4Aa 25-01

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

conspiracy theories

Today

- What is a conspiracy theory?
- The presentations

- How to give a presentation

Conspiracy theories

- distrust in government or other group
- belief in alternative political motivation

- belief in own theory even when other proof is more probable

- negative connotations

conspiracy theories

- circular reasoning: both lack of evidence and other proof IS proof of theory

- against mainstream ideas (sheeple)

- distrust in those qualified (politicians, scientists, scholars)

Different types

Jesse Walker (2013) has identified five kinds of conspiracy theories:

1. The "Enemy Outside" refers to theories based on figures alleged to be scheming against a community from without.

2. The "Enemy Within" finds the conspirators lurking inside the nation, indistinguishable from ordinary citizens.

3. The "Enemy Above" involves powerful people manipulating events for their own gain.

4. The "Enemy Below" features the lower classes working to overturn the social order.

5. The "Benevolent Conspiracies" are angelic forces that work behind the scenes to improve the world and help people

Michael Barkun has identified three classifications of conspiracy theory:

- Event conspiracy theories. This refers to limited and well-defined events. Examples may include such conspiracies theories as those concerning the Kennedy assassination, 9/11, and the spread of AIDS.

- Systemic conspiracy theories. The conspiracy is believed to have broad goals, usually conceived as securing control of a country, a region, or even the entire world. The goals are sweeping, whilst the conspiratorial machinery is generally simple: a single, evil organization implements a plan to infiltrate and subvert existing institutions.  

- Superconspiracy theories. Such theories link multiple alleged conspiracies together hierarchically. At the summit is a distant but all-powerful evil force. 

When did Nelson MAndela die?

1. while he was in prison in the 1980s
2. right after he got released in the 1990s
3. in 2013
4. in 2000

Does the monopoly guy have

1. only a monocle
2. a monocle and a high hat
3. only a high hat
4. neither

Pikachu's tail is

1. completely yellow
2. Yellow and black
3. yellow and brown
4. black and brown

Example: The mandela effect

- belief in multiple "worlds"

- misremebering is proof of swtiching between worlds

- scientific proof vs scientific proof

- belief in governments keeping this secret for  multiple reasons
(spies, strangers from a different realm, aliens etc.)

The presentations

- explain your conspiracy theory
- give your opinion (how likely is it, what are the best arguments, do you believe any of it ... go crazy)

- if possible, link it to social issues or underlying issues
 (mandela effect can be linked to feeling of chaos, feeling of autonomy, )

requirements

In Pairs

10 minutes  (min. 12 min. for trio)

use PTT or Prezi

NO READING --> max. 10 keywords on paper.

You explain your theory, but your opinion is the most important!

Time to

- work on your presentation

- ask questions

- I might have something to say