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Theories Of Conspiracy Theories

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According to the Oxford Dictionary a conspiracy is: A secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful and The action of plotting or conspiring Cambridge Dictionary seems to take similar approach; it says that a conspiracy is: the activity of secretly planning with other people to do something bad or illegal. Based on these two definitions we can draw up a theory that a conspiracy theories are stories or plots of sinister and illegal events or deeds committed by evil people (sort of villains) to harm the humanity. Slightly different approach to conspiracy can be found in the Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories by James McConnachie and Robin Tuge. They write that: To conspire once meant to “breath together”. It is an image of the most intimate and secretive complicity, perfectly conjuring smoky political backrooms, sinister whisperings …show more content…

But all these definitions listed above have something in common; They state that conspiracy is illegal and harmful act of plotting against someone or some group. It is always done in secret. That is why so many people come up with so many different and wild conspiracy theories. They think that the knowledge of a true nature of a certain event is hidden from the society and they look for the most possible (or improbable) explanation. Jessie Walker, a writer interested in conspiracy topic, has created five basic kinds of conspiracy theories: The “Enemy Outside” – a group of ‘villains’ scheming outside community to harm it. The “Enemy Within” – conspirators mixed with ordinary people, undistinguishable from them. The “Enemy Above” – people ‘in power’ that are manipulating law and the system for their own good. The “Enemy Below”- people of lower classes conspiring to overturn the social order. The “Benevolent Conspiracies” – a group or forces that work secretly to improve the world and help

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