#2719
Mentioned in 10 episodes

The Paranoid Style in American Politics

Book • 1964
In this seminal work, Richard Hofstadter explores the concept of the 'paranoid style' in American politics, which he defines as a way of seeing and doing politics characterized by heated exaggeration, suspiciousness, and conspiratorial fantasy.

The book, which includes the titular essay first published in Harper's Magazine in 1964, delves into historical examples such as the Anti-Masonic Movement, Father Coughlin's antisemitic conspiracies, and the post-McCarthy Right.

Hofstadter argues that this style is not exclusive to any one side of the political spectrum and has been a recurring theme throughout American history, influencing political discourse and the behavior of individuals and groups.

The book also includes other essays on topics like 'Free Silver and the Mind of 'Coin' Harvey' and 'What Happened to the Antitrust Movement?

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Mentioned by

Mentioned in 10 episodes

Mentioned by
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Jonah Goldberg
, discussing his conflicted views on Hofstadter's work and its application to American politics.
50 snips
Crackpot Realism
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Jon Allsop
regarding the paranoid style in American politics and its historical presence.
34 snips
How the Epstein Conspiracy Theory Took Over Politics
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Tom Holland
as a book about the paranoid style in American politics.
30 snips
392. JFK: The Road to the White House (Part 1)
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David Runciman
as the originator of the term 'paranoid style' to describe McCarthyism in American politics.
25 snips
Politics on Trial: The Haymarket Eight vs the Police
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Justin Murphy
when discussing the paranoid style in American politics.
13 snips
Markets Learn to Manufacture Intelligence and Politics Modernizes (Nick Land, Meltdown, Sentence 3)
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Jonathan Freedland
as a book that often touches on conspiracy theories in American politics.
12 snips
Revisited: Did the assassination of JFK kickstart the conspiracy theory movement?
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Josh Neal
in relation to his critique of anti-conspiracy polemics.
Episode 1192: Anti-Conspiracy Activist's Self-Interested Motivations w/ Josh Neal
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Geoff Shullenberger
when discussing right-wing conspiratorial thinking in mid-20th century America.
Geoff Shullenberger: Foucault in America
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Jonathan Church
, referencing the essay about a conspiratorial mindset in American politics.
Reconsidering Anti-wokeness with Jonathan Church
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Dominic Sandbrook
in the context of Marilyn Monroe's entanglement in conspiracy theories.
237. Marilyn Monroe
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Jack Beatty
in relation to his essay on the paranoid style in American politics.
The Jackpod: Intellectual disgrace stares from every [Biden] face
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Natalie Wynn
as one of the philosophical sources for her video on conspiracy theories.
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Natalie Wynn
as a useful philosophical source, specifically his essay on the John Bircher style anti-communist conspiracy theories.
Brian Lehrer Weekend: Contrapoints; Child Care; SCOTUS 'Vibes'
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Natalie Wynn
as a philosophical source about John Bircher style anti-communist conspiracy theories.
Contrapoints' Natalie Wynn Deep Dives into the Philosophy of Conspiracies
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Josh Neal
when discussing the culture of suspicion in American politics.
Episode 546: Josh Neal on Intolerant Interpretations
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Andrew Keen
in relation to the culture of paranoia and conspiracy theories in American culture.
Episode 2253: Andrew Keen revisits Cult of the Amateur
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Alex Wagner
in the context of the paranoid style in American politics.
Ep. #550: Michael Eric Dyson, Alex Wagner
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Shane Harris
in a discussion about conspiracy theories and their cyclical nature in American politics.
Chatter: Closing the Chatterbox, with Shane Harris and David Priess
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Jerry Colonna
for its analysis of the paranoid style in American politics.
Jerry Colonna
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Garrison Davis
when discussing American conspiracy culture and politics.
Dogwhistle Politics and Nazi Code Hunting

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