Conspiracy Theory
On sale
17th October 2024
Price: £10.99
Genre
Conspiracy Theories / History Of Ideas / Political Science & Theory / Social & Political Philosophy
Selected:
Paperback / ISBN-13: 9781399612869
AN ORIGIN STORY BOOK
‘Provides clarity, scholarship, wit and essential insight into why our world is the way it is’ Adam Rutherford
‘I wish I could make Ian and Dorian’s work mandatory’ Sathnam Sanghera
What makes people believe in conspiracy theories? Why have they taken over our political sphere? And how do we counter them before it’s too late?
The world has always had conspiracy theories. From the Illuminati to the deep state, the JFK assassination to the death of Princess Diana – there have always been those who believe that events are manipulated by shadowy forces with sinister intent. But in recent years, conspiracism has colonised the mainstream. These days, it is a booming industry, a political strategy and a pseudo-religion – and it’s threatening the foundations of liberal democracy.
Where once political battles were fought over ideas and values, it now feels as though we’re arguing over the nature of reality itself. The problem is bigger than lizard people or UFOs: left unchecked, conspiracy theories have the power to warp the fabric of society and justify unspeakable crimes.
In Conspiracy Theory: The Story of an Idea, Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey pull back the curtain on conspiracy theories: where they come from, who promotes them, how they work and what they’re doing to us. From biblical myth to online hysteria, this book explains what happens when the human gift for storytelling goes wrong – and how we might restore our common reality.
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Reviews
Too many concepts are bandied about in current affairs without people really understanding them. Ian and Dorian have done the hard work to separate truth from fiction and prejudice, seeking nuance wherever it is available. I wish I could make their writing mandatory
In a time of political turmoil, where ideas and movements are misunderstood and misrepresented, Ian and Dorian provide clarity, scholarship, wit and essential insight into why our world is the way it is