Total Eclipse of Sanity: Wild conspiracy theories are circulating across the internet ahead of Monday's total solar eclipse. Many of the conspiracy theories are steeped in religious gobbledygook, with some people suggesting that the rapture may occur because the eclipse will pass over seven towns named Nineveh (to be clear, the eclipse will not, in fact, pass over seven towns named Nineveh). The debunked conspiracies appear absurd, but they're amassing millions of views on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Matt Novak has more here.
At the same time, over in right-wing media, outlets like InfoWars and The Gateway Pundit are exploiting the astronomical phenomenon to fan fears with out-of-context and outrageous stories. "CONVERGENCE: The Solar Eclipse, CERN, Lucifer, The Vatican, And Reptilian Venom Peptides," read one headline on InfoWars Thursday. Another asked, "Are Globalists Using The April 8th Eclipse For An Occult Ritual?" Meanwhile, a poll ran on the Alex Jones-operated site asking about the possibility of a "planned false flag." Rolling Stone's EJ Dickson has more.
Well done, brother Jon!
Here's an addendum via CNN:
Total Eclipse of Sanity: Wild conspiracy theories are circulating across the internet ahead of Monday's total solar eclipse. Many of the conspiracy theories are steeped in religious gobbledygook, with some people suggesting that the rapture may occur because the eclipse will pass over seven towns named Nineveh (to be clear, the eclipse will not, in fact, pass over seven towns named Nineveh). The debunked conspiracies appear absurd, but they're amassing millions of views on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. Matt Novak has more here.
At the same time, over in right-wing media, outlets like InfoWars and The Gateway Pundit are exploiting the astronomical phenomenon to fan fears with out-of-context and outrageous stories. "CONVERGENCE: The Solar Eclipse, CERN, Lucifer, The Vatican, And Reptilian Venom Peptides," read one headline on InfoWars Thursday. Another asked, "Are Globalists Using The April 8th Eclipse For An Occult Ritual?" Meanwhile, a poll ran on the Alex Jones-operated site asking about the possibility of a "planned false flag." Rolling Stone's EJ Dickson has more.