Like George Monbiot, I am puzzled by the contradiction of likeable, otherwise rational people who promote conspiracy fantasies (‘You’re going to call me a Holocaust denier now, are you?’: George Monbiot comes face to face with his local conspiracy theorist, 4 May). George’s explanation that they lack rigour in trying to make sense of the world is a good one, but on its own insufficient for such a varied “community”.
There are probably many overlapping reasons. My favourite, ironically, is that there is a real, but probably diffuse conspiracy by rightwing activists to sow the seeds of distrust, fear and division at a time of political upheaval in order to garner support for populist solutions. In recruiting those who “lack rigour” to this worldview, they also convince them that they are special, almost anointed (there is a frequent cross-over with fundamental Christianity).
