S2E5 Conspiracy Theories: Sir Richard Evans on the Need to Believe

Our global interconnectedness has given new strength to conspiracy theories. And that’s never been more clear than during the pandemic, as swathes of people have been able to come together digitally in their joint doubt of the true origin of covid-19, the motives of the world's governments, and even the virus’s very existence. But why do people become obsessed with believing surreal fantasies when the truth is right there in front of them? Where do these stories come from, and how are conspiracy theorists created? Today’s guest is Professor Sir Richard J. Evans, author of The Hitler Conspiracies. In this episode he explores the many myths surrounding the death of Hitler, which have even outlived the man himself. He also explains what’s going on in the minds of conspiracy theorists, why we should take care when writing stories based on real events, and how content creators might be inadvertently helping to perpetuate these myths.