Conspiracy Theories in Brazil

notes based on observations in Telegram

Abstract

This article discusses Conspiracy Theories in Brazil, understood as one of the various forms of disinformation that make up the contemporary information disorder. Two movements were carried out with the intent to understand and characterize them in terms of form and content: a critical review of the literature, which sought to emphasize national authors, and systematic observation and collection of messages from two Telegram groups. These made possible to it to identify the prevalence of content that, although establishing alternative epistemologies, does not challenge the Modern scientific paradigm. Four rhetorical mechanisms stood out: circularity, suppressed nucleation, Manichaeism and the use of concurrent and simultaneous indeterminacies. CTs provide security and control to those who adhere to them, both due to the logical simplicity of the proposed reasoning (based on linear causalities) and to the increase in their appreciation and social belonging by other conspiracists. This gives TCs great potential for engaging and mobilizing social groups effectively weakened by current structures and also those who consider themselves disadvantaged due to the loss of privileges to which they were accustomed.