Thread by @JYSexton

America is awash in conspiracy theories that threaten our safety because of unaddressed white supremacy and a culture that makes us feel powerless, alienated, and keeps us in the dark about the political and economic forces controlling our lives.

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jaredyatessexton.substack.com/p/a-lonely-bew…

Awful tragedies and terrorist attacks in our recent history have been inspired by conspiracy theories and a culture that hides the actual machinations of power that dominate our lives, using simplified, weaponized explanations to redirect anger and cement control.

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This modern moment, both in terms of how our cruel, unequal economy works, and how our govt has been dismantled, has its roots in the 1980's, when figures like Reagan and Thatcher radically changed our cultures to make the wealthy and powerful even more wealthy and powerful

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The simplified explanation of globalism and neoliberalism was the growth of the New World Order narrative, which shifted blame from economics to a supernatural battle between Good and Evil, spotlighting "traitors," people of color as pawns, and "puppetmasters."

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These conspiracy theories are updates of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an antisemitic, fraudulent narrative that claimed Jewish people secretly ruled and manipulated the world.

This is still the narrative that underlies the lies of the Right.

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The New World Order conspiracy was used by the Right in the 1990's to hide their own role in hurting Americans, but also to raise funds and win power.

Figures like Gingrich and LaPierre of the NRA appealed to white supremacist paranoia and built a powerful base.

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Any conversation about the Right' usage of conspiracy theories would be incomplete without mentioning their fearmongering helped inspire the tragedy of the Oklahoma City Bombing.

These attacks coincide with conspiracy theories and take a tragic toll.

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Of course, the modern iteration is the Deep State narrative, which is just the New World Order and Elders of Zion with a different name and coat of paint.

It's the same story, story paranoia, same appeal. And it has already had deadly consequences.

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We've seen, over and over, how damaging these conspiracies are, how they promote doubt, fear, and desperation in their believers, leading to grifters, conmen, and dangerous actors to gain power and purchase in culture and inspire violence and chaos.

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Believers of the conspiracy, often alienated, often mentally unwell, take the conspiracy mongers for their word and believe the fate of the country and world depend on someone, anyone taking action.

It is a continuation of the lie of Reagan, the bootstrap, individualism.

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People who've been told their nations, cultures, and "heritage" depend on someone, anyone taking action, hear the call loud and clear.

They act. They kill. They carry out unthinkable violence and create mass tragedies.

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It doesn't help, of course, that the wealthy and powerful, the actual creators of the suffering, alienation, and awful political climate, use their money and resources to feed conspiracies to gain power and purchase while misdirecting anger away from themselves.

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Artificially inflated conspiracies, like the Tea Party, the Reopen/Plandemic Movement, the "Stop The Steal" facade, are all creations of the wealthy and powerful to move anger away from them, harness the power of faux populism, and achieve further domination.

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Considering this manipulation, not to mention the falsified, propagandic history we teach and foist on the public, the conspiracy theories and their damage are almost inevitable.

These are consequences of a society like ours, and we have to do better. We must do better.

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This substack article gets into more detail. If you want a deeper dive, or know someone so might need to hear what’s actually happening and what the misdirection is concealing, consider sharing.

jaredyatessexton.substack.com/p/a-lonely-bew…