Conspiracy theory between the individual and society
Schizophrenia, as it afflicts individuals, also affects societies in a way that is almost identical in terms of symptoms and complications.
Schizophrenia begins when the patient becomes prey to the delusions of conspiracy theory. Everything that happens to him and those around him is part of a cosmic conspiracy against him, and when the patient asks why you are in particular, all people are conspiring against you, so the answer is almost unified, and another set of delusions is related to his greatness, intelligence, status, success, and superior capabilities. And if you refuse to believe this logic, you will be added to the list of conspirators, and so the circle gradually expands to include everyone who refuses to believe the conspiracy theory because the schizophrenic has a certain sense of the sincerity of the delusions that is not touched by an iota of doubt.
There are many theories that try to explain this incurable disease, including that when the patient has feelings of anxiety, fear, or failure that he cannot find a justification for, he begins to use conspiratorial thinking to explain everything that happens to him and those around him, and gradually begins to invent illusions and believe in them in an attempt to escape. From facing his problems that he cannot solve, the delusions worsen and the patient becomes more preoccupied with them until he is completely detached from the reality around him and loses the desire / ability to do anything to solve his problems because he sees that there is no hope and everyone around him conspires against him on the principle of “there is no benefit”. This is what is happening now in Egypt. Egyptian society (and to be precise, a broad sector of it, not all of it) has become a prey to conspiracy theory and has become mired in it up to its ears, and finds no other justification to explain the problems and challenges that are happening around us.
He will not be able to see that we are responsible for a large part of our problems and that we also have a large part of the solution. We are at a stage in which conspiratorial thinking prevailed and prevailed over the language of logic and dialogue. If you refuse to believe the global conspiracy theories against Egypt, you may be accused of being part of the conspiracy, or of not loving your country, at the very least.
And if you try to put aside the conspiracy theory as the only explanation for our problems and bad conditions and start talking in a more logical and rational language about the existence of a conflict of interests or expected challenges imposed by a very complex local, regional and international reality, you will not find listening ears because the hysteria of conspiracy with its naivety, superficiality and loud voice has silenced people’s ears and disrupted their minds from thinking. Logical. Diving into conspiracy theory is the easiest solution, because it absolves you of responsibility for the failure that things have come to, so it is enough for you to suck your lips on our bad conditions and take out all your anger on the “evil people”. Conspiracy theory is also convenient because it does not require you to make any effort or even think about how to overcome your problems with the logic of “what do you do?” Why is the whole world conspiring against us?”
One last thing that the conspiracy theory achieves for you is that it gives you the justification for killing everyone who refuses to believe it because from your point of view it is an integral part of this conspiracy. Thus, when society falls prey to the conspiracy theory, the options narrow before its members and become confined between two things: Either you believe in the conspiracy theory and promote it as presented to you by the regime, its experts and its media, so you become an “honorable” citizen who loves his country, or you respect your mind and refuse to obey, and then you should not be surprised when you find your name on the list of “evil people”.