The main objective in writing this book is to establish a naturally selected means for which conspiring became established in human nature. What was the initial driving factor for natural selection to act on? If we do not understand how nature generated our minds, we will never understand why we form conspiracy theories, purposely moulded to our beliefs.
Second to that prime query, I examine social culture as a means of learning about nature. Every ancient culture had its gods and goddesses, creation myths, leading humans to our search for knowledge, and ultimately control over our world—and other beings.
In this research, I suspect that I will offend many readers: the rich, the poor, the religious, the atheists, the scientists, the greedy, the generous, and meek. It is more important to find truth where truth exists, than it is to support lies, conspiracies, and fake news. These were my findings.
Bastarache argues that the human mind, shaped by evolutionary processes, has an inherent tendency to create and believe in conspiracy theories. He examines the role of social and ancient cultures in shaping belief systems and our desire for control over the world. The book challenges readers from all backgrounds, urging a search for truth over acceptance of falsehoods.Bastarache’s bold approach to addressing a universal yet controversial subject shows a fearless commitment to intellectual honesty and I was absolutely fascinated by this exploration of why we want to believe in proposed ‘truths’ from cover to cover.
To achieve its stated purpose of interrogating how natural selection can create conspiring minds that, in turn, create conspiracy theories, this book delves deeply into cultural, evolutionary, and psychological trends across time, singling out points of overlap, conflict, and uncertainty before digging down into what those intersections and contradictions mean. Whether touching on Star Trek, quantum entanglement, Immanuel Kant, or anthropomorphic projection, this sprawling examination of thought, science, logic, and belief offers a cautious reframing of humanity’s perennial clash between faith and reason.
