LF350 Andy Thomas – The New Heretics: Understanding the Conspiracy Theories Polarizing the World

Andy Thomas discusses his book The New Heretics: Understanding the Conspiracy Theories Polarizing the World. Listen to the full show on Legalise Freedom Dot Com Through their part in some huge controversies, conspiracy theorists are being branded the number one enemies of our times – the new heretics. They are seen to threaten the very fabric of modern society, spreading doubts and fears that result in Washington Capitol invasions, transmission mast burnings, or the spread of anti-vaccine material. Yet the theorists prefer to call themselves ‘truth seekers’ and see the mainstream establishment as the real disruptor, treating its increasingly harsh censorship as direct validation of their views. In truth, the new heretics, whose numbers are swelling, are symptoms of a wider polarization splitting apart much of the world in ideological divisions. Many have lost trust in politicians and the media, while nuanced debate is crushed and information overload and manipulation breeds uncertainty, civil unrest, and mental health issues. How does the age old strategy of divide-and-rule play out in such an environment? Along the way we examine the links between 9/11 and the Covid Crisis, the role of technology in making matters even worse, and the potential outcomes if governments and media simply refuse to engage with those they view as dangerous fringe elements Previous interview with Andy Thomas