Conspiracy theorists are on the rise in Colorado

If coronavirus made toilet paper a hot commodity, conspiracy theorists may soon leave us with a growing shortage of aluminum foil.

Conspiracy theories in Colorado used to be (almost) fun. From wild tales of a 32-foot demon stallion nicknamed Blucifer, to decades of speculation on airport tunnels, the Illuminati, hidden secrets of mountain defense centers and more, Coloradans have long demonstrated a proclivity for, well, creative thinking. But as several extreme conspiracy theorists hit the ballot box this November, suddenly it feels neither creative nor funny.

The rapid growth of conspiracy theories to mainstream consumption has more than a few experts worried. Rooted in non-falsifiable, anti-science sentiments, conspiracy theories have typically remained on the fringe. Yet research shows that erosion of trust in public institutions and general political instability can instigate the acceptance of conspiracy theories as individuals desperately seek to regain control during uncertain times. With political instability and erosion of institutional trust at an all time high, alongside technology that rapidly and indiscriminately can spread false information, America has become primed for such fringes to take hold.

In Colorado, we’re reaping what has been sown. Although overall numbers remain relatively low, at least for now, extreme conspiracy theorists have landed. In 2018, Colorado became the host of the Flat Earth International Convention, a society for those who incomprehensibly believe the Earth is flat. In 2019, a far-right wing circular, which regularly espouses conspiracy theories, was spotted in the mainstream news racks at the Colorado Capitol. By 2020, QAnon supporters have routinely marched in protest, all in addition to the state being home to some of the nation’s strongest anti-vaccination, natural remedy and 5G conspiracists. Yet none of these groups had any real power — until now.

Read more: https://coloradonewsline.com/2020/09/02/conspiracy-theorists-are-on-the-rise-in-colorado/