It doesn't go anywhere. You can't actually have a conversation about conspiracy theories.
I don't even think conspiracy theorists could have a conversation with each other about it, because it's fundamentally non-discursive.
It's not something you can have a discussion about.
It is just an attempt to make this sort of core story about yourself match up with the world.
And every conspiracy theory has this same "core story", and that's why it's so powerful.
umm, it's the story that the theorist holds on to, and then sort of tries to match up to with the world in a kind of messy way… and the story is, basically:
"Once Upon A time.. we were happy, and everything was good, and we were in charge, and we were safe…. And then, The Monsters Took Hold, but no one knew that they had."
And theses Monsters are not of the "vaguely threatening variety", they have to be absolutely gigantic, demonic, sort of the most hyperbolic thing you can think of: go another step.
so, it's always children, Satan, mutilation and torture, pedophilia, and…
and the story goes that "Everything seemed fine, because the monsters made sure this was all kept secret, so the Monsters Control What You Know"
and "Only The Heroes of the story "knew the truth", and then they arrived tosave the world
and that's the benefit that you get from it. you get that "world view about YOURSELF", that you are a continually, just sort of horrifically embattled "HERO"
