Anyone Can Fall for a Conspiracy Theory — Even You
The coronavirus pandemic is a breeding ground for false beliefs
It took almost no time for the conspiracy theories to emerge. Coronavirus is an engineered bioweapon made by the Chinese. It originated in a lab in Wuhan, or was created by the U.S. military. It’s an evil plot devised by Bill Gates to enforce mass vaccination and control us. It was caused by 5G masts broadcasting electromagnetic waves.
Conspiracy theorists have existed for decades, but in recent years, they’ve become more prominent and their beliefs more mainstream. Recent data from the Pew Research Center suggest that a third of Americans believe coronavirus was created in a laboratory. In 2018, a study out of Cambridge found that 60% of Brits believe in at least one conspiracy theory, including that the “harmful effects” of vaccines are being deliberately hidden from the public by the British government.
And now, with the spread of coronavirus and the subsequent economic fallout, it feels like more people than ever are giving credence to wild theories. Here’s why strange times invite conspiratorial thinking, and how to combat it when you see it in action.
