We are all familiar with conspiracy theories. Grand poppas like the landings on the moon being hoaxes are exemplars of the trope. The actual landings were staged in the Arizona desert, don't you know. And then there is 9/11--the actual perpetrators of those terrible murderous acts were employees working with deep operatives of the CIA. Didn't you know that?
One of the characteristics of empty conspiracy theories is that they can never be falsified. The more evidence supporting the "official narrative" becomes a proof of the alleged conspiracy. The appearance of compelling evidence becomes an argument for the depth, power, and cleverness of the conspirators.
Now that the Mueller Report is out this kind of meaningless, fatuous appeal to conspiracies hiding the truth from the rest of the world has marched into our living rooms. Here are some examples:
The Mueller Investigation ignored the real evidence.
Let me be clear, I CONCEDE NOTHING! If #MuellerReport didn’t look into Trump’s business ties with the Russians before the elections and didn’t look into his secret meetings with them after the election, then this is an epic debacle that looked into the exact wrong things.
882 people are talking about this
The Investigation has actual, hard, real, and admitted proof.
This is DAY ONE and there's HARD, DIRECT, *ADMITTED* collusion.
BYE, Felicia.
5,176 people are talking about this
We Just Know Trump is Guilty
Beto O'Rourke campaigns in Charleston, SC: "You have a president who, in my opinion, beyond a shadow of a doubt, sought to, however ham-handedly, collude with the Russian government or foreign power to undermine and influence our elections."
492 people are talking about this
The Truth is Out There--But The Media Have Not Been Aggressive Enough
Contra a lot of commentary: given the issues, stakes, and seriousness with which special counsel treated all of this, the media’s coverage of Russia-Trump connection and possible obstruction over the last two years was somewhere between about right and not quite aggressive enough
446 people are talking about this
Attorney General's Summary of the Mueller Report Is Inadequate
Feinstein: Barr’s 4-page summary of the Mueller report is inadequate and demonstrates why Congress needs to obtain the full report and underlying evidence.
See Chad Pergram's other Tweets
And so it rolls. Conspiracy Theories always operate like that. They are viciously circular and constantly self-reinforcing. Evidence to the contrary becomes framed as examples of the cunning and guile of the conspirators putting up false flags.
As always, sunlight is the best disinfectant. Those who are captured by conspiracy theories are to be pitied.
No comments:
Post a Comment