Talking about conspiracy theories in English.
Conspiracy theories have been around for centuries, but they have gained more attention in recent years, especially with the rise of social media. These theories can range from harmless and humorous to harmful and dangerous. In this article, we will explore the vocabulary and language associated with conspiracy theories.
What is a conspiracy theory?
A conspiracy theory is a belief that a secret group of people or organizations is responsible for an event or situation, usually with harmful intentions. Conspiracy theories are often based on little or no evidence and are usually spread through word of mouth, social media, or other unofficial sources. These theories can range from relatively harmless, such as the idea that the moon landing was faked, to dangerous, such as the belief that vaccines cause autism.
English Language and Vocabulary Associated with Conspiracy Theories
1. Denialism
Refers to the rejection of established scientific or historical facts, often used by conspiracy theorists to support their beliefs.
Example: Some people still believe that the Earth is flat despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
2. New World Order
Refers to a global government or organization that is believed to be secretly controlling world events and working towards a one-world government.
Example: Some people believe that the New World Order is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
3. To Cover Up
Refers to a deliberate attempt to conceal or suppress information, often used by conspiracy theorists to explain why certain events are not widely known.
Example: Some people believe that the government is covering up the existence of extraterrestrial life.
4. Hoax
Refers to a deliberate attempt to deceive people, often used by conspiracy theorists to discredit evidence or events.
Example: Some people believe that the moon landing was a hoax and that it was filmed in a studio.
5. Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias is a tendency to search for, interpret, or remember information in a way that confirms one's pre-existing beliefs or values.
Example: A person who believes that the moon landing was faked might only seek out information and sources that support this belief, while disregarding scientific evidence that proves the moon landing did occur. This person might interpret any ambiguous or unclear information in a way that supports their belief, even if there is a more reasonable explanation for that information.
6. Nefarious
When something is described as nefarious it means that it is morally bad, evil and wicked. It is typically used to describe sinister actions or activities.
Example: The ‘chemtrail’ conspiracy theory dates back to the 1990s. Believers in this patently false conspiracy allege that condensational trails (contrails) from aircraft are intentionally seeded with various chemical or biological compounds for nefarious purposes including population control or military testing.
Social media posts around solar geoengineering ‘spill over’ into conspiracy theories, University of Cambridge 28/02/23
7. Unsubstantiated
Unsubstantiated means not supported or proven by evidence.
Example: This chapter examines how critical thinking and a dual-process theory of thinking are related to endorsement of unsubstantiated knowledge claims. Rejecting unsubstantiated claims, such as psychological misconceptions and pseudoscience, is associated with being more inclined and better able to think critically.
Chapter 4 - Critical Thinking and the Rejection of Unsubstantiated Claims, Critical Thinking in Psychology, Cambridge University Press
8. To Fall For
To fall for something means to to be tricked into believing something that is not true.
Example: Why Teens Are Falling for TikTok Conspiracy Theories.
Wired, 19/09/20
9. Far-fetched
Far-fetched means to be unlikely and unconvincing or implausible.
Example: That's the basic story, but there are so many offshoots, detours and internal debates that the total list of QAnon claims is enormous - and often contradictory. Adherents draw in news events, historical facts and numerology to develop their own far-fetched conclusions.
QAnon: What is it and where did it come from?, BBC 06/01/21
10. To Debunk
To debunk means to expose the falseness or hollowness of an idea or belief.
Example: Monkeypox wasn’t created in a lab - and other claims debunked
BBC News, 29/05/22
11. Tinfoil Hat
Saying someone is 'wearing a tin foil hat' is an expression used to insult a person who believes in conspiracy theories. Originally, the term referred to the wearing of metal foil headgear to block potential mind-reading.
Example: Don’t pay too much attention. He’s just another tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist!
12. Down The Rabbit Hole
When you go down a rabbit hole you find yourself in a position in which you become so interested in a subject or an activity that you cannot stop trying to find out more about it.
13. False Flag
Refers to a covert operation carried out by a group or government in order to create the appearance of an attack by a different group or country, often used to justify military action.
Example: Some people believe that the 9/11 attacks were a false flag operation carried out by the US government.
14. Deep State
Refers to a group of powerful individuals within a government or organization who are believed to be controlling events from behind the scenes, often used to explain why certain events occur.
Example: Some people believe that the deep state is responsible for the rise of authoritarianism in the US.
Further English reading, watching and listening
Listen - Hoaxed podcast with Alexi Mostrous
An investigation into one of the most serious British conspiracy theories of all time, from the team who brought you Sweet Bobby.
Watch - The little-known history of conspiracy theories – BBC REEL
From 'Pizzagate' to QAnon, conspiracy theories feel like a product of the modern world, spread through the ubiquitous nature of social media, however there are patterns in the make up of these myths that can be traced back centuries. The medieval period proved the perfect breeding ground for what we have come to know as conspiracy theories, and one particular king, Philip IV of France, could be seen as perhaps the greatest conspiracy theorist of that time.
Read- How to talk to someone about conspiracy theories in five simple steps- The Conversation.
However, direct confrontation rarely works.