February 26, 2012
Why are Pakistanis so vulnerable to conspiracy theories?
Omar Ali in Viewpoint:
I am saying that people in Pakistan do not just believe in wild conspiracy theories because they are un-informed or illiterate (in fact, that last chestnut is clearly false, the biggest believers are all literate). Neither do they do so just because they are powerless or because their traditional worldview is collapsing in front of their eyes or because they already believe in an all-powerful deity. All those may be factors, but let us not forget one more reason they believe in wild conspiracy theories: because their leaders of public opinion tell them it is so. In other words, the widespread belief in conspiracy theories is itself a conspiracy; a small group of men (it is always men) pick up the juiciest theories from some idiot American website (usually a White supremacist or paranoid brain-dead Leftie website) and spread them far and wide in the land of the pure. They plant them as stories on their websites. Then they get their own “news” outlets to pick up these stories, quoting their own websites as sources. Then they get their opinion leaders to repeat these conspiracies, using the media and the websites as sources if needed. There is, in short, a conspiracy to spread these conspiracy theories.
So it is that we find that large sections of the Pakistani middle class believe that everything that is wrong with Pakistan is due to a Hinjew conspiracy against Pakistan.
More here.
Posted by S. Abbas Raza at 09:07 AM | Permalink
Comments
It ain't just a Pakistani phenomenon, although its prediliction seems more concentrated there than in other non-Arab Muslim countries like Indonesia or Bangladesh; perhaps due to their near complete rejection of their roots? The late Gov. Taseer was an urbane, educated man who was no friend of the Generals or even particularly religious, and yet he was just as prone to conspiracy theories according to his (estranged) son.
I have Indian Muslim friends who are "Westernized" in every manner, but who believe that 9-11 was a Jewish conspiracy and that Rushdie has it coming because he should have known better. The Khillafat massacres and pogroms took place in Kerala in south India; far removed and distant from Turkey where the Caliphate was rumored to be restored. There are absurd conspiracy theorists in every society, but very few of them routinely act them out in a violent manner or accept this recourse.
Posted by: Sam | Feb 26, 2012 1:50:29 PM
Pervasive delusional paranoia as a streak of the national psyche of Pakistan is ascribed to corrupt leaders; right wing websites in the US; left wing websites in the US; and/or the Mossad. I'd say the writer left out pixies and trolls.
Posted by: Erich | Feb 26, 2012 6:34:31 PM
The mainstream newspapers print blame the US and India for everything. So, don't just blame the loonies on websites.
Posted by: Jamal | Feb 26, 2012 6:50:18 PM
Conspiracy theory (Wiki): The term is frequently used by scholars and in popular culture to identify secret military, banking, or political actions aimed at "stealing" power, money, or freedom, from "the people".
I will not go into too much detail as Omar will get a chance to say "I told you so". But no one will deny that the world is run by the rich and powerful who exploit the poor in the name of freedom, religion, ideology or security, whatever suits the history and culture of that particular society at a particular point in time. The term "Conspiracy theory" itself is a trick to belie any serious discussion on the matter.
Posted by: Raza | Feb 26, 2012 8:16:14 PM
conspiracy theories, irrespective of the countries, make their way into minds where people lack access to education, research and awareness. Naive people are befooled and exploited by politicians or utilitirion religious leaders for their vested interests. For example, In underdeveloped and developing countries, it is very easy to steer people on name of religion, nationalism and superstitions; and this is what power politician, be it rightest or leftist, do all the time.
Posted by: Shafiq Haider Virk | Feb 27, 2012 11:02:02 AM
Here is an eminent Pakistani physicist promoting "conspiracy theories": http://www.mujahidkamran.com/articles.php
Posted by: Levantine | Feb 27, 2012 12:15:40 PM
Levantine, my point exactly. its not about "literacy". Mujahid Kamran is a competent physicist and look at what he is peddling...No illiterate person could come up with his international bankers of Zion theory.
Posted by: omar | Feb 27, 2012 12:28:37 PM
Omar, you are of course aware of the tradition/legend that the Pashtuns of Afghanistan and Pakistan are descendants of the Lost Tribes of the Israelites.
That aside, I trust you are being sarcastic in your invented super-cospiracy theory about the Mossad running India. The intelligence and militatry relations between Israel and India are of relatively recent origin - in Mrs. Ghandi's day, India was Soviet-aligned, if anything.
The Jew bogeyman has long been used in Arab countries to keep the minds of the populace too busy to see how their own corrupt and murderous regimes have been robbing and killing them, and it still persists after the superficial 'Arab Spring'
http://xmb.stuffucanuse.com/xmb/viewthread.php?tid=8157
Posted by: aguy109 | Feb 28, 2012 3:37:01 AM
Of course I am being sarcastic. But "they" are not. Hinjew is an actual term, used regularly on paknationalist websites. Google Zaid Hamid.
Posted by: omar | Feb 28, 2012 10:25:03 AM
Its because most theories are true
From Black water in pakistan
To secret deal on drones
To the role if CIA killing scientist in iran
Or indian embassy in afghanistan fuding terror in pakistan confiremed by wikileaks
So your the one that is naive
As for the comment about blaming india and US. The mainstream media in pakistan is controlled by a small westernized elite who love india and america. So thats just ignrant
Conspiracy theories are juat facts its nothing to do with men going on white supremacists site. Affter all the internet is global.
Is it a conspiracy theory to say bush knew about 9/11 in advance and did nothing if a muslim says it. But if a white person writes a book about it becomes fact
Posted by: Hamza | Nov 14, 2012 1:17:42 PM
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