While reading, I came across Michel Musolino's book, "Le guide du parfait
complotiste". A reading for the occasion when a leader of the religious far rightand a fascistic eco-libertarian guru are organizing a rally at the Jonquièrelibrary to denounce the hour of storytelling held by a drag queen (remember thatthese readings have been organized since at least 2015). They suit all theirfriends, from the antivax and supporters of Trump and Qanon, to homophobic andtransphobic fundamentalist Catholics, to the xenophobic and Islamophobic littlewolves who proudly wore the La Meute t-shirt and their multitude of splits (yes,one person can wear all these hats) in order to denounce the diversity, opennessand free choice of parents. As Michel Musolino rightly points out: "Theconspiracy theory emerged from the esoteric pharmacies where it was born, it isnow a major current of opinion, if not the majority[...]conspiracy is theideology of populism, which is, let us specify, the appeal not to the people, butto the populace". (Musolino, p.185)In this period when alternative truths have been promoted at the highest peak ofAmerican power, in the aftermath of a pandemic and health measures, there is nota day when we do not come across a follower of conspiracy theories on socialmedia. It is even possible, if we do our "research" well, to discover a new plotevery day.Eratosthenes (276-194 BC), convinced that the earth is spherical, calculatedusing the sun and the shadow of a stick the circumference of the Earth, withincredible precision, but a survey carried out in 2018 by the Jean-JaurèsFoundation and Consiracy Watch revealed that 9% of respondents believed that theEarth is flat. (Musolino, p.70) No need to dig very far to come across photos ofalleged reptilian leaders or dubious explanations on the "chemtrails", ondenunciations of the "Deep state", Satanist pedophiles and the pizzagate affair,various theories related to the new world order such as the "great reset", chipsand 5G, the great replacement invoked by mass killers in Christchurch (2019) andBuffalo (2022). There are also the classics like the Freemason conspiracy and theIlluminati or the old Judeo-Masonic or Judeo-Bolshevik conspiracies. But whatexplains such an increase? This is what the book tries to paint from a humorousangle by giving readers advice on how to become a perfect conspirator.For the author: "conspiracy theories are not a pathology; they are actuallycloser to blind ideology, sectarianism or religious fundamentalism. (Musolino,p.68) Fear, hatred and humiliations would be the basic ingredients of theplotter. Conspiracy does not feed on mistrust, doubts, suppositions; it feeds onhatred and certainties[...]conspiratorial reasoning does not lead to hatred, itderives from it, it justifies it.» (Musolino, p.93)Umberto Eco in the "Cemetery of Prague" gives the recipe for any good conspiracytheory: "starting with the reader's frustrations, designating a familiar enemy,arousing indignation with startling revelations and ending with an ode to hatred,the real primordial passion.» (Musolino, p.93)In every good conspiracy theory there is a villain who has a plan that isrevealed by the conspirators. Today, the ideology of these masters of the worldwould be "libertarian liberalism": "an explosive mixture of the cult of themarket, commodification, money and the spirit of 68 which exalts the liberationof morals, the destruction of traditional institutions and values". (Musolino,p.57) Now, we understand more this obsession against trans people and drag queensthat they imported from the United States. Not even damn to be original! We'll goback to so-called patriots.If there is one thing to remember about conspiracies, it is as Michel Rocardsaid: "always favor the hypothesis of bullshit over that of conspiracy. Bullshitis common, conspiracy requires a rare mind. (Musolino, p.168) Musolino borrows alogical principle from computer circles; Hanlon's razor which affirms: "we mustnever attribute to malevolence what stupidity is enough to explain[...]manyevents that we attribute to cunning or dark calculation are explained bystupidity or incompetence of actors. (Musolino, p.106)Have governments been rather incompetent to predict and anticipate theconsequences of a pandemic on the economy and the health system? The answer leanstoward incompetence. Are they going to admit it? The short answer: no. So inconclusion, conspiracy theorists still have a bright future ahead of them and westill have a lot of work to do in popularizing science and fighting againstoppression and prejudice.Ngallaby Emma Goldman Collectivehttps://ucl-saguenay.blogspot.com/2023/05/lecture-de-circonstance-le-guide-du.html_________________________________________A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C EBy, For, and About AnarchistsSend news reports to A-infos-en mailing listA-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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