Plain English with Derek Thompson America in the Age of Conspiracy: Q-Anon, JFK, Aliens, and More
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Nov 4, 2022 The podcast dives into America's fascination with conspiracy theories, spotlighting recent events like the Paul Pelosi incident and controversial statements from Kanye West and Kyrie Irving. It explores why certain theories, such as QAnon, resonate deeply in society, particularly in the digital age. The discussion takes unexpected turns to cover government-funded psychic experiments during the Cold War, UFO secrecy, and the lasting intrigue surrounding JFK's assassination. It emphasizes the importance of critical thinking in our increasingly polarized media landscape.
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Recipe for a Conspiracy
- Successful conspiracy theories exploit unexplained events and lack of transparency.
- They also offer a sense of control by suggesting a powerful entity manipulates events, encouraging participation and embellishment.
Conspiracy Consumption Spectrum
- People engage with conspiracy theories on a spectrum.
- Some are passive consumers of conspiratorial art, while others actively participate, blurring the lines between entertainment and belief.
Project Stargate
- The U.S. Army initiated Project Stargate in 1978 to investigate psychic powers like remote viewing.
- Driven by Cold War paranoia, they explored the potential of astral projection for espionage, a program later declassified in 1995.
