A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy Audiobook (Free)

How the new conspiracists are undermining democracy-and what can be done about it

Conspiracy ideas are as old while politics. But conspiracists today possess introduced something new-conspiracy without theory. And the new conspiracism has shifted from your fringes towards the center of government with the election of Donald Trump. In Lots of people SAY, Russell Muirhead and Nancy Rosenblum present how the new conspiracism differs from traditional conspiracy theory, why so few officials speak truth to about A Lot of FOLKS ARE Saying: THE BRAND NEW Conspiracism as well as the Assault on Democracy conspiracy, and what must be done to resist it.

Classic conspiracy theory insists that things aren’t what they seem and gathers evidence-especially facts ominously withheld by recognized sources-to tease out secret machinations. The new conspiracism differs. There is no demand for evidence, no dots revealed to create a design, no close examination of shadowy plotters. Dispensing with the responsibility of explanation, the new conspiracism imposes its fact through repetition (exemplified from the Trump catchphrase ‘a large amount of people are stating’) and bare assertion (‘rigged!’).

The new conspiracism targets democratic foundations-political parties and knowledge-producing institutions. It creates it more difficult to argue, persuade, negotiate, compromise, as well as to disagree. Eventually, it delegitimates democracy.

Filled with stunning examples, Lots of people Are Saying diagnoses a defining and disorienting feature of today’s politics and will be offering a guide to responding to the threat.