![]() Since the '60s, things have become increasingly complex. It is not mere coincidence that this new perspective emerged at a time of civil unrest and calls for justice, factors that mirror today's world. Symbolic Interactionism rose to prominence in the 1960s, amidst calls for an engaged sociology that could speak to people's lived experiences. ![]() Sociology is well poised to offer a counter-narrative which is practical, compelling, and reaches a wide swath of people. In a world in which individual experience is prioritized - through complex individualized algorithms, machine learning, and now artificial intelligence - there is the potential for optimism. Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter The Vulgar Scientist. They are, or were, masters of the narrative. While ideologically these figures are vastly different, what made them formidable public figures was their ability to offer up compelling narratives not only about the state of the world, but also to offer a vision of the way the world ought to look moving forward. ![]() However, well-crafted narratives were also key by figures like Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump, and Adolf Hitler. Kennedy as part of their communicative strategy. They were also used instrumental tools used by social movement organizers like Martin Luther King, Jr., and John F. Narratives are powerful tools which can be used to move people to action. Interpretive sociology and symbolic interactionism offers a framework that argues for the importance of narratives and stories in making sense of our everyday lives. The work done in these fields is key to undoing the damage of things like QAnon. Conspiracy theorists offer simple solutions to social problems, while science often does not typically offer comparably compelling narratives that might thwart these ideas.įortunately, our ability to understand conspiracy theories is not an obscure art - there are entire fields devoted to it. ![]() Common sentiments among those involved with QAnon include feelings of loneliness, suffering, concern for the future, and an overall sense that something isn't right in the world. This is partially because these alternative belief systems are crafted in a way that exploits the real human suffering that exists in society. The work done in these fields is key to undoing the damage of things like QAnon.Īttempts to debunk and debate conspiracy theorists often do not resolve divisions. Our ability to understand conspiracy theories is not an obscure art - there are entire fields devoted to it. QAnon was an example of this - it effectively folded many different facets of American life into one narrative that seemed absurd to outsiders. One of the ways conspiracy theorists and figures pushing falsifiable narratives are able to attract adherents to their belief system is by offering compelling narratives that tapped into the fears and desires of the public. There's no doubt that new technologies have sped up the rate and reach of "alternative beliefs." But just because an idea is available for public consumption doesn't mean that people will necessarily adopt those ideas. Many social scientists and journalists are quick to paint a narrative which blames social media and other new communications technologies. ![]() Wright Mills argued in " The Sociological Imagination," when large sectors of a society each experience social problems, it indicates not a personal failure on anyone's part rather, it points to underlying problems in the makeup and structure of society. My response is that we need to look for the underlying social conditions that makes beliefs in these ideas not only plausible alternatives to individuals, but widely popular. QAnon was successful because it had an evangelical component that encouraged individuals to recruit others to the movement.Īs someone who researches conspiracy theories, I'm often asked why people believe in fantastical ideas. ![]()
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