Conspirators, ho!
Like most people, I am capable of biting into a juicy conspiracy theory (without losing teeth). Take reality, for instance. Viewed as a theory, it is pretty wild. The constituents of reality fit together in a way that is rather too neat, and often sadly predictable. Purveyors of outrageous phantasies, such as Q Anon, and the Proud Boys, have been drawing people in with their suspiciously plausible assertions, such as two plus two make four. While they haven’t tried anything as wild as White Supremacy, there are other groups that earnestly believe in that, such as Black Lives Matter, and Antifa. (“Just an idea,” as the Biden man said.) They think arithmetic is part of the conspiracy.
Do two plus two always make four? Not in theology, according to a progressive Jesuit member of the pope’s inner circle. (Fr Spadaro didn’t give any examples, however.)
It gets worse. According to some crazy people, the world is full of “bad actors,” including some who are prepared to lie, cheat, and steal. Who ever heard of such a thing?
Well I did, and believe I have evidence. Verily, with my conspiratorial mind, I entertain the notion that some of them may be cooperating with others.
As an old-fashioned, indeed very backward Christian, I’ve bought into the theories of one Jesus of Nazareth. I think some people are demonically possessed. Not everyone, of course: but surely everyone on the Left. (And quite a few on the Right, too.)
In addition to the Nazarene’s, I have dabbled in the theories of John Stuart Mill. These are extremely radical. Perhaps anticipating Twitter and Facebook, he held that when something is felt to be wrong, the best way to correct it is with open discussion. Moreover, that when this is suppressed, or routinely censored, society as a whole is made (more) stupid; or “idiotized” in my preferred expression. Now, there’s a real conspiracy theory for you.
But once again, I must admit to subscribing. My only excuse is that I was raised not only to believe in logic, but to imagine that logical propositions can be demonstrated — “objectively,” as it were. I actually drove myself through Mill’s big fat beuk, System of Logic (Ratiocinative & Inductive, &c) — when I was an innocent youff. I’m still flinching from the experience. I’m afraid that it has marked me for life.
Call me a White Supremacist. You wouldn’t be the first. Also a Proud Boy, for when physically attacked, I might be inclined to defend myself. That makes me, I think, a Fascist, too. A Racist, of course, but that seems redundant. (There I go off on logic, again.) All my friends of other races must be just for show.
A minor parting thought, inspired by Mr Mill. It is about The Election, and the aftermath of it.
The Democrats still haven’t conceded the presidential election of 2016. Why should Trump concede 2020?
Being a White Supremacist, a Proud Boy, and a Fascist, I would recommend putting his fraud allegations before the courts, and “we’ll see what the law says.” (Fine Scottish expression, that; but needs the brogue.) …
Rather than just declare a “President Elect” in the Pravda, and demand that all charges be dismissed without a hearing, while open discussion is closed down. But that’s just me.