THE ARTIST ON THE CHARACTER OF THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST

THE ARTIST: When profiling dissenters and conspiracy theorists, government adopt a number of different tactics to discredit individuals. By manipulating social systems in such a way that critics are seen as outsiders and untrustworthy, ruling powers enjoy greater levels of control. I have investigated the profiling of such people and THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST has adopted certain traits in order to explore surveillance and corruption.

Child-like
In many cases a lack of development and tendency to jump to conclusions without relevant evidence has characterised the portrayal of conspiracy theorists. The idea that they are making up ideas to make the world more exciting and interesting has direct, relatable parallels  to childhood imaginary games and make-believe. This is why I constructed such a crude, unprotected den as a 'set' using the same methods and material which I would have done in childhood. Much as the inside of a den became a haven of secrecy, with entry denied via the closed sheets, personal authority and signs on the door, it mimics that of a larger operational building, though on a much reduced scale. Ultimately, however, its flaws are self evident. Other than social construct, there is no physical barrier preventing entrance to the den and THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST was not available for 24 hour supervision.

THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST: This is why I installed a CCTV camera outside of the den.

THE ARTIST: (pause)

Isolated
By constructing a den and providing a barrier to contact with other students, as well as not disclosing the details of my project, I was able to fabricate a sense of isolation when working. This was a direct feeder to the latter point. By making critics feel isolated and alone, governments have successfully been able to manipulate journalism and prevent societies and movements from forming. An excellent example of this was the National Security Association's smear campaign against civil and personal liberties campaigners, such as the civil rights and feminist movement of the latter half of the nineteenth century. By targeting individuals, and accusing them of defamatory activity enabled them to divide movements and quash support.

Paranoid
Another key element of the work I have created this term, the fears and anxieties which people verbalise relating to government activity and surveillance is all too often depicted in the media as far-fetched and unreasonable. Suggestions of madness and extreme paranoia have also been used to utterly disregard and subvert the message of those trying to expose them. Though this may be to some extent the case, as it was with the instance of Milton William Cooper, this is often a deeply effective method. He was often portrayed as a conspiracy theorist of unsound mind, including belief in the US government's contact and negotiation with aliens and a secret race of lizard-like shape-shifting alien people. These facts are often used to offset or even replace more credible theories and Cooper was no exception. In the year of 9/11 Cooper predicted a large tragedy with an extraordinary number of parallels to 9/11. Convinced the US government would instigate an act of mass domestic terrorism and set up Osama Bin Laden and justify a 'War on Terror'. The fact he predicted so many elements of 9/11 is quite intriguing, yet on many of the top search results for him it makes no mention of these revelations, nor speculate upon the unusual circumstance of his death at the hands of police days before the attacks took place. While such speculation remains mere conspiracy and does not provide a full or accurate account by any means, it is interesting to note the tone of bias which is used against such people and which is instrumental in segregating them from 'normal', 'functional' society.