The rise of ‘conspirituality’
Historically conspiracy theories, with their negative focus on global politics, have circulated in society for a long time. Alternative spirituality, often labelled as New Age, with its positive focus on self, has likewise influenced the public for decades. These seemingly oppositional ideologies have recently synthesised and formed what is now known as ‘conspirituality’. An ideology that bizarrely often sees members of the wellness community aligning with right-wing thinking and conspiracy theorists. Academics Ward and Voas first coined the term in 2011. ‘Conspirituality is a rapidly growing web movement expressing an ideology fuelled by political disillusionment and the popularity of alternative worldviews’ (2011). These unconventional beliefs gained momentum post the global financial crisis in 2007 due to a lack of political trust and economic downturn. A lack of trust in authority has been exacerbated through the Covid19 pandemic, seeing conspirituality views become increasingly prevalent globally and in Australia today (McGowan 2021). Intense expressions of opinions ranging from ‘vaccines are a ‘Deep State’ plot to wipe out white people’ to ‘evil forces are controlling us’ have culminated in an assortment of online activity and anti-lockdown protests (Delaney, 2020). The demonstrations have attracted participation from the largely progressive left-leaning wellness industry, conspiracy theorists and the alt-right, who collectively protest against authority.
Understanding the culture in which conspirituality has been cultivated aids the understanding of its development. Since the late 20th century, sociologists, such as Stuart Hall, have observed how structural changes in post-modern societies have fragmented our cultural landscapes, leading to detached identities. Traditions and social practices situated in nationality and cultural identity have been challenged and transformed by global interconnection, technology, and hyper-consumerism. Modern identities and culture are no longer fixed (ed. Atkinson 2015 p 201). The withdrawal from traditional institutions has continued, with a lack of transparency and accountability from leadership, often seen as the ‘elite’, furthering a culture of distrust. The Guardian, reporting on the rise of conspirituality and the spread of misinformation, states, “We are in a period of extreme lack of trust in politicians, of economic downturn, and polarisation. It is in that context that people can come along and make these grandiose claims and find traction because people are looking for something to believe and for something to belong to” (McGowan 2021). Additionally, with the state taking more social control to manage the Coronavirus, conspirituality theorists have had their paranoia confirmed. In understanding the changes in cultural influence, the impact on behaviour and the rise of conspirituality can be recognised.
Sociological analysis investigates how the structure of a society affects behaviour. Australian society is structured around liberal democracy, which emphasises individual rights and freedoms, and neoliberal capitalism, which upholds the free market economy. Central in the connection between the wellness industry and conspiracy is the notion of sovereignty over our bodies, our individual rights, our freedom to choose (Delaney 2020). These are core values of liberal democracy. Added to that is neoliberal capitalism, which imposes competition across all dimensions of social life in constructing a market society — leading to an economy built around personal branding (Wilson, 2018). The rise of social media and the ongoing collapse of mainstream media has provided a perfect environment for wellness, Instagram influencers and Covid-19 conspiracies to reach millions of people unchecked and unchallenged (Delaney, 2020). In Australia, the most prominent example of this is celebrity chef Pete Evans. Evans used his large social media following to combine conspiracy theories with questionable alternative health products and false information about the Covid-19. Evans was banned from many regulated social media platforms but remains an influential figure (McGowan, 2021). Examining these structural factors provides context and enables a deeper understanding of what influences behaviours in society.
What is apparent is that people on both ends of the left-right spectrum share a distrust in ‘the system’ and a desire to replace it with something that better reflects their values. Polarisation seen in the rise of conspirituality and amplified through the Covid-19 has become a critical juncture in democracy. In order to explore possible alternatives, what becomes apparent is that social cohesion is vital. This may only be achieved through developing and rebuilding trust in our institutions.
