Pennington County, South Dakota, a mountain with four male faces carved into it. Four United States presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln. Its sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, called it the Shrine of Democracy, but for a few people, this monument depicts a daunting threat.
Their presidencies are certainly not the only similarity these men share; most of them hold a unique connection to the Freemasons, including the artist himself. Washington and Roosevelt were active Freemasons. Lincoln applied to join but later withdrew to avoid the allegation that it was a political stunt to win votes for his presidential election. Borglum was not only an active freemason of high rank but also faced strong allegations of being associated with the Ku Klux Klan. What was claimed to be a patriotic art project was soon interpreted as a symbol of power, a demonstration of superiority, and perhaps even a threat.
But who exactly are the Freemasons to turn a stone memorial into something ominous?
Freemasons, often referred to as the oldest secular fraternity, can be traced back to 14th-century stonemason guilds. Organised through local, independent Lodges governed by a provincial or national Grand Lodge, they hold discussions, perform ceremonies and undertake further activities. While the majority of these activities fall under an oath of secrecy, membership is often not concealed; on the contrary, many take pride in their affiliation with an ancient secret brotherhood, offering association with many influential men throughout the past centuries.
Not only several US presidents but musicians like Mozart and Bach, writers such as Twain, Wilde and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, businessmen like Henry Ford, multiple European princes and kings, scientists like Fleming and influential figures such as J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI, disclosed their allegiance to the Freemasons. An influential and powerful array of men bound by a secret society, concealing their activities.
When uncertainty meets an inequality of power, conspiracy theories sprout without further ado. Who else but the Freemasons arranged Kennedy’s assassination? Of course, humanoid reptiles have found cover in this secret society. And on top of that, they are also working with NASA to hide the fact that the Earth is flat!
If then a sculptor associated with the brotherhood starts carving the faces of power into stone, soon hovering above the people, interpretation and imagination run wild.
Not an isolated incident, though. Conspiracy theories are omnipresent nowadays, with the internet connecting like-minded people who fuel their common theories, explaining the increasingly fast-paced world through false narratives. From chemtrails actually being chemicals sprayed by the government to control its citizens, explanations of mysterious disappearances and deaths, to false flagging, assuming the government’s involvement in attacks, but designing it to look like a different party carried it out. Many theories frame the governments as the evil antagonist, reflecting the societal trend of increasing unhappiness and loss of trust in governments.
Will these theories earn your enthusiastic nod? Probably not. But why do they resonate so strongly with others?
Psychologists consider these thoughts to be rooted in the need for control and certainty. If you feel uncertain and impotent, you are more likely to commit to conspiratorial thinking. A feeling of isolation, social exclusion, and alienation can further ignite this commitment to soothing but false tales. The more far-reaching the alienation, the more likely individuals are to suspect a conspiracy behind certain situations. Conspiratorial thinking becomes more pronounced in people who tend to antagonise others and rely heavily on their intuition. Characteristics such as egocentricity, a sense of superiority, impulsivity and manipulative proclivity make it even more likely. Insecurity, emotional sensitivity and paranoia further add intensity to the predisposition.
A wild rabbit hears a loud bang, flares its ears and registers the threat. Finding shelter in its burrow, it escapes, recollects itself, and finds comfort. Humans are not too different. Kids find comfort in their parents’ arms when something upsets them, most adults with their significant others or friends. However, some individuals report feeling socially excluded, resulting in consolation having to be found elsewhere. Pair this with an inclination to perceive threats everywhere, the creation of false narratives can act as your own burrow – A comforter specifically tailored to your worries.
Still, not only are personality traits and personal circumstances a decisive factor for propensity to conspiratorial thinking, but motivations can have a major influence as well.
Epistemologically motivated conspiracists are driven by a deep desire to understand the world. Who rules the world around us? How do these people use their power? Then again, a demand for control and security remarks existential motives. Inventing comforting narratives offers a convenient illusion of control. And if you meet other people who believe the very same thing, how could your reality have flaws? You are just ahead of the common people, a superior being perhaps. Additionally, you can be socially motivated, longing to feel good about yourself and the people you choose to surround yourself with. A commonly agreed-upon fact puts you in a bad light. How about changing the narrative?
Socialisation marks a further influential factor; being surrounded by conspiracists during your upbringing, as well as at other times in life, makes the theories more feasible. When trust is involved, how much do you question “facts” and stories you are being told?
Nonetheless, the share of people believing in event-based conspiracy theories is far higher than that of other theories. A governmental cover-up of the real happenings of 9/11 or the moon landing not actually occurring in 1969 are widespread theories also believed in by people not prone to believing more general conspiracy theories. Especially popular are events creating widespread societal disruptions, such as pandemics, wars and economic crises.
Conspiracy theories often offer an emotional shelter from reality. A reality accelerating in pace, complexity and uncertainties. Some are so daunting that even a monument carved in stone can be reimagined as a symbol of domination instead of democracy. After all, what praises democracy better than four enormous heads watching from above?
