[Red Badger]

THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ‘CONSPIRACY THEORISTS’...............THE CIA DID NOT INVENT THEM................

[WXRGina]

THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ‘CONSPIRACY THEORISTS’...............THE CIA DID NOT INVENT THEM................

That's not what the column is saying. The CIA coined the term and recommended "psy-ops" methods to DISCREDIT those who question The State. It's in the column, if you read it.

[JGT]

The distinct term "conspiracy theory" as a means to demean or denigrate persons holding a particular view or views did not enter the common nonlegal vernacular until the 1960s. It is a psy/op term that has been used effectively by both conservatives and liberals. It's quite effective, even here on FR; just post anything by Inforwars or Zero-Hedge..it's immediately lambasted as ridiculous conspiracy that “makes us all look foolish.” Are there genuine conspiracy theories designed to discredit institutions and narratives? Sure, and that is why this technique is so effective. It is literally impossible to know with certainty what is real and what is BS. It's designed to propagate so much varied information that discerning truth from fiction is now almost impossible.