Between 2008 and 2010, Matthew Dentith first joined 95bFM’s Simon Pound, then José Barbosa, on Sunday mornings to talk about conspiracy theories. Listen, as they say, again!
Well, yes, for long time listeners this was a bit recap-y on the previous one, but Simon and I were developing our rapport and sometimes that means asking questions you already know the answer to, you know?
Good. New and original content next time. As you may have heard (or about to) I’m presenting a recent (i.e. very contemporary) Conspiracy Theory in a fortnight. Suggestions?
The Dentith Files
Our resident conspiracy theory expert, Matthew Dentith, talks to Simon about whether he himself is a conspiracy theorist, how conspiracy theories compare to more mainstream explanations, and the CIA not really being as secretive as we make out in the movies.
In a fortnight Matthew will be giving us a run-down on the biggest or most interesting conspiracy going on right now!
Comments
How about the recent internet cable breaks?
Articles refuting the conspiracy theory:
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10653963&fsrc=RSS
http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/cable-cut-fever/
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/02/who-cut-the-cab.html
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/02/fourth_undersea.html
Articles spreading the theory:
http://cryptome.org/cable-cuts.htm
http://www.cyberspaceorbit.com/ConnectingTheDots.htm
How about the recent internet cable breaks?
Articles refuting the conspiracy theory:
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10653963&fsrc=RSS
http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/2008/02/07/cable-cut-fever/
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/02/who-cut-the-cab.html
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2008/02/fourth_undersea.html
Articles spreading the theory:
http://cryptome.org/cable-cuts.htm
http://www.cyberspaceorbit.com/ConnectingTheDots.htm
Alternatively there is also Trevor Paglen, who is an experimental geographer that gathers information in clever ways on classified U.S. operations. Not really a conspiracy theory, but he does raise the question that is at the heart of the epistemology of conspiracy (conspiracy in the sense of keeping something hidden) where he states “How do we study something that doesn’t exist? Something that must stay hidden?”
More here: http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2008/02/trevor-paglen-works-at-the.php
Thanks for that. As someone will attest to, as soon as I heard about the cable problems in the Middle East I said there would be conspiracy theories galore about it.
The Paglen link is great; I know of him but (as is always the way) hadn’t yet got round to looking him up. The problem with this field (I say, putting on a grumpy old man’s voice) is that there is too much going in it and never enough time to catch up with it.
Of course, if I didn’t spend so much time procrastinating that wouldn’t be an issue.