Conspiracism: Archaeology and morphology of a political myth

Abstract

Through an empirical approach of several conspiracy theories (Knight Templars, Jesuits, Illuminati, Free-masons or Jewish conspiracy), I have noticed they develop six main characteristics. First, the conspiratorial myth points out scapegoats in a non-aleatory way. They usually belong to ethnical or religious minorities. Secondly, those scapegoats try to acquire an overwhelming power in all fields. Thirdly, to achieve this goal, they corrupt the whole society, especially on mores and sexuality. Fourthly, to set up their domination the scapegoats use the art of simulation and dissimulation. They yield a cult of secrecy. Fifthly, the scapegoats are consistently portrayed through symbolic morphological types, frequently as animals. Finally, conspiratorial myths undergo a process of hybridization and creolization. They go through transformations, alterations and medleys. Every conspiracy theories mix up into one another.

Conspiracy Narratives as a Type of Social Myth

“…My main question will be what conspiracy myths are and how exactly they differ from mainstream social myths. A similar question has already been asked by Girardet ( 1986 ) and Giry ( 2015 ), but both scholars try to answer it mainly by specifying typical content features of conspiracy narratives (which they see as one type of political myth). Girardet, for instance, distinguishes four kinds of political myth in terms of their plots: the myth of the golden age, of unity, of the savior, and of conspiracy.…”