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Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History |  | Author: David Aaronovitch
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover
Category: Book
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Rating:  37 reviews
Sales Rank: 67802
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Pages: 400
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.2 x 1.6
ISBN: 1594488959
Dewey Decimal Number: 909.08
EAN: 9781594488955
ASIN: 1594488959
Publication Date: February 4, 2010
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Product Description
An absorbing, probing look at the conspiracy theories that operate on the sidelines of history and the reasons they continue to play such a seditious role, from an award-winning journalist.
Our age is obsessed by the idea of conspiracy. We see it everywhere- from Pearl Harbor to 9/11, from the assassination of Kennedy to the death of Diana. In this age of terrorism we live in, the role of conspiracy is a serious one, one that can fuel radical or fringe elements to violence.
For David Aaronovitch, there came a time when he started to see a pattern among these inflammatory theories. these theories used similarly murky methods with which to insinuate their claims: they linked themselves to the supposed conspiracies of the past (it happened then so it can happen now); they carefully manipulated their evidence to hide its holes; they relied on the authority of dubious academic sources. Most important, they elevated their believers to membership of an elite- a group of people able to see beyond lies to a higher reality. But why believe something that entails stretching the bounds of probability so far? Surely it is more likely that men did actually land on the moon in 1969 than that thousands of people were enlisted to fabricate an elaborate hoax.
In this entertaining and enlightening book -aimed at providing ammunition for those who have found themselves at the wrong end of a conversation about moon landings or the twin towers-Aaronovitch carefully probes and explodes a dozen of the major conspiracy theories. In doing so, he examines why people believe them, and makes an argument for a true skepticism: one based on a thorough knowledge of history and a strong dose of common sense.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 37
 Provocative, Well Researched, Lively, Hilarious February 8, 2010
A Reader (New York)
37 out of 48 found this review helpful
Ignore the reviewers who gave this book one star - they're conspiracy kooks who have not read the book. I have and it's brilliant.
A fabulous book that exposes the uproarious and troubling lapses of reason that bedevil American political culture. This is a lively look at conspiracy theories from Pearl Harbor to 9/11, from the assassination of Kennedy to the death of Diana.
Essential Reading.
Never has the US needed this book more. February 10, 2010
Nora Joyce (London)
55 out of 73 found this review helpful
The hyperventilating criticism of this book goes to demonstrate just how important Voodoo Histories is and how opportune is its US Publication. Scholarly, exhaustively researched and forensic in its analysis, it explodes the myth of various conspiracy theories at just the moment when their constant repetition seems to be establishing them as fact.
It is worth adding that it is also a hugely entertaining read which informs both fundamental issues around race, political dissent, notions of 'proof' etc. while proving invaluable when arguing with the the amateur, armchair conspiracy theorist who just doesn't believe in 'cock-ups' any more.
So, a book that makes the world a little less belligerent and also helps one to win fights around the dinner table. What more could anyone ask for..?
The tell-all! April 19, 2010
C. Ross (Seattke, WA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Conspiracies are not only garbage, but as Aaronovitch makes so clear, dangerous. A reflection of our own fears of our impotence, conspiracies take on their own lives poisoning history by defecating on the present, to the ruin of the future. Everyone should read Aaronovitch's book, a cold shower for the overheated.
Honest, intelligent, thoughtful, refreshing and witty November 27, 2009
Archer Books (Hemel Hempstead, UK)
70 out of 103 found this review helpful
In this book, radical investigative journalist David Aaronovitch looks into why many otherwise sane and rational people buy into the more outlandish conspiracy theories which litter modern social history, from the fraudulent 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion,' manufactured in order to justify the persecution of Jewish people and enthusiastically promoted by Henry Ford (of all people) to the '9/11 was an inside job' fantasists where ignorant pseudo-science feeds dogmatic belief-systems and multiple fringe political-propagandist agendas.
Other conspiracy theories examined, in no particular order, are:
- the Stalinist show trials of the 1930s, where every failure of the Soviet industrial system was scapegoated onto 'conspiracists' singled out for persecution
- the conspiracy manufactured by right-wing 'America First' elements in the USA to discredit FDR by claiming him responsible for the Pearl Harbor attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy in December 1941 (the IJN was not let in on FDR's 'conspiracy')
- the Senator McCarthy witch-hunts in the 1950s against largely non-existent communists allegedly trying to wreck the USA from within
- attempts to 'conspiracise' the deaths of JFK, Marilyn Munro and Diana POW
- the highly profitable and surprisingly durable fantasy perpetrated by Baigent, Leigh et al about the alleged bloodline of Christ surviving through the Merovingians and the Templars up to modern times, side-tracking into the theories of such diverse and successful alternative-history authors as Erich Von Daniken and Graham Hancock
- the death of Hilda Murrell (a UK case possibly unknown to American readers), finally proven beyond doubt to be murdered randomly by a local deranged criminal psychotic but at the time publicly 'conspiracised' by Tam Dalyell and others
- the suicide of Dr. David Kelly (another UK case), clumsily conspiracised as a 'murder' by Liberal MP Norman Baker and then propagated by conspiracy-cultists on the internet
Each conspiracy claim is examined in forensic detail and conspiracy-theorists' methods dissected and exposed with wit and intelligence. Aaranovitch is a genuinely thorough investigative journalist who has obviously read and studied all the pro-conspiracy books and attended the meetings. He understands his source material, and has done his research.
The mechanism of conspiracy-theory generation is analysed with insightful and occasionally hilarious detail. A common list of components includes the citing of historical precedent ('there were conspiracies before in history, so therefore this must be one too'), frequent adoption of supporting pseudo-science, the weak and lazy 'we're just asking questions' line and a determination to ignore, even bury, any and all genuine evidence which demonstrates the theory to be wrong. Conspiracy-advocates also often claim to be 'under surveillance' to add spice to their otherwise small and humdrum lives. Delusion, paranoia and ignorance generally rule the conspiracy-believer's mind.
In attempting to explain why otherwise apparently rational people choose to adopt these belief systems, Aaronovitch has an interesting theory. He has insight enough to see that the superficial subject of the theory (whether the death of Diana seen as a `murder' or `there were no planes on 9/11: it was all holograms') has little to do with the reason why some people cling to it so zealously. People hold on to these delusions for personal psychological reasons, so adherence to such rigid dogma cannot be effectively argued with because the normal rules of logic and evidence do not apply in the proponents' world. Throughout history conspiracy-theorists are generally found to be losers; those whose political views have been marginalised or defeated by the mainstream who then find comfort in adopting a belief-system that 'THEY' are somehow responsible for the resulting failures and misfortunes. It is comforting to believe that Those Who Have Power secretly control the world, that you are part of a small select band of heroes who 'knows.' A narrative of intention and design is comforting, easier than confronting the random and accidental elements responsible for most of history's major events. It's much more satisfying to believe that a President, for example, was 'murdered by a secret cabal' for (pick any one of 57 different) nefarious reasons than that he was killed by a lone psychopathic gunman who happened to be an expert shot, had clear psychological motives and had recently tried to shoot dead at least one other public figure - even when it is discovered that lone gunmen trying to assassinate Presidents have been the norm throughout the 20th century and only one President (Eisenhower) escaped such lethal attention. Had any of the others succeeded (the attempt on Reagan by John Hinckley Jr. almost did) then a conspiracy-industry as great as that surrounding the Kennedy assassination would have certainly come into existence and been sustained through years of books, films and extravagant claims.
How comforting to believe, like some mediaeval peasant, that 'They' - the secret government, the Intels, the Jews, the bankers, the Illuminati, the 'Elites,' the Club of Rome, the `secret Satanic cabal' (tick bogeyman of choice) control everything and pull the strings, that you are privy to this secret knowledge and understanding, and superior to the 'sheeple' who do not understand the conspiracy as you do. (`sheeple' is a common CT pejorative, like 'shill' used for someone too smart to swallow CT-bunk.) You can justify your own miserable failures because 'They' are plotting against you, and you can't win. The phenomenon is generally characterised at root by adherence to rigid dogma and cult-like behaviour.
Even if you have no interest in conspiracy-theory belief systems and their propagation to the ignorant and the gullible, I recommend this book as a good read: it's excellently written, witty, dispassionate and thought-provoking, and a fine and original analysis of an interesting modern phenomenon.
For the reader with a developed sense of irony, look through the 'comments' attached to this review and others of this book for the rare opportunity to witness at first hand live examples of precisely the delusional, borderline-psychotic mind-set explored and analysed with such humor and insight in the book. You couldn't make it up, could you?
Readers genuinely interested in the psychology of the CT-phenomenon are also recommended to read `The Nature and Purpose of Political Conspiracy Theories' (google it), 'Political Paranoia v. Political Realism: On Distinguishing between Bogus Conspiracy Theories and Genuine Conspiratorial Politics' and `Conspiracy Theories and Clandestine Politics' by Jeffrey M. Bale.
Delusions, but Significant Ones April 11, 2010
R. Hardy (Columbus, Mississippi USA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
It may well have happened to you. You are chatting with a nice enough person, who seems sensible, but who suddenly reveals that the missions to the Moon were faked, or that Princess Diana was killed by governmental agents, or that the towers of the World Trade Center were loaded with demolition explosives before the planes flew into them. If you stay long enough, you may find that the speaker believes in all these ideas and more. If you are like me, you try to find an excuse to go talk with someone else; if you are more assertive and state your disbelief in such paranoid stories, you will not change the mind of the person telling the stories and you may well be considered a dupe at best and a conspirator at worst. That's surely what conspiracy fans of all sorts are going to think of David Aaronovitch, whose _Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History_ (Riverhead Books) shows his refusal to buy into any of the surprising forms of paranoia spawned in the twentieth century. Indeed, he himself was confronted with a Moon landing denier who said the pictures from the Moon were fake as were all the landing missions. "My immediate reaction was one of skepticism," writes Aaronovitch. "It wasn't just that I was forearmed with arguments to disprove his theory; it was just that it offended my sense of plausibility." Even if he had had the arguments to hand, he probably could not have dissuaded the conspiracist, and spouting broad common sense objections (such as that it would take thousands of participants in such a conspiracy to make it work and all of them would have to resist any temptation to let the cat out of the bag) would not help either. It's probably best to slink away.
_Voodoo Histories_ represents resistance to such slinking, and though it may not change minds of true believers, it is a useful look at history. The conspiracies described here might be silly, might be without any evidence, might be completely delusional, but they made a difference. Just because you're paranoid, the joke goes, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you; and just because your paranoia is delusional doesn't mean it has no political or social effect. The effect of the delusions, and Aaronovitch covers plenty of them, is always bad; making decisions based on erroneous thoughts of conspiracy inherently is going to produce problems. He starts with one of the most influential books of the twentieth century, _The Protocols of the Elders of Zion_, which affected the vehemence by which World War Two was waged and continues to be cited by Christian groups and by Hamas. A chapter titled "Dead Deities" considers together the early demises of John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, and Princess Diana. Politics of the darkest sort is at the heart of most explanations for the death of Princess Diana. To believe that there was a plot against her (most popular reason: she was carrying a Muslim fetus) requires that there were split second timing and coincidences that only happen in Hollywood movies. Aaronson's common sense explanations often hinge on Ockham's razor: the simplest explanation that gives an answer is the best one. Here, it is pretty complicated to presume that Prince Philip (why he should be the mastermind I do not understand, but he is a favorite) somehow arranged that someone would know beforehand that Diana was going to be driven away, and knew the route, and had the Fiat sideswipe it on the way, all the time having filed down the catch pins of the seatbelts before she got in. It is simpler to remember that her driver was drunk and he was going too fast, and she had not put on the seatbelt that would have saved her. I'd chose the meaninglessness of sad bad luck and bad choices rather than an ostensibly explanatory but impossibly omniscient conspiracy anytime.
Writing of the birther proponents who won't accept that President Obama is a US citizen (but who often seem eager to accept flimsy evidence of his birth elsewhere), Aaronovitch says, "There is transparency, and then there is a perverse desire never to be satisfied." The interest in believing a conspiracy is so strong that evidence just doesn't play a role in conspiracists' evaluations. The police, FBI, two Republican independent prosecutors, and others have all found that Clinton aide Vince Foster killed himself in 1993, but charges of murder still circulate among those who find it more agreeable to fret along those lines, and who were among the first to broadcast conspiracy frettings on the internet. Which brings up an interesting observation Aaronovitch makes and which I had not seen before: "... conspiracy theories originate and are largely circulated among the educated and the middle class. The imagined model of an ignorant, priest-ridden peasantry or proletariat replacing religious and superstitious belief with equally far-fetched notions of how society works, turns out to be completely wrong." Indeed, lights like mathematician A. K. Dewdney or author Gore Vidal make embarrassingly frequent appearances here to back up their pet conspiracies. Aaronovitch explains many of the most famous conspiracies, including the one portrayed fictionally in _The Da Vinci Code_ or FDR's arrangement that Pearl Harbor would be bombed so he could go to war. Also examined are less well known ones, such as the Stalinist obsessions that resulted in show trials against Trotsky's supporters. Aaronovitch shows that he has been steeped in this stuff for years, and readers will be thankful to be dealing with his own amused though fact-filled descriptions rather than the evasive, vague, boring, and downright stupid books and websites he has had to go through. His book presents compelling demonstrations that far from being harmless crank-fueled obsessions, these conspiracies get us into trouble. He mentions only in passing one bogus conspiracy that has shaped recent world affairs and never existed: Remember all those weapons of mass destruction that Saddam had pointing in our direction?
Showing reviews 1-5 of 37
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