The New Heretics

Understanding the Conspiracy Theories Polarizing the World

Andy Thomas

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Paperback

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English

Watkins
16 March 2022

Society & Social Sciences; Globalization; Conspiracy theories; Human rights; Civil rights & citizenship

This is the most balanced and well-reasoned investigation available into why people believe today's highly divisive conspiracy theories, from COVID and QAnon to 5G scares, fake news and more.

Through their part in some huge controversies, conspiracy theorists are being branded the Number One Enemies of our times - the new heretics. They are seen to threaten the very fabric of modern society, spreading doubts and fears that result in Washington Capitol invasions, transmission mast burnings or the spread of anti-vaxx material. Yet the theorists prefer to call themselves ""truth seekers"" and see the mainstream establishment as the real disruptor, treating its increasingly harsh censorship as direct validation of their views.

In truth, the new heretics, whose numbers are swelling, are symptoms of a wider polarization splitting apart much of the world in ideological divisions. Many have lost trust in politicians and the media, while nuanced debate is crushed and information overload and manipulation breeds uncertainty, civil unrest and mental health issues. How does the age old strategy of divide-and-rule play out in such an environment?

Using his extensive experience of negotiating disputes between cynics and truth seekers, Andy Thomas explores the proliferation of conspiracy thinking, peeling back unhelpful layers of biased thinking on all sides to find more insightful ways to bridge the polarised divides and create a better way forward.

By: Andy Thomas
Imprint: Watkins
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: 0th New edition
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 135mm,
Weight: 367g
ISBN: 9781786785763
ISBN 10: 1786785765
Pages: 464
Publication Date: 16 March 2022
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Andy Thomas is one of the world's leading researchers into conspiracy theories and unexplained mysteries. His many books include Conspiracies, praised for its balanced and comprehensive exploration of conspiracy theories through the ages, The Truth Agenda, which explores paranormal phenomena and cover-ups and Vital Signs, the definitive guide to the crop circle controversy. Andy lectures widely around the globe and appears regularly on TV and radio.

Reviews for The New Heretics: Understanding the Conspiracy Theories Polarizing the World

I cannot recommend this new work highly enough; in fact it's a ray of light and should be required reading in all secondary schools ... Buy it, read it and learn. - Brian Allan, Phenomena magazine The New Heretics will become the go-to book for a new way of thinking about the world and our progress in it. - Marcus Allen, UK publisher of Nexus magazine Thomas serves up a banquet of ideas on the profound impact of digitalisation, the death of debate, censorship and the nature of scientific inquiry, asking questions that leave you stumped. - Saffron Swire, Reaction The New Heretics opens broad conversations and looks beyond unhelpful layers of bias to try to bridge the divides between humans and find more insightful ways for us to communicate with each other and move forward together. - Cygnus Review Essential reading in our dangerously compromised times, The New Heretics is exceptionally well-informed and has that hard-to-put-down quality that confirms it as a must-read for anyone interested in the bewildering state of Western culture and society today. It's level-headed, wise and deeply insightful. - Medium.com review