Conspiracy theories are a peculiar form of belief.
They assume the existence of an omnipotent and evil group of conspirators who are, at the same time, powerless to protect their secrets from rather ordinary observers – those who champion conspiracy theories.
Instead of eliminating those who have pierced their veil of secrets, the supposed conspirators, who allegedly know all and control all, do nothing.
This contradiction makes no sense, but conspiracy theorists do not seem troubled by it. They have a ready explanation for everything.
In a way, conspiracy theories are the lazy man’s monomyth.
Folklorist Joseph Campbell, who studied heroic myths from different cultures, concluded that, at their core, they all tell the same story, which he called the monomyth.
In his 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell described the monomyth’s basic narrative, followed by mythical heroes in all world cultures:
A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.
Conspiracy theories resemble the monomyth, in some ways.
Both types of fables derive their drama from the threat posed by wicked evil.
The monomyth calls for the hero to challenge evil, risking his life to best it in battle.
But the conspiracy theorist does not challenge evil; he just complains, without actually doing anything. And the imagined evil forces don’t do anything to him, either.
We all recognize the myths of other cultures for what they are – stories based on their power to inspire, not on fact.
But many do not recognize that conspiracy theories are a similar type of fable – the lazy man’s monomyth.
Comments (3)
ndg
30 August 2008, 5:23 EDT (#)
Sounds like a lazy response with either no willingness to research, or to lazy to take the time. Your generalization by no means addresses the greedy ambitions of a few who indeed are happy, men such as yourself dismiss there murderous greed as non-existent. “theorists” are actually fact finders. but not given credibility by the masses, due to the overwhelming fear of the masses to accept that which is actually happening.
There is much speculation and many crazies in the “theorist” world, as there is in all people groups, even those with the simplest of minds. You seem very much an ostrich, your comfort is most present when your head is in the ground.
ndg
30 August 2008, 5:27 EDT (#)
BTW, I respect your willingness to share, but it appears your reputation or experience as is stated, does not support such a bland report lacking tremendous amounts of detail.
Eric
3 September 2008, 7:17 EDT (#)
It’s an interesting view. But how does it explain the conspiracies that do or did exist? The Nazis conspired to take over the world. But when Winston Churchill pointed that out in the 30’s he was the proverbial voice in the wilderness. If you said a minor Saudi billionaire radical would conduct the most deadly terrorist attack on U.S. soil in the 80’s you’d be in the same boat. Ditto if you said the Bush administration would manipulate U.S. outrage at it to start a war on false pretenses against an unrelated nation. Don’t get me wrong. Most conspiracy theories are quite wacko. And in spite of what their proponents say, they can’t prove an invisible cat’s existence just by by pointing at the empty chair it’s supposed to occupy, to use an example from C.S. Lewis. But in some cases you have to explain the rather smelly and quite visible turd on the rug.