The Sandy Hook families are currently, at time of writing, pursuing legal damages against Alex Jones. It is apparent that Jones did not actually believe that the shooting was staged (effectively he has admitted as such), but rather apparently promoted this conspiracy to attract listener and viewership to his extreme right wing Infowars media platform. The Sandy Hook families have claimed that his conspiracy theories where a “profit-driven campaign”. Jones now claims that he no longer believes the shooting was staged. This is an example of Machiavellian influencers who foster conspiracy theories amongst their gullible followers, who then believe them without question or logical consideration, and then cause harm to out-groups.
Conspiracy theories cause damage by casting doubt on information provided by experts and leaders by framing these experts and scientists as “baffled” at best and fraudulent and malicious at worst. They foster division between groups and the leaders and experts in these groups. These beliefs can be harmful, even fatal, when groups of people rush down the “rabbit-hole” of myopic belief. As with the perpetrators of violence at the Capital on January 6th and in the case of those who perpetrate conspiracy theories for personal gain, those who foster conspiracy theories that cause damage are increasingly being treated as criminals.
The organizational damage of conspiracy
Everything we have described about conspiracy theories to this point has been in the context of a country or society. However, anyone who has worked in a large organization has likely experienced the problem of extreme gossiping. In her insight-filled account of women working in 1970s organizations, Rosabeth Kanter (1977) identifies the gossip network in most organizations as being the primary way in which women working as secretaries and clerks communicate with one another. Furthermore, these women (without much formal power) often can influence their bosses (who do hold formal power), by having access to this gossip network (which often contains information that is not meant for public consumption).
While the face-to-face gossip network of the 1970s has been replaced in recent years by the introduction of the computer (and the departure of secretaries and clerks), there is still a powerful network operating in most organizations that provide the powerless members of the organization with some power. This network might even help keep an organization agile and responsive to fast changing conditions. We find in many developmental analyses of communities, that “natural networks” often help those living in the community to receive and deliver help, while also obtaining the “true” information needed for the delivery or reception of support.
There is the other side of the gossip network. It can also contribute to formation of intra-organizational conspiracies. It seems that gossiping has many of the hallmarks and origins of conspiracy theories—and as a result can have damaging results. Indeed, as business consultants, both of us have experienced the damaging effects of “conspiratorial gossiping” in workplace environments. In one case, for instance, it was an individual leader (similar to the role world leaders play in stimulating conspiracy theories for their own malevolent objectives) in an international energy company, fostering false stories about other leaders and their intentions. The results were extremely damaging to the people and the project. Moreover, research has demonstrated that when an employee is bullied in the workplace, they are much more susceptible to believing conspiracy theories (Staloch, nd).
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