We naturally tend to think of conspiracy as the result of a paranoia, given the nature of its definition. But in the age of new media where political dishonesty is laid bare, we see how feelings of betrayal and anger can also metastasise into conspiracy. It’s a phenomenon that intrigues and excites us, and can even integrate into desire - our favorite films, TV series and podcasts often feature a protagonist who seeks to uncover some major truth, one that has been intentionally suppressed. In the aftermath of the Brexit and MAGA sagas, the COVID-19 pandemic provided even more ground for more conspiracies to take root - where did the virus originate? Why do governments want to lock us down? What do they really want to inject into our bodies?
To better understand the psychological sequence, it's crucial to pinpoint the moment when conspiracy theories began to emerge. In March 2020, with the initial arrival of the virus, societal divisions were minimal and we can, arguably, attribute this to anxiety. What dominated was a collective dread of the unknown - the uncertainty and pervasive sense that something bad loomed on the horizon, capturing our attention. Rather than employing a Freudian perspective, Lacan’s illustration of the praying mantis would be more fitting here to analogize anxiety:
Lacan invites us to envision ourselves wearing an animal mask and standing in the presence of a towering praying mantis. But there’s a twist - we are unaware of the gender of our mask. He employs the mantis as a metaphor for anxiety for two reasons: Firstly, there exists a significant disparity in size between the male and female mantises (although relevant to his interpretation of anxiety, we won't delve into gender specifics here). Secondly, it's widely known that after mating, the female mantis often devours the smaller male's head. If our mask represents a female, the mantis is likely to pass by without notice, thus avoiding danger. For Lacan, anxiety is defined by the sense of ambiguous impending doom, the uncertainty of what's to come, the feeling that we may in fact, be wearing the male mask. At the onset of the pandemic, the absence of widespread conspiracy theories can be attributed not only to our limited understanding of this novel phenomenon, but also to the collective experience we found ourselves in - akin to the one wearing the mask. None of us could predict whether we or our loved ones might fall victim and become engulfed by a force much greater than ourselves - the mantis took form in the virus. We were left grappling with the dual mysteries of whether the virus would target us and what devastation it might unleash.
However, with time, our sense of security began to restore, fueled by the growing consensus that the virus primarily threatened the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, asthmatics, and similar groups. Soon enough, Covid transcended the medical realm and evolved into the latest iteration of an age-old philosophical debate: egalitarianism vs utilitarianism. Why should we be imprisoned in our own homes just to safeguard the few? Why must I sacrifice my desires for the well-being of others? Throughout the early months, many of us grappled with or encountered such inquiries on a daily basis. While it might have been more truthful to frame these questions in the singular, the more profound observation lies in the inextricable connection between two opposing psychological forces: anxiety and desire.
When lockdowns and face masks were introduced, it would serve well to remember that there was in fact little resistance. Anxiety can be what creates the need for security. But as time passed, many of us began to feel that we may no longer require such protection, and before long, the perception of these measures had now inverted; they were no longer in place to protect us, but rather, to restrict and control us. We see here how our beliefs and agendas shift precisely when anxiety is removed, echoing once more the mantis analogy. If we assume the position of wearing the male mask, we are consumed by only one thing - the feeling that something terrible is about to happen. But when we sense that we are donning the female mask, this not only allows us to move away from anxiety, but also gives way to transition towards its antidote, desire. Here, we see one of anxiety's key functions: the inhibition of desire - a central theme in countless psychoanalytic case studies over the past century.
As children, we all at some point harbour negative thoughts and feelings of resentment towards our parents. This is not exclusive to those who experience childhood trauma; it is a universal aspect of being human. No child is ever allowed to do every single thing they’ve ever wanted to do (one would hope). From infancy through adolescence, children engage in a lengthy trial-and-error process, testing the social, moral, and ethical boundaries. Our caregivers must guide us in distinguishing right from wrong and as a result, prohibition unavoidably results in unpleasant thoughts, dreams and phantasies in relation to our loved ones. In the child’s imaginative play, neither parent is immune to transforming from a loving and wish-granting genie into a tyrannical beast. When desire is suppressed by an authority figure, the libidinal constraint can often transform into anger, rage, or rebellion. … and soon enough, conspiracy.
In today's era, where political deception merges with the influence of new media, seeking objective truths feels harder than ever, despite the wealth of information now available. We find ourselves caught between falsehoods and reality, and while questioning authority and the status quo can at times be crucial, as seen in cases such as Watergate and Wikileaks, so many of us adopt baseless conspiracy theories as a result (consciously) of neglecting the practices of thorough research and critical thinking. The pandemic exhibits this endlessly. The narrative around Covid somehow shifted from its zoonotic origins, all the way to delusions around 5G. The same applies in the vaccine debate: Initially celebrated as a global triumph, the growing recognition of potential adverse effects in a minority has devolved into perceptions of vaccines as lethal injections, supposedly embedded with surveillance chips.
The war on Ivermectin furthered the vaccine conspiracy, a “miracle drug” touted and prescribed almost exclusively by Right-Wing medical practitioners. The longstanding profit-driven motives of Big Pharma provided more justification to buy into the falsehood that a parasitic drug could single-handedly end the pandemic. The motif of conspiracy can be a useful solution for us, acting as an unconscious defence mechanisms which allows us to make sense of the difficult, and project outward what may be fundamentally related to what’s difficult within. Conspiracy theories restore the illusion of certainty, and can heal a particular narcissistic injury - Andrew Tate’s unwavering conviction that his legal challenges in Romania are somehow linked to his outspoken opinions, such as his opposition to vaccination, serves as a poignant example.
The lies of governments and legacy media have led many to shift their political allegiances, seeking validation in alternative sources. Whilst this can be an eye-opening and valid tool to do diligence and find out what may be going on under the surface, many of us equate the opposing aspect of what we’ve been lied about, now as truth. This has dangerous consequences and is what often brainwashes us, at conscious level, to conspire along with whomever we now follow on Twitter or watch on Youtube. Despite the potential invalidity of these sources, they are ultimately catering to our emotional needs - our sense of anger and betrayal have now found a new home, ultimately perpetuating more polarization. In this vicious cycle, misinformation often wins - as we so often prioritize unconscious, emotional satisfaction over factual accuracy, disregarding objective data and records.
But the dilemma works both ways - it is not exclusive to any one political ideology. Pro-vaccination activists occasionally dismiss any post-jab health issues, as mere coincidence and totally unrelated. Many on the Left struggle to see vaccinations as a success for the majority while acknowledging their adverse impact on some lives, perceiving the two ideas as incompatible when of course, they aren’t. Our tendency to trivialize Covid as "just a cold" often stems from our own mild experiences, disregarding the severe impact on others with Post-acute sequelae. Should we set our emotions temporarily aside and delve into the scientific literature, we may come to learn of the thrombotic, endothelial, and cardiovascular complications associated with what reputable virologists and immunologists describe as the most complex disease to date.
Any buried feelings we may have experienced (knowingly or unknowingly) about betrayal and deception in our personal lives can hitchhike itself onto the back of the sociopolitical. Many now base their political convictions on the realization of systematic deception by media and governments, spanning years or even decades. While it may seem both logical and tempting to switch allegiance in response, it remains crucial to adopt a reflective approach. Misinformation exists everywhere, and our indignation at deception shouldn’t automatically lead us to. Feeling misled about vaccinations shouldn’t lead to anti-vax sentiments, nor should the hidden truths on NATO’s broken promises in keeping Ukraine neutral, lead us towards pro-Putin advocacy. We may have to accept that the world cannot be simply divided into good or bad - we must accept the many shades of grey. If we can, it may allow us to form more nuanced and accurate viewpoints that aren’t primarily driven by emotion, thereby avoiding the pitfalls of political tribalism.
COMING SOON…
PART 4: THE MONARCHY - A SECOND FAMILY
I don't agree with you but I hope it's ok with you because it is with me and I want to follow you
I’ll get to it after I’ve had some sleep. It seems interesting.