Why conspiracy theorists don't care about being right | Alenka Zupančič

Quick Overview

Conspiracy theories are not fundamentally about factual content, but rather function as a form of disavowal—a way to deny reality by offering an alternative, often political or psychological, framework that allows people to avoid confronting uncomfortable truths like climate change or the failures of current political systems, ultimately serving the self-interest of those promoting them.

Key Points: Conspiracy theories are fundamentally about disavowal, functioning as a displaced symptom of a deeper social predicament rather than a simple denial of facts like climate change. The philosopher Octave Mannoni's concept of "double disavowal" is cited, where people fully acknowledge a fact but act as if it is not true, allowing them to maintain a comfortable status quo. Disavowal is often more harmful than outright denial because those who acknowledge a truth (like climate change) but do nothing are trapped in a self-serving framework that prevents real change. Social media exacerbates this by creating echo chambers, bombarding users with emotionally charged, often grotesque images that reinforce existing beliefs and make confrontation with reality difficult. The core issue is not the factual content of the conspiracy theory (e.g., flat earth), but the underlying social antagonism and the desire of certain elites to maintain power by propagating narratives that keep the masses distracted or obedient. Conspiracy theorizing often functions as a form of political maneuvering to avoid confronting the actual difficult political or structural problems that require genuine systemic change. Rationalizing with conspiracy theorists is likely impossible because their stance is not based on evidence but on a desire to maintain a specific, self-serving structure of belief, regardless of factual proof.

Context: Alenka Zupančič, a philosopher, discusses the underlying psychological and social mechanisms driving belief in conspiracy theories, drawing from her book which spans politics, philosophy, and psychology. She introduces the concept of 'disavowal'—a state where one acknowledges a fact but proceeds as if it were not true—as key to understanding why conspiracy theories persist, particularly in relation to major issues like climate change and political disillusionment.