Summary: <p>Join hosts Stuart 'The Wildman' Mabbutt and William Mankelow, as they dive into a mind-bending discussion with guest Suzi Darrington, an Oxford University Crankstart student, who takes a seat in the listener's chair for this intriguing episode. The trio delve deep into the surreal world of conspiracy theories, triggered by a thought-provoking question from listener Molly in Oxford, England, who’s question is as follows:</p> <p>“Do you think the fashion for conspiracy theories is getting out of hand and what drives that? I see there is a conspiracy campaign stating that the Manchester Arena bombings were staged. With no-one killed and all the injured actually acting. I see one guy who was paralysed in the attack is being targeted on Twitter, with someone even filming him to try and prove it's all make believe. This led to victims being targeted by trolls and stalkers who buy into the conspiracy bollocks, and it could easily escalate with peoples lives being threatened. </p> <p>Maybe this whole existence thing is a scam though, maybe Twitter is all an illusion, maybe this podcast is a figment of our imagination, maybe the world is flat and we are being ruled by Aliens, and maybe those idiots who believe in conspiracy theories are just computer generated players in a childish computer game being played by aliens who live at the centre of the Sun? Sorry, feeling sarcastic!!! </p> <p>People have access to alternative media now and want something away from the mainstream. Does that open the vulnerable up to weird conspiracy suggestions, even if they think they are strong minded. I think this conspiracy fashion reveals that biologically humanity hasn’t evolved much at all for thousands of years. We might be evolving technology wise, but intellectually I despair”.</p> <p>In this episode, the hosts examine the ever-growing influence of conspiracy theories in today's world. Suzi kicks things off by noting how these theories are finding a foothold in mainstream discourse. She explores the correlation between the rise of conspiracy theories and the pay-for-privileges trend on Twitter. This, she suggests, amplifies these ideas, creating a deceptive illusion of widespread belief.</p> <p>William contributes by highlighting the role of YouTube's algorithm in perpetuating the popularity of topics like flat earth theory. Stuart shares his personal YouTube experience, puzzling over the algorithm's mysterious connections—or lack thereof—between recommended content and his interests.</p> <p>Suzi draws parallels to the past, recounting the Gamergate phenomenon where gaming content led young boys into misogynistic content. The episode unpacks how such content acts as a gateway to more extremist ideologies, often fueled by the 'manosphere' and the cult of alpha males.</p> <p>Stuart raises a critical point: can the entire blame be placed on algorithms? William concurs, highlighting the longstanding existence of conspiracy theories. As the hosts navigate these complex topics, they analyse how these theories can drive wedges in societies, and prey on the susceptible.</p> <p>What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to <a href="mailto:thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com">thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com</a></p> <p>We like to give you an ad free experience, so be assured, that will never happen. We also like our audience to be relatively small and engaged, we’re not after numbers.</p> <p>This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. </p> <p>Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends<a href="https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view"> https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view</a> , support our work through Patreon<a href="https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside"> https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside</a> or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link:<a href="https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside"> https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside</a></p> --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message
