I have a new side-project, which may go nowhere; I’m working on a relational map of Aotearoa conspiracy theories. Here’s a really simple first pass, which was basically me learning to use the mind-mapping software.
Feel free to suggest amendments.
The map now has its own page here.
Comments
Interesting…I imagine such a mind map would end up rather tangled eventually. You mentioned once that such propensities to ‘collect conspiracies’ might be superficial grandstanding, but wouldn’t such attempts involve mapping more a pathology of the mind/culture?
Well, I’m doing this for two reasons. The first is that I want to create a convoluted map that I can then recreate on the wall of an office someday to make me look as crazy as possible. The second is that it is quite good research for an eventual book on conspiracy theories in Aotearoa.
Haha! The first reason is sound and good. Are you contemplating such a book then? BTW when I said ‘collecting conspiracies’ I ment the conspiracy theorists tending to collect/be attracted to more than one, rather than you (the conspiracy theory theorist) collecting their collections…now i’m lost.
I’m quite tempted to work on such a book after the thesis is submitted. I’m also finding the connections (and lack of connections, in some cases) fascinating between the disparate conspiracy theories. I need to see what connection, if any, there really is between Ian Wishart and Greg Hallett, for example.
Great stuff. I have some information design suggestions if your want to drop me a line. The biggest would be to drop the central red box and use individuals to link theories, with thin linking lines colour-coded. Lots of potential for a fabulous wall poster if you can untangle the affiliations. But perhaps they can never be untangled…
I suspect the beauty of a map like this is just how tangled the various theories really are. Still, you’re right that I don’t need the central box. I’ll drop you a line on the morrow.
It seems that the mind-mapping software I’m using to make this map (Xmind) doesn’t let you not have a central topic. I’m going to need some other piece of software to do the relational map. Suggestions, people?