The Search for Signs . . .of Intelligent Life?

Examining Conspirituality. Episode 3.

Strands of conspiracy theory infiltrated the wellness/spirituality paradigm gradually. Scholars Charlotte Ward and David Voas describe the resulting hybrid as “conspirituality” and show that it emerged in two phases.

Phase One initiated offline during the early 1990s and then migrated to the internet in the latter part of the decade. One of the early influencers in this space was David Icke, a British conspiracy theorist, and self-published author. Icke developed a huge following for his science-fiction-inflected musings. He promoted the idea that a shadow government controls the world and the powerful persons behind this all-encompassing system derive from the bloodlines of an ancient race of reptilian extraterrestrials. (I know! Over a thousand 5 star reviews on Amazon!) Icke’s conspiracy theory has become famous as “the reptoid hypothesis.” Cultural studies professors Tyson E. Lewis and Richard Kahn write:

While those unfamiliar with Icke and reptoid discourses may wonder if this is a discussion worthy of the non-lunatic, we want to caution against relegating Icke's work to merely fringe status. Rather, Icke is representative of a major counter-cultural trend that is indeed global in proportions.

When threatened with blood-sucking pedophilic elites bent on total world domination, Ickes sees the necessity for humanity to set forth on a path of spiritual growth. He encourages individuals to seek personal and global transformation by aligning with the higher vibrations and embracing Oneness. (It is unclear whether the lizard people will succumb to love bombs and disappear or merely integrate with the non-reptoid population.)

Conspirituality’s first developmental phase peaked after the September 11 terror attacks. Conspiracism moved online to chat rooms and obscure websites. The fevered speculation surrounding the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings fueled a narrative: “9/11 was an inside job.” And here is where the fringe of the internet started to move towards the outskirts of US politics. (Cue Ron Paul.)

Phase Two got underway after 2002. Mutual engagement between the two camps accelerated once social media came to dominate the internet (after 2008). At this point, the more extreme conspiracist tenets were semi-submerged (fewer reptoid mentions, less talk about bloodlines) while the transformative themes gained traction. Through groups and postings on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, three conceptual areas were emphasized: 1) transformation; 2) unity (wholism or “Oneness”); and 3) revelation (“revealing truth”). Conspiracists and spiritually-minded persons increasingly engaged in discussions that developed these three themes. Interpersonal and inter-group links were formed that completed the bridge between the conspiracist world and the wellness/spirituality community.

Obviously, ideas of spiritual development, transformation, and revelation are classic religious concepts. They have been articulated and explicated by religious leaders in all the world religions. That is partly why the conspirituality hybrid gained popularity so quickly. The spiritual side seems wholesome and familiar; then the conspiracy side comes in with its all-encompassing, secular rationale for everything that is going wrong in the world—and in one’s life.

Ward and Voas’ article on conspirituality was published in 2011 while Phase Two was ongoing. In Episode 4, I show how the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown in March 2020 kicked off Phase 3.

If you missed Episode 1, it’s here.

If you missed Episode 2, it’s here.

Notes:

Faeeza Khan, Conspirituality

Tyson E. Lewis and Richard Kahn. The Reptoid Hypothesis: Utopian and Dystopian Representational Motifs in David Icke’s Alien Conspiracy Theory. Utopian Studies 16, no. 1 (2005): 45–74.

Charlotte Ward and David Voas, The Emergence of Conspirituality. Journal of contemporary religion 26.1 (2011): 103–121. DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2011.539846

For fun:

Lily Tomlin. The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.*

*Amazon Associate link to purchase the DVD. I receive a referral fee.