A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy – Russell Muirhead, Nancy Rosenblum – 2019, Princeton University Press
What the Book Explores
Russell Muirhead and Nancy Rosenblum’s A Lot of People Are Saying examines a contemporary form of conspiracism that differs significantly from traditional models. The authors identify a shift from conspiracies positing hidden control by a small group (like the Illuminati) to a more diffuse and amorphous sense that ‘a lot of people are saying’ something is true, often without specifying who those people are or what evidence supports the claims. This “diffuse public opinion” acts as a substitute for evidence and reason, undermining trust in institutions and fueling political polarization.
Historical / Cultural Context
Published in 2019, this work arose in response to the increasingly visible spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories during the 2016 US presidential election and its aftermath. While conspiracy theories have always existed, Muirhead and Rosenblum argue that the digital age, particularly social media, has facilitated a new environment where claims can circulate rapidly, bypassing traditional gatekeepers of information. This is not simply about false beliefs, but a fundamental change in how people assess truth and legitimacy. The book connects to a long history of anxieties about public opinion, mass manipulation, and the erosion of rational discourse, stretching back to the origins of democratic thought. It also builds on scholarship concerning the psychological drivers of belief in conspiracy, while highlighting the distinct features of this new “networked conspiracism.”
Who This Book Is For
This book is suited for readers interested in political science, media studies, sociology, and the psychology of belief. It is accessible to a general audience but provides a nuanced and scholarly analysis of a complex phenomenon. The authors do not focus on the *content* of specific conspiracies but on the *process* by which they gain traction and exert influence. Readers seeking an understanding of the current state of political discourse and the challenges to democratic institutions will find this a valuable resource.
Further Reading
- Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy (2003): Offers a broader historical and theoretical overview of conspiracy theories.
- Cass Sunstein, #Republic: Divided Democracy in the Age of Social Media (2017): Explores the impact of social media on political polarization.
- Daniel Allcott and David Broockman, “Beyond Polarization” (2021): Examines the limits of polarization as an explanatory factor in the spread of misinformation.
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