The rise of the American conspiracy theory

This is what happens when the principle of democratic egalitarianism is applied to questions of knowledge and truth

Distrust usually leads to belief in conspiracy theories.
(Image credit: World History Archive / Alamy Stock Photo)

America's presidential politics have become a dizzying scrum of insults and gossip that frequently veers into outright and angry conspiracy theorizing.

Blame democracy. It has killed our faith in "experts" peddling "truth."

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Damon Linker

Damon Linker is a senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also a former contributing editor at The New Republic and the author of The Theocons and The Religious Test.