Cory Doctorow had an interview in German ZEIT Online on conspiracies in times of the coronavirus crises (no English version that I know of, try some online translation if interested).
Since I’m obviously too dumb to figure out how to reach him directly, I have to resort to give you guys a heads-up.
There’s a nice tendency in German online media to talk about Conspiracy Myths and no longer of -theories, which is long overdue in my mind.
It’s Conspiracy Myth not -theory!
A theory is subject to logic and falsification.
Both of which is manifestly not the case with all the assorted gunk of chem trails, lizard overlords, birtherism, anti-vaxxers — and any of Donald Trumps hissy fits when reacting to inconvenient truths
Don’t elevate nonsense by using the wrong language!
Now I realize that “Verschwörungsmythen” rolls off the tongue in German a bit more easily that conspiracy myths in English. But I’d venture to ask you to give it a try.
At the very least — call it anything but ‘-theory’.
They are conspiracy myths.