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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Controversial knowledge > Conspiracy theories
Did COVID-19 actually break out to kill 6 million people because of
a leak from a Chinese laboratory? What are the links between QAnon
and Russiagate, Alex Jones and Donald Trump? Why did our own MI5
try to block evidence about the death of Iraq weapons inspector Dr
David Kelly and the radioactive poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko?
Putin is a brute who lies as a matter of policy. Hitler tried to
blame Poland for starting WWII. We live in a world of fake news and
false flags, secret plots and unexplained deaths. But what on earth
can you believe, when nothing's ever quite what it seems? In
Conspiracy, Ian Shircore cuts through the fog and the fairy tales
to deliver a balanced analysis of the stories that shape the times
we live in. New evidence - from Freedom of Information requests,
WikiLeaks files, deathbed confessions and declassified archives -
has solved some classic mysteries. Yet it raises more questions
than ever about the assassinations of the 1960s, the dirty secrets
of the late 20th century and the deadly traumas of the last few
years. Now fully updated with new cases, material and evidence.
Since 1933, when a completely drugged and trial-conditioned human
wreck confessed to having started the Reichstag fire in Berlin, Dr
Joost A M Meerloo has studied the methods by which systematic
mental pressure brings people to abject submission, and by which
totalitarians imprint their subjective "truth" on their victims'
minds. The first two and one-half years of World War II, Dr Meerloo
spent under the pressure of Nazi-occupied Holland, witnessing at
first-hand the Nazi methods of mental torture .on more than one
occasion. During this time he was able to use his psychiatric and
psychoanalytic knowledge to treat some of the victims. Then, after
personal experiences with enforced interrogation, he escaped from a
Nazi prison and certain death to England, where he was able, as
Chief of the Psychological Department of the Netherlands Forces, to
observe and study coercive methods officially. In this capacity he
had to investigate not only traitors and collaborators, but also
those members of the Resistance who had gone through the utmost of
mental pressure. Later, as High Commissioner for Welfare, he came
in closer contact with those who had gone through physical and
mental torture. After the war, he came to the United States, where
his war experiences would not permit him to concentrate solely on
his psychiatric practice, but compelled him to go beyond purely
medical aspects to the social aspects of the problem. As more and
more cases of thought control, brainwashing, and mental coercion
were disclosed -- Cardinal Mindszenty, Colonel Schwable, Robert
Vogeler, and others -- his interest grew. It was Dr. Meerloo who
coined the word menticide, the killing of the spirit, for this
peculiar crime. His knowledge of these totalitarian procedures has
been officially acknowledged; he served as an expert witness in the
case of Colonel Schwable, the Marine Corps officer who, after
months of subjection to physical and mental torture following his
capture in Korea, was made to confess to having taken part in germ
warfare. It is Dr Meerloo's position that through pressure on the
weak points in men's makeup, totalitarian methods can turn anyone
into a "traitor". And in this book he goes far beyond the direct
military implications of mental torture to describing how our own
culture unobtrusively shows symptoms of pressurising people's
minds. He presents a systematic analysis of the methods of
brainwashing and mental torture and coercion, and shows how
totalitarian strategy, with its use of mass psychology, leads to
systematised "rape of the mind". He describes the new age of cold
war with its mental terror, verbocracy, and semantic fog, the use
of fear as a tool of mass submission and the problem of treason and
loyalty, so loaded with dangerous confusion. The book is written
for the interested layman, not only for experts and scientists.
An independent analysis of the events of September 11, 2001, that
includes historical and geo-political background and examines the
motivation of the people who played key roles in the destruction of
the evidence and the obstruction of justice for the families of the
victims.
Enter a hidden world of mysteries, scandals, secrets, and lies
Perhaps it is human nature to believe there is more to the world
than meets the eye - that the greatest secrets and truths are
hidden from us. Whatever the reason, conspiracy theories are a
global phenomenon. Conspiracies Uncovered delves into some of the
most pervasive theories, from the "The assassination of John F.
Kennedy" to the moon landings, showcasing the evidence for and
against each one, revealing the surprising truths behind some and
the bizarre inspirations for others.
Working from government documents and corporate records, Sauder has
compiled an impressive book that digs below the surface of the
military's super-secret underground Go behind the scenes into
little-known corners of the public record and discover how
corporate America has worked hand-in-glove with the Pentagon for
decades, dreaming about, planning, and actually constructing,
secret underground bases. This book includes chapters on the
locations of the bases, the tunneling technology, various military
designs for underground bases, nuclear testing & underground
bases, abductions, needles & implants, military involvement in
"alien" cattle mutilations, more. 50-page photo & map insert.
Concise introduction to the development of conspiracy theories
during the pandemic. Takes a balanced approach drawing on empirical
data and social science research rather than sensationalism. Seeks
to understand rather than just condemn or mock conspiracy
theorists.
'A first class book' Sunday Times We're all conspiracy theorists.
Some of us just hide it better than others. Conspiracy theorists do
not wear tin-foil hats (for the most part). They are not just a few
kooks lurking on the paranoid fringes of society with bizarre ideas
about shape-shifting reptilian aliens running society in secret.
They walk among us. They are us. Everyone loves a good conspiracy.
Yet conspiracy theories are not a recent invention. And they are
not always a harmless curiosity. In Suspicious Minds, Rob
Brotherton explores the history and consequences of conspiracism,
and delves into the research that offers insights into why so many
of us are drawn to implausible, unproven and unproveable conspiracy
theories. They resonate with some of our brain's built-in quirks
and foibles, and tap into some of our deepest desires, fears, and
assumptions about the world. The fascinating and often surprising
psychology of conspiracy theories tells us a lot - not just why we
are drawn to theories about sinister schemes, but about how our
minds are wired and, indeed, why we believe anything at all.
Conspiracy theories are not some psychological aberration - they're
a predictable product of how brains work. This book will tell you
why, and what it means. Of course, just because your brain's biased
doesn't always mean you're wrong. Sometimes conspiracies are real.
Sometimes, paranoia is prudent.
In They Knew, New York Times best-selling author Sarah Kendzior
explores the United States' "culture of conspiracy," putting forth
a timely and unflinching argument: uncritical faith in broken
institutions is as dangerous as false narratives peddled by
propagandists. Conspiracy theories are on the rise because
officials refuse to enforce accountability for real conspiracies.
They Knew discusses conspiracy culture in a rapidly declining
United States struggling with corruption, climate change, and other
crises. As the actions of the powerful remain shrouded in mystery -
like the Jeffrey Epstein operation - it is unsurprising that people
turn to conspiracy theories to fill the informational void. They
Knew exposes the tactics these powerful actors use to placate an
inquisitive public. In Kendzior's signature whip smart prose and
eviscerating arguments, They Knew unearths decades of buried
American history, providing an essential and critical look at how
to rebuild our democracy by confronting the political lies and
crimes that have shaped us.
Cover-ups and mysteries, are they just a mix of wishful thinking
and fantasy that grips the attention of millions of people: was JFK
assassinated? Were the moon landings faked? Do secret societies
such as the Illuminati control the world? Did Shakespeare write all
of those incredible plays? Is global warming a hoax? Why did the
all-powerful Mayans decline so rapidly? Is Area 51 really the site
of an alien landing? All these and more are explored in this
fascinating new book, a visual feast of mystery and imagination.
Capital punishment for murder was suspended in Great Britain in
1965, an Act finally made permanent in 1969, but remained as the
punishment for treason until as recently as 1998, demonstrating how
seriously we take the crime of betraying your country. But even
with the threat of the noose hanging over them, many still chose
the path of treachery during the cataclysmic events of last
century. British Traitors examines the lives and motivations of a
number of the perpetrators of this most heinous of crimes,
following the footsteps of Fascist traitors such as William Joyce
(Lord Haw-Haw) and John Amery to the gallows, investigating what
drove men such as Wilfred Macartney and John Herbert King to betray
their country during the war to end all wars and delving into the
mysterious web of espionage and subterfuge surrounding the
Cambridge Spy Ring that spied for the Soviet Union from the
nineteen-thirties until the early nineteen-fifties. People commit
treason for many reasons - some seek adventure, some seek reward,
some are motivated by political philosophy, while others are sucked
into it by their own foolishness. British Traitors provides a
fascinating look at the lives and impulses of those who chose to
betray their country.
This book provides new answers to who and psychologically why
individuals sometimes adopt conspiracy beliefs and thoughts of
violence. Five conspiracy beliefs are considered: Government
Malfeasance, Malevolent World Power, Extra-terrestrial Cover-up,
Personal Well-being Threat, and Control of Information. Using a
survey of 977 US citizens, the book compares thirteen possible
demographic characteristics (who?) to see which ones are most
associated with extreme beliefs. The book then evaluates a
three-step psychological sequence (why?) in which individuals
experiencing intense life stressors (health, money, or loneliness),
combined with powerlessness (displayed as PTSD symptoms), have
increased risk for extreme beliefs, perhaps because they offer a
sense of understanding, strength, and community.
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