It seems like conspiracy theories are everywhere in American culture, from those who question the moon landing to others who believe in widespread satanic cults.
For example, a few months after Reebok released a split-toed pair of shoes referencing traditional Japanese Jika-tabi footwear, a group identified as Christian criticized the sneakers. On its Facebook page, the group claimed that the shoes resembled a cloven hoof and were inspired by the goat’s feet that appear in some depictions of the devil.
Their comment made headlines, and Audacy’s “Something Offbeat” podcast decided to dig a little deeper into this and other “moral panics” for this week’s episode. Dr. Joseph Uscinski, a political science professor at the University of Miami and one of the country’s foremost authorities on conspiracy theories, joined the show.
“It’s not like people go around just adopting whatever idea they hear,” he told host Mike Rogers. “They seek out and adopt ideas that tell them that the way they view the world already is correct.”
Uscinski’s research into our nation’s belief in conspiracies may surprise listeners, including data that reveals how many people believe and who believes in them.
If you have suggestions for stories “Something Offbeat” should cover, send them to us at somethingoffbeat@audacy.com.
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