Customer Reviews

Conspiracy

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Mr. Pipes follows the history of conspiracism and determines that it has two separate and distinct main threads: anti Semitism; and secret societies. There is occasional overlap and crossover between the two, but in general they have remained apart. While his research appears sparse at points, that may be due to the huge scope of his view, and to the very real difficulty in researching the essentially unresearchable (for example, how far can one study a "secret society" before losing oneself in the contradictions of myth, fact, and most revealing, myths accepted as facts?). At times the thread pursued by the author seems tenuous, but he does make a telling case in support of his thesis of these two dominant strains of conspiracism. Most chilling of all is his discussions of nations where conspiracism has become official state policy, specifically Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Soviet Union. I would have liked more indepth study of postwar American conspiracy theories, such as UFOs, the UN, and connections, if any, with various New Age beliefs, but that's my own particular interest. Mr. Pipes is mainly concerned with a broader historical picture.

While Mr. Pipes follows these twin paths of conspiracism, he demolishes the most widely accepted belief of the conspiracy theorists, that there are continuous sects and societies behind everything, and that all we see is simply the outward manifestation of their centuries long struggle for dominance. Make no mistake - the postulation of a continuous thread of conspiracism is not the same as accepting the existence of the conspiracies spanning generations and continents. While this book can not claim to be the definitive word on the subject (unless and until the Illuminati, the Elders of Zion, the Trilateral Commission, and the Rosicrucians open their archives), it does provide an interesting overview of conspiracism and demonstrates that the weirder paranoids among us have a long, if not distinguished lineage.

His encouraging conclusion that conspiracism has been increasingly marginalized (at least in the West) since the Second World War is offset somewhat by real world examples of collision between these conspiracists and the rest of society, e.g. Waco, Ruby Ridge, and Oklahoma City. Perhaps the greatest danger of modern day conspiracism is the extent to which preventive or corrective measures may backfire - how many of us are uncomfortable with the government's handling of the three cited cases, and of those, how many will be moved to align themselves with extremist groups?

I found this book to be an excellent survey of the various different strands of conspiracy theories. Pipes goes through the long historical pedigree (if such a word is appropriate) of conspiracy theories, and he sets out a pretty good model for how to tell the difference between a nutty conspiracy theorist and a person with a healthy critical skepticism of the motives and actions of the government and other groups. While he is sometimes a bit too dismissive of those who agree with some conspiracy theories, his book is a useful antidote to the pseudo-intellectual quackery that many conspiracy theorists arm themselves with, and he shows the very real danger that these theories, when unchecked, can cause (e.g.: antisemitic theories and Nazism, antigovernment theories and the Oklahoma City Bombing). He also does a pretty decent job of putting the theories and theorists into a larger cultural and political context. However, for a good primer of conspiracies, real and imagined (I think, largely imagined), I'd also recommend reading "The 60 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time" by Jonathan Vankin and Ed Whalen (I think that is their names). Both of these books will keep you riveted, and introduce you to some fascinating and little-known facts.

Mr. Pipes has written a well documented account and history of conspiracies across the ages. I do feel that he doesn't fully appreicate the degree that "conspiracy" thinking has infliltrated America today. Overall, a wonderful effort by Mr. Pipes to examine and explain the often "unclear" and baffling world of "conspiracy theories." This isn't the definitive work on "conspiracies"; it's worldviews and history, that I've been waiting for, but it is a step in the right direction.

Pipes book is a fair-minded but clear-headed review of the sources and motives of conspiratist thinking and its long-standing appeal. While many have rightly discerned the negative impact of communism, how many millions of deaths this century can be attributed to two conspiratists--Stalin and Hitler--who actually came to power and position to "do something" about the conspiracies they believed in? With piercing clarity, Pipes describes the motives and paranoia that led to massive genocide and that was sourced directly from paranoid epistemology. If you are interested in Conspiracy Theories or know someone that is, buy this book.

This is an excellent book that explains what the whole business of conspiracy theories is all about and particularly its origins. If you have a particular interest in any specific conspiracy,don't expect to find an answer in this book that will put that theory to rest; right or wrong.
The author traces the more popular theories such as those about Templars,Freemasons,Illuminati,Antisemitism,and others back to the times of the Crusades. It is doubtful that there were no such conspiracy theories prior to that time because the real roots seem to lie in the basic human faults of Pride, Covetness,Envy,Lust,Anger and even Gluttony and Sloth.These evils most certainly arose wherever groups of people realized there were differences between "Them" and "Us" and most importantly when the ideas or actions of one group affected the other;in ways that were imaginary or real.
I think that one of the best patrs of the book is where he shows the differences between the approach and the types of people that deal in the world of conspiracy. While Left-Wing types get labelled as intellectuals; Right-Wing types get labelled as crackpots. He maintains that the media is responsible for this ;and it's hard to dispute that since most people rely on the media for their information. Maybe even the idea that the media is slanted is another conspiracy. Depending on one's preconceived ideas will determine whether the slant is to the left or right.
There is a world of differences between conspiracy theories like those involving Illuminati and Antisemitism and an event like the killing of JFK or RFK. Furthermore,the author tries to show why in the case of JFK the interest has been so great and reasons given so littl accepted;while wiyh RFK it is totally different. RFK had no problem believing who was behind the killing of his brother,and since it involved more than a single person,namely Oswald,that fits the bill for a Conspiracy as opposed to a Conspiracy Theory.
The problem with conspiracy theories in that there is simply no way that they can be proven right or wrong; because it means proving a negative; an impossibility.
Nonetheless,an interesting coverage of the subject and helps put some rhyme and reason into it all. Well worth the time to read.

Pipes observes, "Every hate group has a conspiracy at the heart of its thinking." He goes on to explain how the "Right and Left engage in similar forms of conspiracism because they share much with each other-a temperament of hatred, a tendency toward violence, a suspiciousness that encourages conspiracism-and little with the political center." The best book I've read on the subject. Highly recommended.

Daniel Pipes is an anti-conspiracy theorist and he makes some good arguments against such allegedly paranoid thinking. Sure you don't trust the mainstream media, but why should you trust your local, possibly wacko, conspiracy theorist? You've read all the paranoid theories, why not read a critique against such theories? It will be a challenge and also just plain good for you.

Pipes says that we should avoid paranoid thinking because it demonizes others that are not to blame and the evidence used against them is faulty. Amusingly, he describes antisemitic theorists who have not even met a Jew.

Pipes most valuable contribution is his history of conspiracy theories, mainly involving Jews and Freemasons at first, and then British and Americans in later times. During the Crusades, antisemitism became more systematic in its hatred and developed conspiracy theories against Jews, in this time of intolerant religious fervor. During the French Revolution, people we're looking for an easy way to explain such a messy and bloody event and began blaming the revolution on the Jews and Freemasons. In more modern times, the world powers of Britain and America were blamed for the world's troubles especially during the Lenin and Stalin regimes which concocted anti-imperialist conspiracy theories. Hitler focused more on antisemitic theories. During this age of totalarianism, paranoid thinking became status quo and murder of "subversives" became commonplace. Pipes also gives an insightful analysis of the characteristics of conspiracy theories.

This is a challenging book for true believers in conspiracy theories and a book that debunkers will enjoy. Perhaps Pipes could have debunked one conspiracy theory directly and this may be a weakness. Also, he does not deal with quotes from society's elites such a Henry Kissinger who says that we will have global government. So maybe Pipes has oversimplified as much as the conspiracy theorists have oversimplified. Yet still, you've heard that many things are too good to be true, maybe many conpiracy theories are too bad to be true.

The reviews here are ample enough reason to read this intriguing book. I became interested in conspiracy theory on the evening of September 11th when someone said to me something about how we'll never learn the real truth because you can't believe the government. I was a little more than perplexed by this back-to-the-paranoid-70's statement, and I decided to look for books on the topic.

It's an amazing book. Conspiracy theory is.... well, everywhere. Few great names have been untouched by its allures. We all know that it was behind the Holocaust, but how many of us know to what extent conspiracy theory defined the Soviet regime's genocidal practices as well? Furthermore, conspiracy theory controls politics in many areas of the world to this day.

Reviews on this page point further to the problem of conspiracy theory in our midst. "Wake up people! This author belongs to the Council of Foreign Relations, that is a documented fact." AND "We all realize the existence of people with inordinantly fearful views of the world. These people are called paranoid. When these people obsess on certain topics, the result can be conspiracy theories. Alternatively, sometimes these people actually discover important things that the rest of us have overlooked."

If you want to understand where reviewers like this are coming from, read Pipes' book. Because, if you take nothing else from it, you will discover that conspiracy theories are not harmless. Most real conspiracies began with a conspiracy theory, and the 20th century is bathed in blood as a result.

I am a fan of Pipes' style and blatant honesty regarding Islam, which happens to be his area of scholarship and research. One's scholarly education often provides depth to other areas of interest, and his studies of the Middle East aid him in the world of Conspiracy in no small way.

I have only read a single chapter of this book online, and I am already sold. I do hope however that it will contain a better analyzation of conspiracy rather than a presentation of historical views.

As a christian, I am very familiar with the realm of conspiracy; since biblical interpretation is wrought with it. The essence of incorrect interpretation is eisegesis, which reads into the text that which was not the original intent of the author. One common area of this is eschatology: the study of the end-times; where people come up with rather strange end-time theories by making all of the prophecies of the past directly relevant to us today, rather than being historical events. Things such as reading Babylon as the Soviet Union, United Nations, or modern day Iraq.

Somebody not being familiar with biblical interpretation might have a harder time coming to terms with the fallacies of conspiracy, even though it is equally prevailant in the secular and political realm. A few I can note off hand is Bush's alleged war against Islam, Jewish involvement in 9/11, Senator Wellstone's plane-crash being a political assassignation etc.

In order for us to become conspiracy-free, it is necessary for us to live life objectively, and let boring events and subjects be boring; void of any ulterior motives or special-agendas.

I hope Mr. Pipes book better aids people in the quest for serious criticism.

The LaRouche organization dislikes this book because it shows how their whole "system" of ideas is based on a fraud. They want to denigrate it, among other ways by giving it terrible reviews on Amazon.com (note how many come from LaRouche h.q.s in Virginia). Ignore their putrid ideas and read the book.