Among the Truthers

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Among the Truthers: A Journey Through America's Growing Conspiracist Underground
OCLC
670475861

Among the Truthers: A Journey Through America's Growing Conspiracist Underground is a 2011 book by Canadian journalist

9/11 Truth movement
. It received generally positive reviews, though some reviewers raised issues about the book's focus and political claims.

Summary

Though he concedes that history provides evidence of actual conspiracies, Kay argues that farfetched and paranoid conspiracies are gaining adherents at an increasing rate in the United States. In the book, he charts a history of 20th century conspiracy theories including groups such as the

vaccination, and Reptilians.[3]

Kay attempts to define the factors that cause people to believe in conspiracies.

postmodern academic theories, such as deconstruction.[4] He also blames what he sees as the liberal belief that "society is divided into victims and oppressors".[4] In addition to political explanations, Kay also writes about psychological factors. He argues that many people prefer explanations for disasters which feature expansive conspiracies because it is more difficult to cope with the underlying incompetence or vulnerability at the root of such events.[2]

While writing the book, Kay interviewed several figures in the 9/11 Truth movement, such as

mid-life crisis.[1] He defines a "firebrand" as a person who uses conspiracy theories to promote radical political views and thus gain public attention. He claims this type of person is usually university-age when they begin promoting conspiracies.[5]

Reception

Though he applauded Kay's history of conspiracy theories and commentary about the role of the internet,

liberal-arts professors. Bunch[4] and a reviewer for The Economist both faulted Kay for giving inadequate attention or explanation to the Birther movement.[2]

The reviewer for The Economist praised Kay for his analysis of the psychological foundations of conspiratorial thinking and his discussion of the history of such thinking. The reviewer accurately predicted that advocates of the 9/11 Truth movement would dismiss Kay's analysis as a biased right-wing treatment of the issue.[2]

Writing in The New York Times, Jacob Heilbrunn described the book as "remarkable", and praised the quality of Kay's reporting. But he also criticized the book for being poorly organized at points. Heilbrunn also argued that Kay exaggerates the influence of the 9/11 Truth movement on the culture of the United States.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Heilbrunn, Jacob (13 May 2011). "Inside the World of Conspiracy Theorists". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d "One born every minute". The Economist. 26 May 2011. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  3. ^ a b Singal, Jesse (14 May 2011). "Birthers, truthers, and other believers in conspiracy theories". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d Bunch, Sonny (7 May 2011). "Beyond the Lunatic Fringe". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  5. ISBN 978-0-06-200481-9
    .
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