Part I: Theory of conspiracy
Human beings in the worlds always try to analyze and explain every event that takes place in the world and can have emotional impacts on people. In fact, in the nowadays in the world, it has become impossible for perfect rationality like full information to prosper or even to entirely rely on the scientific or academic information every time. Consequently, more often it is even difficult to explore the likely fundamental causes of such emotional impacts. Therefore, during the situations of difficulty, people will always try to employ more sophisticated approaches as well as complex explanations aiming at providing their cognitions based on a reasonable justification. In brief, it is the nature of everyone to always try to look for an answer to questions like “why” based on their concerns of ego. This is where a conspiracy theory comes in to enable people to gather courage and ability in providing adequate rationale with regards to a comprehensive explanation as well as the perceived comprehensive explanations. Nevertheless, the most significant approach which makes this comprehensive explanation possible is the attribution of responsibility. As will be seen in the paper, the conspiracy theory helps in attributing responsibilities for a definite incident as well as a series of incidents to outside groups like the Jews, Freemasons and CIA. This shall, in turn, create a feeling of segregation or unimportance on the part of those people looking to rationalize their emotional rejoinder to this incident. Some versions of conspiracy theory of populist politics, the theory cerates in-group like hostile cabal as well as the out-group which can be “I” and “us.” This in turn reinforces the cognitive construal of the incident thus converting it into a confirmation prejudice.
Hofstadter argues that the pertinent literature is not such voluminous; however, it is simply characterized by amazing levels of consilence and illuminating. Jameson, Keeley, Machiavelli and Pagán all agree to the fact that not all conspiracy theories are intrinsically rationale. Moreover, they argue that the derogatory connotation of this concept of conspiracy theory some few quarters thought they are underserved, dangerous and unfair (Hofstadter 1965). Consequently, Hofstadter declares the present thoughts towards conspiracy theory to be what he called intellectual witch hunt. Jameson, Fredric severely warns people against the use of impulsive dropping of conspiracy explanations which always disagree with narratives which are a gift to dominant actors and help them to avoid scrutiny. Hofstadter, Richard puts it that the attitude towards conspiracy theory still stands in contract regarding the extensive suppositions in the psychology and social sciences of the conspiracy theories as well as the conspiracy ideation which are pathological and irrational as well as even deserving to be combated through conspiratorial way if possible (Hofstadter 1965).
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Nonetheless, the most significance to these conspiracy theories is the philosophical literature which is very basic. Hofstadter, Richard definition to conspiracy theory is very capacious as the explanation of events based on two or more people’s intentions to trick others. Thus, Hofstadter, Richard sees the conspiracy theories, conspiracy explanations and categories to have emerged as a co-extensive (Jameson 1988). In fact, he argues this might be the first stage of what has become a uniform move in the process of epistemological literature of these conspiracy theories. However, Jameson, Fredric holds a different view by defining conspiracy theory in a formal and minimal way which only show that nothing is essentially irrational as well not reasonable regarding explanations of that kind (Jameson 1988). He also argues that conspiratorial activities are rather often the best available explanation to deduce to. In addition, once people take this idea of Jameson, Fredric, it shall make everyone to be conspiracy theorists. In fact, some scholars concur with Jameson, Fredric that conspiracy theories are best in the explanation of a number of historical incidents (Jameson 1988).
As have been seen above in the text, philosophers hold different views regarding the ways they generally view conspiracy theory. In fact, some of them argue that based on their definitions, the best explanation of world attacks would themselves mean conspiracy theories. Therefore, the attacks like those taking place in United States of America, Somali and Al-Qaeda ones to be the outcome of conspiracy theories (Keeley 1999). However, majority of people have failed to consider these explanations as accepted due to what media usually say about those attacks. Furthermore, people all over the world have failed to officially group the sanctioned beliefs concerning the al-Qaeda bombing buildings or Kremlin’s opponents being murdered by the Russian FSB a result of the conspiracy beliefs (Keeley 1999). Indeed, without conspiracy theory, it is very difficult to establish the difference between Bill Clinton assassinating Vince Foster and Putin assassinating Alexander Litvinenko. In addition, it is not always easy for appeals to official status of such stories to work because the societal sanctioned stories of one another are considered as a conspiracy of the other. In case people attempt to put a lot of vigor on such solutions regarding conspiracy theory which posits some moral suspects and secret plans as far as the Western governments in influencing events are condemned then they are likely to covert means. All these leaves us with several reasons to be doubtful regarding the conspiracy theories as they comprise of conspiracies which sometimes contain something on a society engages itself in (Keeley 1999).
Part II: Case-Study
In the case study, a long suffering centrist Norm Ornstein seeks an explanation on the reason why a national media has decided to ignore the idea of outlandish tea-partyish which is brought forward by Joni Ernst who is the Republican candidate for Iowa senatorial position. Moreover, Norm Ornstein thinks that news reports do this because they already have a narrative of the year’s campaign (Hofstadter 1965). This he says might have regarded the 2014 version of the Narrative™ which he claims to be the GOP establishment. According to him, this GOP establishment has at last beaten the party of the year called tea party after suffering by encountering several losses during the year 2012. On the other hand, the Washington Post voted for a profile of front-page of Joni Ernst through Monica Hesse who was a reporter. However, the piece was specifically signaling a long, and it almost respected the image of a female candidate which could charm Iowans in doing this (Hofstadter 1965). This was the Iowan way which was considered a precise portrait by an expert journalist. Furthermore, Hesse suggested that Ernest had taken a few contentious positions during the past times like supporting Personhood though he put a lot of emphasis on the ways she had walked them back. In fact, what is not mentioned in this piece of was only the flirtation of Ernest regarding the craziest conspiracy theories as well her comments on dependency and her suggestions which stated that she would use the guns she packed in case the government infringed on here rights.
However, the texts above do not prove the press to be 100% bias, even though they had a Republican bias in the year 2012 during the time when Mourdock, Angle and Akin led the reporting. The major concern in this conspiracy case study is the way a person can pick a narrative and stick to it. In addition, the way a person can be able to resist any contradiction that may confront the narrative taken. These are what are embedded in the journalists’ culture of campaign. The alternative conspiracy theory explained that the Republican establishment had won through surrendering its bases regarding a more ideologically party thus picking candidates who were seen to be folksy as well as having excellent track records (Jameson 1988). However, their issues stances were more of similar just like their radical Tea part opponents. A number of things were going on there were noted to be related, and they include Ornstein’s remarks which stated that in case a campaign narrative had been locked in stone, it shall guide all the future reporting irrespective of being covering all the facts. This shows that conservatives are not able to get any pass of holding a crazy view maybe in case they do it foolishly (see Akin, Todd). Moreover, in case they talk a lot it is regarded as more of their nature show and not the belief as stated in the conspiracy theories (Jameson 1988).
In fact, the campaign reports normally do not mind a lot regarding any policy. Their boring and careless comments always show exactly the side that they are talking thus they write such reports they way they like. Based on conspiracy theories of explanation, it can be seen that campaign reporters are smarter than the campaign strategy organizers. To make it worse, the campaigners who normally hide their views are considered being savvy (Keeley 1999). In addition, the politicians who tell the voters truth about themselves are also considered idiots. This is what ended up in pieces of puffs regarding Ernst's folksiness as well as repeating the coverage of chicken battles of Bruce Braley. Ernst’s opponent regarded him useless, and he stated that if the Iowa people decided to vote him in as a senator, it could just be okay. However, in case they send incompetent senator since they incorrectly think only about his/her pragmatic centrist, cheerfulness then that shall not be right (Keeley 1999). This is a case study of the application of conspiracy in conspiracies, and any politician who can execute the conspiracy theories perfectly and smartly is likely to emerge the winner in his/her campaigns just the same way it is seen in the case above.
Conclusion
Indeed, just like it has been seen in the texts above, the most significant aspects which make the conspiracy concepts to be successful is the fact they are considered forbidden and secret forms of information. This fact gives conspiracy more meaning even than the fact that they are just juicy pieces of information like the gossip of celebrity, however, what matters is how this information are packaged. In many occasion, things just became valuable to majority of the people since because they are rare as well as their utility though useful things can still be cheap. In comparing, wood and iron, silver and gold in construction to establish which combination shall have the best conduction of electricity, a person is likely to notice that their prices depend on their rarity. This tells us that in case there could not be rarity aspect then both combination could have just been used jointly instead of being used based on their value and specialist applications. The same example above is seen in the use of information since rare information is regarded valuable compared to the usual ones. It means that irrespective of information being useless, people can still value it just because it is rare even if it is wrong. Truly, the sphere of conspiracy theories and information are regarded very highly valuable. This is information is made valuable thus becoming part of conspiracy. A number of phrases like “They are not interested in making you knowing” is one of the words which are common in the conspiracy land. This is because people always believe that the more they keep information away from others, the more secret it becomes thus becomes very valuable. It might be the major reason why people are always bragging in case they know something which their colleagues do not know.
However, the major disadvantage with conspiracies is that people always tend to mistake the noticeable value to be the truth, for example, in case of suppressing information, it has to be made secret, rare and valuable. In many occasions, the suppressing information is true; the conspiracy theories are used with the aim of adding value and illusion to the information and truth. There are a number of slight approaches of enhancing these conspiracy theories. In fact, the idea of suppressing information is what might be greatly romanticizes conspiracies. Scholars argue that in case by just knowing what people are not aware is a fat and nice cake, then being a spy and fighting people who are interfering with your success can be triple-chocolate and orgasm-inducing.
References
Hofstadter, Richard. (1965). “The Paranoid Style in American Politics.” In The Paranoid Style in American Politics and Other Essays. Pp. 3-40. New York: Knopf.
Jameson, Fredric. (1988). “Cognitive Mapping.” As reprinted in The Jameson Reader (2000, Blackwell: Massachusetts), ed. by M. Hardt and K. Weeks. 277-87.
Keeley, Brian L. (1999). “Of Conspiracy Theories.” Journal of Philosophy 96: 109-26.
Machiavelli, N. “On Conspiracies.” Printed in Discourses of Niccolo Machiavelli. Ed. L. J. Walker. (1950). London: Routledge.
Pagán, Victoria E. (2008). “Toward a Model of Conspiracy Theory for Ancient Rome.” New German Critique. 103.35: 27-49.
