Library:Fantasyland
| Fantasyland | |
|---|---|
| Author | Kurt Andersen |
| First published | 2017 |
| ISBN | 978-1-4000-6721-3 unverified |
| Role | Analysis |
| Domains | Culture, Religion & Society History |
| Tactics | Conspiracy Theory Pseudoscience / Junk Science |
Fantasyland is a 2017 book by Kurt Andersen.
Summary
Kurt Andersen, a novelist and co-founder of Spy magazine, argues that Americans have a long history of believing what they want to believe. The book's subtitle is How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History.
A history of magical thinking
Andersen traces American credulity from Puritan religious fervor and the gold-seeking of early colonists through religious revivals, patent medicines, P.T. Barnum's showmanship, spiritualism and Hollywood. He argues that the United States was founded partly by people seeking freedom to pursue their own beliefs, however extravagant.
The 1960s and after
A central argument is that the 1960s, with its emphasis on personal truth and individual freedom, combined with later developments such as talk radio, cable news and the internet, made it easier for Americans to live in their own versions of reality. He discusses conspiracy theories, alternative medicine, belief in the paranormal and the merging of entertainment and news.
Political spectrum
Andersen argues that both the left and the right contributed, though he contends that fantasy-based thinking has become more prominent in parts of the right.
Relevance to Bullshitopedia
The book provides historical context for many entries on conspiracy theories, pseudoscience and hoaxes, showing that these are not new phenomena.
Related entries
- The Apollo Moon landings were faked
- Astrology predicts personality and destiny
- Library:The Paranoid Style in American Politics