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The New Hysteria REVIEW ESSAY THE NEW HYSTERIA We can’t blame the demise of Enlightenment thinking on diet doctors and Islamists alone, argues Munira Mirza Counterknowledge: How We Surrendered to Conspiracy Theories, Quack Medicine, Bogus Science and Fake History by Damian Thompson Atlantic Books, 2008 $35.00, 176pp ISBN 9781843546757 s the recent legal inquiry into the make and test empirical observations to develop death of Princess Diana rumbled an increasingly accurate understanding of the laws on—turning into possibly the and processes of nature. Counterknowledge, by most expensive and time-consum- contrast, fails these basic empirical tests. Although ing conspiracy theory of all at times it dresses itself up in the language of time—sensible onlookers may have wondered science or fact, it can be shown to be untrue by why the authorities were unwilling to terminate the existence of other facts or by the weakness the morbid speculation over what actually of its own evidence. Medicines that do not cure happened. Although the facts of her death in illnesses, theories about sinister conspiracies, and Paris are largely undisputed, and most of us history books without credible sources are all moved on with our lives about ten years ago, the examples of counterknowledge. law courts seemed unable or unwilling simply to Western societies, of course, have a long and say, ‘Enough is enough.’ ignoble history of counterknowledge. The quacks Conspiracy theories, Damian Thompson of Georgian England advertised miracle potions to argues in his new polemic, were once the domain gullible patients, and nineteenth-century mystics of the marginal and lunatic, but today they are fast becoming regarded as gospel. Counterknowledge is a short but effective attack on the bogus science, Munira Mirza is a writer and researcher paranoia, and pseudo-history that seems to recruit based in London, and a founding member millions of people today. of the Manifesto Club. This article first The essence of ‘counterknowledge,’ Thompson appeared in the February 2008 Spiked explains, is that it stands in direct opposition to Review of Books. modern scientifi c method. Science allows us to POLICY • Vol. 24 No. 3 • Spring 2008 47 THE NEW HYSTERIA indulged in apocalyptic nightmares, numerology, and distortion of public debate has terrifi ed the and racist conspiracy theories. Even after the public about a range of modern technologies— rationalist mood of the Enlightenment, people mobile phone masts, genetically modifi ed food, were willing to believe the irrational. the use of chemicals in food production, and so The forms of counterknowledge that existed in on. Evidence is repeatedly sidelined in favour the past, however, tended to be the hobby-horses of prejudice and emotion. This is particularly of a few deluded souls, whereas today they are troubling in those areas where there is less major industries. Thompson points to the surging certainty and a genuine need for further public popularity of creationism in US schools and and scientifi c debate. Islamic countries, the multimillion-pound success of alternative medicine hucksters, bestselling An unholy alliance ‘fake history’ books, and the virus-like spread of Why should blatant lies and crackpot theories seem conspiracy theories on the internet about 9/11. so compelling today, especially in a modern society Some people seem willing to believe almost any that is supposedly shaped by Enlightenment reason? ludicrous theory, particularly if it opposes the Thompson argues that various social changes in ‘offi cial’ version of events. the past few decades have created a new sense of Thompson concedes that homeopathy and disorientation for the individual. The decline of oddball conspiracy theories may not seem like traditional social institutions such as marriage, great threats to humankind. After all, millions church, and political parties has loosened the of people read their horoscopes every day and social bonds that once gave the individual a sense continue to lead healthy, happy lives. But the of meaning, leading us to what British sociologist consequences can also be serious, especially when Anthony Giddens calls ‘the refl exive project of the it begins to undermine the effective work of self.’ People feel a greater pressure to develop their real knowledge. own framework of meaning. Also to blame are changes within academia and the long march of relativism. The rigours of Why should … crackpot theories seem orthodox scholarship have become denounced by so compelling today, especially in a trendy postmodernists as elitist and oppressive. modern society that is supposedly The ultimate howler is the description by French shaped by Enlightenment reason? feminist writer, Luce Irigaray, of E=mc² as a ‘sexed equation’ because it privileges the speed of light over other speeds that are vitally necessary to us. In Britain, Dr Andrew Wakefi eld’s controversial Within this context, where knowledge is research in 1998, suggesting the measles, mumps, whatever you want it to be, an unholy alliance of and rubella vaccination (MMR) is linked with interests has helped push all manner of untruths autism, panicked parents and reduced the into the public realm. vaccination rate in 2001 to a record low of 84%. First, there are the unscrupulous entrepreneurs Despite assurances from some in authority (though who develop expensive DVDs, television pro- notably not from all), parents’ groups, sections grams, and books to peddle their quack theories. of the media and other infl uential bodies simply Dr Gillian McKeith—Britain’s foremost ‘diet would not trust the ‘Establishment’s version’ doctor,’ who presented the Channel 4 program of the MMR story. In the end, pet theories and You Are What You Eat, and produced a bestselling homespun wisdom on MMR were seen as more book of the same name—was exposed for her credible than actual facts and scientifi c evidence. dodgy qualifi cations by The Guardian’s science For all the talk of ‘empowerment’ and a ‘patient- journalist Ben Goldacre. McKeith had obtained led’ health service, the departure from science led her ‘degree’ from a non-accredited US institution to greater confusion and danger for the public. on a correspondence course. Going further than Thompson’s examples, it is Another shady fi gure is Patrick Holford, whose clear that the pattern of ‘consumer-led’ lobbying dubiously named Institute for Optimum Nutrition 48 Vol. 24 No. 3 • Spring 2008 • POLICY THE NEW HYSTERIA has advised the Food Standards Agency and the And yet, Thompson’s own evidence shows National Association of Head Teachers. Holford’s that Western societies are themselves consumed bestselling books, DVDs, and ‘Q-Link’ microchip by conspiracy theories, anti-science, paranoia, pendants (a bargain at £69.99) promote a mixture and irrationality. In America, according to a of pseudoscience and homespun wisdom, mixed 2006 Scripps Howard poll, 36% of adults suspect in with elements of Christian Science. His only federal agents of helping to plan the 9/11 attacks, scientifi c qualifi cation is a psychology degree from or deliberately taking no action to stop them, York University. In 2005, he claimed that AZT, the so that the government could go to war in the fi rst prescribable anti-HIV drug, was less effective Middle East. High-profi le politicians have even than taking vitamin C—a point he also made on voiced their suspicions publicly. British Labour his tour to South Africa in 2007. (If we’re going to MP Michael Meacher voiced suspicion about blame African governments for having primitive the ‘offi cial’ story of 9/11 by pointing out that views on the AIDS epidemic, it is worth asking the US Air Force stood down its fi ghter jets that where they are getting their ideas from.) morning. In an interview in November 2006, More worrying, there are mainstream the French housing minister, Christine Boutin, institutions that buy into such chicanery. The admitted it was possible that President Bush major publisher Transworld bought rights to may have planned the terrorist attacks. As the 1421: The Year China Discovered the World, by bulk of Thompson’s eloquent attack is focused Gavin Menzies, heedless of factual inaccuracies on Western targets, his singling out of Islamic that were later picked up in critics’ reviews. The societies sounds a jarring note. University of Teeside made Patrick Holford a visiting professor in 2007, and the University of Bedfordshire validates a foundation science The relationship between religion and degree offered by his Institute for Optimum counterknowledge is an important Nutrition. The National Health Service funds feature of today’s superstitions fi ve homeopathy hospitals, spurred on by Prince Charles, even though there is not one single compared to the past’s. peer-reviewed paper to show that these treatments work more successfully than the placebo effect. Thompson’s book explores many of these issues To make sense of the Islamic world’s own in detail, making many strong points along the cultural tendencies—irrationalism, mysticism, way and illustrating some of the worst expressions particularism, nihilism, anti-hedonism, anti- of contemporary irrationality. However, it is worth consumerism—it would be better to trace the teasing out some of the weaknesses of the book to partial origins of these phenomena within the push the debate further along. West, rather than seeing them as springing solely from Islam and its followers. In fairness to Faith and reason Thompson, he has been the fi rst to admit there First, Thompson argues that Islamic societies are is often anti-Islamic hysteria on the internet. particularly vulnerable to counterknowledge and In January this year he reported an incident in quackery in general, because their governments Australia in which Muslim protesters barricaded have a vested interest in encouraging hatred a hospital to stop the body of a young man being towards the West and because there is a wider sense subjected to medical tests in contravention of of paranoia ‘over there.’ For instance, countless sharia law.
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