Library:Voodoo Histories
| Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History | |
|---|---|
| Author | David Aaronovitch |
| First published | 2009 |
| ISBN | 978-0-224-07470-4 |
| Role | Analysis |
| Domains | History Politics & Elections |
| Tactics | Conspiracy Theory |
Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History is a 2009 book by David Aaronovitch.
Summary
David Aaronovitch, a British journalist and columnist, published this study of conspiracy theories in 2009. It examines many of the most influential conspiracy theories of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, asks why they appeal and explains the techniques that make them so persuasive.
The cases
The book covers a wide range. It begins with the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a forgery claiming to reveal a Jewish plan for world domination, which spread worldwide despite being exposed. It examines the Moscow show trials of the 1930s, in which many Western observers accepted fabricated confessions; claims that President Roosevelt knew of the attack on Pearl Harbor in advance; the McCarthy era; the assassination of President Kennedy; theories about the deaths of Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana; claims about the origins of Christianity popularized by The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail and The Da Vinci Code; and the theories that the attacks of 11 September 2001 were an inside job.
Why they appeal
Aaronovitch argues that conspiracy theories often serve the losers of history. They offer an explanation for defeat and disappointment, assigning blame to a secret enemy rather than to chance, mistakes or impersonal forces. They give believers a sense of special knowledge and control in a chaotic world.
How they persuade
The book identifies recurring techniques. Conspiracy theorists point to real conspiracies from the past as proof that this one must be real too. They pose as people simply asking questions. They pile up anomalies and treat every unexplained detail as significant, while ignoring the overwhelming weight of ordinary explanation. They draw on academic-sounding sources that cite each other, creating an appearance of scholarly support.
The damage
Aaronovitch stresses that conspiracy theories are not harmless entertainment. The Protocols helped fuel persecution and genocide, and conspiracy thinking can corrode trust in democratic institutions and distract from real abuses of power.
Relevance to Bullshitopedia
The book is a practical guide to the Conspiracy Theory tactic and covers many cases likely to become claim entries. Its identification of recurring persuasive techniques can help editors explain how a conspiracy claim works, not just why it is false.