The Misuse of the Word “Conspiracy” & The Origin of the Label “Conspiracy Theorist”

2 thoughts on “The Misuse of the Word “Conspiracy” & The Origin of the Label “Conspiracy Theorist””

1. So, there is a conspiracy to malign and apply a bad connotation to the previously neutral and descriptive word “conspiracy” and by association to brand and lump all those who thoughtfully and rightly suspect that certain historical events involve more than one person as bad, soft-headed, insane, or at least unintelligent people.

   Had a fellow trot out the “oh, you must be a conspiracy theorist” to me the other day at work, followed by “I spose you think the moon landings were all a hoax!” gambit.

   I asked him if he had ever been punished un-deservedly by his parents as a kid. He replied yes, and told the story. In so doing it became clear that both his mother and his father were in on the act, to “teach him a lesson” about cleaning up his room, even when the culminating event wasn’t his fault.

   Then, I said, you must be a filthy conspiracy theorist, too, since both your folks are now deceased, you can’t prove your assertiion, but you just told me they were both in on unfairly punishing you for something that was not your fault.

   He still couldn’t seem to see how banal and commonplace conspiracies actually are.

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   1. Actually, the moon landings WERE a hoax.

      Filmed right here on planet Earth by Stanley Kubrick.

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