Conspirationalism

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This facet of categorism is the act of constructing a discourse and/or narrative where innocent acts of individuals and groups are seen as if they were part of a conspiracy. For example, portraying the fact that some people of a certain category (such as gays, Jews or Muslims) are friends with each other while also having jobs as if they are infiltrating society and holding secret meetings, aka private dinners. Conspirationalism works well together with how stigmatization and violence pushes people underground, forcing them to keep their identities secret: For a secret to get exposed, it must first become a secret. (In Swedish: konspirationalism)


Interactions

This facet of categorism is an expression of: prejudice and bigotry. It acts as an interaction between the discursive level or dogmatic level with the individual level orgroup level.

It is likely to intersect with facets such as:

  • Category Agency: Everyday acts done by individual members of the minority group are seen as signs of the category itself taking action, secretly furthering whatever hidden agenda it might have.
  • Othering: Constructing a person or group as "the other" by constructing their actions as being some kind of conspiracy. When "we" do it, it's just everyday actions - but when "they" do it, it's something sinister and ominous.
  • Incomprehensibilization: Making people impossible to understand by constructing their actions as being some kind of conspiracy - thus removing from the equation the simple everyday desires and needs that normally drive people.

As well as with abstractions such as:

  • Zero-category: While the minority is considered a group (often one with category agency), the mainstream category is not considered a group beyond being a generic "we".

Examples of applying this facet to a particular foci of categorism can include:

  • Misogyny: When a man reads a comic book, it's because he likes that comic book. And when he goes to a comic book convention, it's because he likes to hang out with people there, check out some new comics, and support the comic book industry. But when a woman reads a comic book or goes to a comic book convention, it must be a part of some sinister plot to "infiltrate" geek subculture.
  • Religism: When people are bigoted against a certain religion (usually Judaism or Islam), they may view some religious people gathering together (for prayer, or simply for a regular dinner) as if it was a part of some sinister plot.