralized Conspiracy Theories

The new conspiracies have no conspirators.

Ancient societies found their Gods in the elements - the God of Thunder, the Sun, the Moon, etc. Then God became invisible and omnipresent. Instead of being contained in one element, he was everywhere.

Likewise, conspiracy theories once found their culprits in secret organizations - the Illuminati, the Freemasons, the Reptilians, etc. Now, the culprits are invisible and omnipresent. Instead of being contained to one person or group, they’re everywhere. They’re in our language, beliefs, and culture. They’re social systems.

The innovation of these conspiracy theories is as significant to political theory as the innovation of monotheism was to religion. They are conspiracy theories without conspirators. Instead of secret organizations, they are social systems. Instead of conscious choice, they are unconscious socialization. We don’t choose to join the conspiracy. We are unwitting participants due to cultural programming.

The best part about these conspiracy theories is that they do not appear as conspiracy theories. They are critical theories. To see them as conspiracy theories, simply swap the socialization explanation with the phrase “a secret organization is conspiring to create.” For example:

• Patriarchy:

  • The dominant culture unconsciously socializes us into a social system in which men dominate over others.

  • A secret organization is conspiring to create a social system in which men dominate over others.

• White supremacy:

  • The dominant culture unconsciously socializes us into a social system in which white people enjoy structural advantages and privileges over other groups, despite formal legal equality.

  • A secret organization is conspiring to create a social system in which white people enjoy structural advantages and privileges over other groups, despite formal legal equality.

• Heteronormativity:

  • The dominant culture unconsciously socializes us into a social system in which heterosexuality is the preferred norm and humans are assumed to fall into a gender binary.

  • A secret organization is conspiring to create a social system in which heterosexuality is the preferred norm and humans are assumed to fall into a gender binary.

These mainstream social justice concepts sound like conspiracy theories when attributed to a secret organization. Yet, their actual claim is bolder: it’s not just a single organization enacting these conspiracies, but all of society!

You might already be a participant in one of these conspiracies. You just don’t know it yet due to your unconscious bias. Don’t worry. They’ll help you to uncover those repressed memories - I mean, think critically.

These are decentralized conspiracy theories. Instead of being centralized in a secret organization hiding behind closed doors, they are decentralized to all of society and hide in unconscious collective beliefs.

Some might object: “These aren’t conspiracy theories. They’re different.” I agree. A God who claims to be the “God of Thunder” is not in the same category as the “one true God.” Yet they both serve the same function. They provide meaning in believers’ lives and explain the world. It’s just that the new Gods are better at providing meaning than the old, and the new conspiracy theories are better at explaining the world. They are different. That’s why they’re winning.

P.S. I oppose conspiracy theories because I believe that dominant culture unconsciously socializes us into a social system that creates the problems of the world.