The Weaponization of “Conspiracy Theory”

In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the use of the term “conspiracy theory” worldwide. When I open X (formerly Twitter) and other similar platforms, the term is often used in a derogatory way, typically during disagreement on political or social issues.

Where does the term come from?

So What exactly do we mean by “conspiracy theorist”? The term often refers to individuals who believe in various controversial theories—such as the assassination of JFK being orchestrated by the CIA, the idea of a globalist agenda, Pizzagate, or even theories involving extraterrestrial beings.

But is there more to the term than those more “extreme” beliefs?

Interestingly, while it may be total coincidence, there is evidence suggesting that the term was, indeed, coined by the CIA – shortly after JFK’s assassination, in fact.

In 1967, there was a memo from the CIA Psychological warfare staff, which outlined strategies to counter what they deemed to be the “conspiracy theory” surrounding JFK’s assassination. The memo stated the agenda behind using the term “conspiracy theorist” was to discredit and stigmatize those who questioned what they were told about the assassination and didn’t accept the narrative they were told.

Hmm… I don’t know about you, but to me, that certainly sounds at least a little bit fishy. And for what it’s worth, technically they didn’t actually COIN the term, as it’s been found in history prior to this. However, it certainly seems like they weaponized and popularized it.

But hey, take a look and decide for yourself if you like. (Which I always encourage with everything you read).

You can find the memo here – https://ia800109.us.archive.org/8/items/COUNTERINGCRITICISMOFTHEWARRENREPORT/COUNTERING%20CRITICISM%20OF%20THE%20WARREN%20REPORT.pdf

It is worth noting that this does not simply mean that the CIA had a nefarious agenda… It’s possible it was necessary at the time to address public concerns. However, the current usage of the term today – used as an insult against anyone that questions the mainstream narratives – definitely raises questions about its intent.

If the CIA was responsible for coining the term, and encouraged its use during that time to discredit and stigmatize skeptics, one might wonder if the same thing isn’t still going on today.

There is a noticeable rise, especially since 2020 and COVID, in the demonizing of questioning authority. The narratives have been to “trust the experts” or “trust the science”. (Look how far that’s gotten us, by the way 😉)

Those who express doubts or challenge these narratives are frequently labeled as conspiracy theorists, paranoid, or other negative terms.

This begs the question: when did questioning become so problematic? Isn’t questioning a fundamental aspect of scientific inquiry? Isn’t it vital to human critical thinking, in general?

In a world where information is always within reach, yet extremely polarized, the ability to question and engage in critical thinking is more important than ever. Understanding the origins and implications of terms like “conspiracy theorist” can encourage more thoughtful discussions about the narratives we encounter.

Instead of immediately labeling those we don’t agree with as “conspiracy theorists” or irrational, we might benefit from fostering more environments where questioning is welcomed, and diverse perspectives are considered. And that is precisely one of the reasons I started this publication in the first place.

After all, healthy skepticism and questioning is a vital part of the pursuit of truth and understanding in any society, and an integral part of who we are as human beings.