Remembering the Space Age. - Black Vault Radio Network (BVRN)

374 reMeMberINg the SpaCe age
What are the general attributes of these historical conspiracy theories writ
large? a central point revolves around how to defne a “conspiracy.” at its most
innocuous a conspiracy is simply the planning and execution of some activity
by a group of people. all actions of any consequence require some planning
with others and could be considered conspiracies in that sense. the dictionary
defnition of conspiracy, however, is “a joining secretly with others for an evil
purpose,” a connotation frst acquired during the politically charged 1960s,
and most planning eforts, therefore, do not qualify. 62 one could argue that
conspiracies do indeed exist, even when using the dictionary defnition. even
so, much rides on what defnes an “evil purpose,” for very often that is a matter
of perspective. from the american perspective, whether or not roosevelt was
involved matters not, in the strictest sense of the term pearl harbor was attacked
as a result of a conspiracy, for the Japanese high command struck an evil plot
against the united States. even so, from a Japanese perspective it was not so
much a conspiracy as good strategic planning. the defnition of a conspiracy,
therefore, is subjective.
at least in the minds of conspiracy theorists, however, there is always a
belief that there is or has been a vast and well-organized plot to carry out some
sinister goal, often the very destruction of a way of life. at its extreme form
the theorist might consider the conspiracy the vast and prime mover of history.
thus, americans on the political right have interpreted many of the world’s
events in the 20th century as a “communist conspiracy” against which the
“free world” had always to react. 63 as a result, opponents fghting a perceived
conspiracy see themselves as the last bastion of what is good and just and true
in the world. there is an especially powerful apocalyptic vision that motivates
those who accept such conspiracy ideologies. these opponents have often had
an almost messianic belief in the rightness of their cause and that the time
remaining to salvage whatever is at stake is running out. at a fundamental level,
conspiracy theories serve as a “particular narrative form of scapegoating that
frames demonized enemies as part of a vast insidious plot against the common
good, while it valorizes the scapegoater as a hero for sounding the alarm.” 64
additionally, those who truly believe that a conspiracy has been afoot
do not have any interest in talking over diferences. they are at war with a
malicious, sinister, powerful, ubiquitous personifcation of evil. that evil is
responsible for most of the negative events that happen. It makes crises; starts
york, Ny:vintage books, 1965), p. 25; Kevin phillips, American Theocracy:The Perils and Politics of
Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century (New york, Ny:viking, 2006).
62. The New Lexicon Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language (New york,Ny: Lexicon Internationalpublishers
guild group, 1989), p. 208.
63. See Daniel bell, ed., The Radical Right (New york, Ny:vintage books, 1963).
64. Chip berlet and Matthew N. Lyons, Right-Wing Populism in America:Too Close for Comfort (New
york, Ny:the guilford press, 2000), p. 9.