Postmodernism as a broad intellectual, social, and literary movement is difficult to grasp and define, no more because of the deliberate wishes of some of its protagonists that the paradigm remain enigmatic. As many postmodernists question the practice and extension of meta and universal theories based on “truth” frameworks, there are obvious overlaps between postmodernism, philosophy, and the social sciences. This refers both to knowledge issues and to the products of research and literature. For postmodernism, the role, use and application of theory are not only fundamental to epistemological questions, but also have fundamental consequences in conceptions of reality.
One area that is overlooked is the relationship between conspiracy theory and postmodernism. One tenet of postmodernism, as its name directly suggests, is that the analysis of knowledge, society, and ontology requires a framework that goes beyond the universal rationalism advocated by the Enlightenment period. The Enlightenment bore the mark of the birth of Modernity, but is now dead. Therefore, we need a postmodern theory to separate the shackles of the modern period. For the sake of brevity, this generally implies contextual sensitivity and relativism as opposed to universalism and absolute truth.
Although conspiracy theories have always been present throughout history, the genesis of modern conspiracy phenomena is considered to be that of JFK. This saw the beginning of a meta-conspiracy theory in which political phenomena were not what they seemed. Behind what appears to be the establishment is a ruling elite, an organization of individuals who act as puppeteers; the royal elite behind the masked elite.
This undoubtedly gave rise, during the last forty years, to meta conspiracy theories that spanned the Illuminati, the Bilderberg Group, the Freemasons, and the New World Order. He then continued to propagate the Meta historical conspiracy theories. For example, the New World Order or the Illuminati do not control all facets of political, economic and social activity, but this plot has been deliberately designed and executed throughout history. This changes the dimension of modern conspiracy theory from being just metacausal to being historically encapsulating. This marked the beginning of new questions, not only current, but the nature and validity of history itself.
The foregoing illustrates one aspect of modern conspiracy theories subsumed by the postmodern tradition. For contemporary conspiracy theorists, we now need a philosophy and conceptual framework that goes beyond the proposals of liberalism and representative government of the Enlightenment period. This is because in the world of conspiracy theorists, the latter paradigms are patently fallacious. So we need new theories to analyze incidents like JFK, the Iraq war, 911, and observable inequalities in wealth and living standards. For the conspiracy exclaimer, old political ideologies and theories of government, society, and civil interaction are inept. Instead, the conspiracy theory serves as a better explanation for the postmodern world.
It is these arguments put forward by conspiracy theorists to accommodate the postmodern political world that, paradoxically, has its roots in the postmodern tradition. Certain aspects of postmodernism involve a renewed romanticism, the void left by the insufficient claim to universal truth and knowledge is filled by an epistemological “anything goes” tendency. In a postmodern world where scientific claims of “true knowledge” are questioned and simply labeled as social constructionism, it is the social process and practices of institutions like universities and scientists that perpetuate science as “truth”; the discourse of science for some postmodernists is filed under oppressive regimes that perpetuate universal truth.
Instead, Jacques Derrida’s notorious Deconstruction Theory comes to life vividly in the sense that not only is any subject open to interpretation, but the possibilities for interpretation are endless. In today’s world we see conspiracy theorists operating within this framework. Distrust in scientific facts and in the agents of established social institutions, especially those who endorse the official version of 911, is combined with the ability and license to observe phenomena such as 911, the Iraq war, JFK and the crisis. bank and interpret them. in any way possible. In fact, this is incredibly important to conspiracy theorists. Deconstruction theory rings true in the sense that the conspiracy theory narrative is applicable to any imaginable phenomenon. Postmodernists scream that any phenomenon is open to infinite alternative narratives and conspiracy theorists seize the opportunity.
Ironically, under the postmodern tradition, the Conspiracy Theory falls victim to its own claim and purchase of “truth” through its own self-created discourse. By rejecting the “truth” presented by established institutions, conspiracy theorists explain their own version of the “truth.” However, both opposing factions are speeches and the conspiracy theory reflects the account of the liberal government but with its own formation of “truth”.
Postmodernism under Foucault and Derrida uttered prophetic phrases as “forms of discourse of the objects they speak of” and therefore instead of “truth” remaining outside of narratives and discourses, separation is not possible. since the discourses themselves form “truth” and “reality” in a circular and intertwined manner.
This is precisely what Conspiracy Theory discourse does by proposing the “truth” behind social and political phenomena. For example, the movement called the “Truth” 911 Movement. By rejecting the modern explanation of social and political phenomena, by employing an open interpretation that does not require reference to established scientific facts, and by creating a discourse that forms “truth” and therefore a notion of “reality,” Modern conspiratorial phenomena find their foundations in postmodernism. .
