Intertextuality: How Sociological Concepts Can Be Applied to Critical Analysis of Conspiracy Theories
I had the opportunity to take SOCIOL 1B, an introductory course to the discipline of sociology. A particularly interesting and relevant topic that we learned in SOCIOL 1B was the social analysis of group behaviors and dynamics. The dynamic of the in-group, a social group we belong to, and the out-group, a social group we do not belong to, presents itself in almost every rhetorical technique of conspiracy theories.
Figure 2. A portion of a sociology presentation on group dynamics.
Additionally, research have consistently shown that even arbitrary group distinctions can trigger in-group versus out-group processes, such as ethnocentrism. This characteristic makes the in/out group dynamic, also called the "us-vs-them" mentality, incredibly easy to exploit by conspiracy theorists.
Figure 3. This is a comic showing how a small difference (i.e., being in different schools) can caused people to favor the community in which they belong and discriminates against another community. This tendency to discriminates against an outside group is also a major genre convention in many conspiracy theories. For example, QAnon, as a conspiracy theory, characterizes most liberal institutions as evil and part of a "cabal." However, as also noted in this comic, interactions with the outside group will often reveal that they are not so different and often are very good people, too.
Connecting this to the topic of WR39B, the rhetorical function for much of recent conspiracy theories is to foment this kind of in-group vs out-group conflict by emphasizing the even minor differences between groups of people and creatively illustrate a perceived opposition group as nefarious in some ways.
These knowledge from SOCIOL 1B also allowed me to see and analyze certain rhetorical techniques and genre convention employed by conspiracy theorist much more readily and at a deeper level. It also served as a starting point for my research during the process of crafting my GA. I was able to utilize concepts such as proportionality bias and group cohesion to further my analysis of conspiracy genre conventions. In a way, the rhetoric of conspiracy theories is just the rhetoric of group, and sociology provided a strong basic explanation of group mechanics I can rely on to expand my GA.
Another concept I learned from sociology that contributed greatly to my analysis of conspiracy theories throughout WR39B is groupthink. As I explained in a short summary of groupthink (in the passage attached below), the concept describes a phenomenon where an individual, or a group of individuals, felt compelled to align their opinion with the consensus of the larger group.
Figure 4. My short passage on groupthink.
The effects of groupthink are always detrimental, even more so when the group is led by a charismatic leader. The feeling of community provided in a group under the influence of groupthink gives said group a strength in number, where they become able to act on potential false and harmful belief in a way an individual can not. I was able to draw a connection between how Birds Aren't Real and many other conspiracies exploited this in-group mechanics from sociology to create a sense community in its follower. This allowed me to show, in my GA, how the January 6th capital riot is an example of groupthink induced by conspiratorial rhetoric coming from charismatic figures such as former President Trump and Alex Jones.
Figure 5. An excerpt from my GA, where I analyzed how Birds Aren't Real and QAnon uses the same rhetorics to achieve the ultimate purpose of fostering a sense of community in there audience. This sense of community is crucial in the spread and maintenance of any conspiracy theories as a conspiracy is only as real as the amount of people that believes and supports it.
As a side note: While these previous knowledge has served me well in preparing for a more complex analysis of genre conventions, it could also be detrimental as I overburden my essay with outside information. The process of writing the GA has allowed to see where my writing become too cumbersome and comments from peers and the professor has helped me distribute my ideas throughout my GA more effectively.