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Super Bowl LVIII saw the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers, setting a record as the most viewed American television event ever, partly thanks to the attention from Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce’s relationship with pop icon Taylor Swift. Their connection not only drew in a wider audience to watch the game, but also ignited the fury of right-wing conspiracy theorists, fueled by both celebrities’ public stances.

Leading up to the game, Fox News host Jesse Watters baselessly speculated that Swift was a Pentagon “psy-op” asset, suggesting the Super Bowl was rigged to favor the Chiefs and indirectly support Joe Biden for the 2024 election. Some people who bought into this theory, including former Congressional candidate and media host Mike Crispi, claimed that Swift would endorse Biden after the victory.

After the Chiefs won the game in overtime, the party endorsement people were waiting for did not happen; Swift celebrated the victory by kissing her boyfriend in front of cameras and made no mention of any political candidates.

In the aftermath of the Chiefs’ win, and despite being debunked, the conspiracy continued to spread. A poll created by Monmouth University revealed that nearly nearly one in five Americans believed the Super Bowl was rigged in favor of the Chiefs, highlighting the pervasive nature of such conspiracies.

Yet, just days later, theorists had already moved on to the next topic. They were then spewing the quickly debunked claim that the shooting of the Houston Lakewood Church was carried out by a transgender woman and that her gender identity was related to the attack.

In the swirling vortex of American politics and media, conspiracy theories present a deeply troublesome spectacle. This dissonance from reality is not just a matter of ideological rifts but signifies a deeper, more systemic alienation from mainstream societal values and institutions — spreading a culture of persecution against anyone and anything that does not fit their narrative.

Throughout history, conspiracy theories have been used to attack or malign people sharing different identities. In the early 20th century, for example, a fabricated manual detailing “global Jewish domination” caused widespread antisemitic attacks and pogroms across the Russian Empire.

In philosophical terms, humans are often driven more by instinct than by rational decision making. This instinct, in turn, can be exploited when those carrying specific interests abuse this instinct by shaping perceptions through emotionally charged, and usually negative, associations which are rarely based in reality.

Beliefs in conspiracy theories have also been explained under the grounds of political psychology, seen as means for the disgruntled to interpret world events in a way that can be justifiable in their own terms. “Anyone can seek out conspiracy theories if they have psychological needs that are not being met at any particular time,” said Karen Douglas, a social psychology professor at the University of Kent and a leading expert in researching conspiracy theories.

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It is important to note that despite media coverage, belief in conspiracy theories have not dramatically increased. Joseph Uscinski, a political scientist from the University of Miami, argues that most evidence that paints a dark picture over the expansion of conspiracy theories is driven by media panic and anecdotal evidence. While social media has been accused of making conspiracy theories more popular than ever, studies have shown that only a small fraction of conspiracy theories increased in belief levels in recent years.

But we also can’t simply brush the prominence of conspiracy theories under the rug. The devastating consequences of conspiracy theories driven by malicious actors are ever-present, from the “great replacement” theory resulting in multiple white supremacist attacks to the belief that the 2020 election was stolen resulting in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

The phenomenon of individuals believing in conspiracy theories, whether through genuine belief or as a performative allegiance to political identities, manifests into real-world consequences. These theories, even when not fully embraced, can sow enough doubt to influence public behavior and policy preferences. This leads to dangerous actions that catalyze significant, tangible harm to societal structures and norms.

In an era where conspiracy theories can quickly gain traction, it’s crucial for us to prioritize truth-seeking and rely on well-researched information. The spread of misinformation, as seen around events like the Super Bowl, challenges us to discern fact from fiction and resist narratives that simply “feel right.”

“We all disagree about what is true vs. misinformation, and true vs. conspiracy theory,” says Uscinski, “we are often convinced that we are right and others are wrong. However, we can’t all be right. This applies to all people, not just conspiracy theorists.”

Allen Huang is a second year Media Studies masters student. He can be reached at xhuang49@syr.edu.

Published on February 19, 2024 at 12:36 am