Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories Conspiracy Theories Fenster discussion

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Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories

Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy Theories • Fenster discussion pp 1 -2 • Two propositions about conspiracy theories

Conspiracy Theories • Fenster discussion pp 1 -2 • Two propositions about conspiracy theories – Margins (believed only by extremists, about secret cabals) – Centre (believed [“believed”] by almost everyone, about almost anything) • Argue that CTs are integral to modern life • Example of Da Vinci Code; examine Moon Landing.

History of theories • • 1969 Some sceptical opinions were voiced at the time

History of theories • • 1969 Some sceptical opinions were voiced at the time 1974 Bill Kaysing, We Never Went to the Moon 1978 Capricorn One movie (Mars) 1992 Ralph Rene, NASA Mooned America 1997 James Collier Was it Only a Paper Moon? 1999 David Percy Dark Moon (and in Fortean Times) 2000+ Marcus Allen in Nexus magazine 2001 Bart Sibrel, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Moon (DVD) • 2001 Fox TV special Conspiracy Theory: Did We Land on the Moon? • And, of course, the web… (3. 8 m hits on 10/09)

How many disbelieve? • 1970 Knight poll found 30% Americans were suspicious • 1999

How many disbelieve? • 1970 Knight poll found 30% Americans were suspicious • 1999 Gallup poll found 6% doubtful, 5% don’t know • 2001 Fox TV claimed 20% disbelieved • 2002 Popularity from MSNBC News report • 2006 Ditmar poll found 26% of 18 -26 yr old college educated Americans were doubtful & 10% rated it highly unlikely that Americans landed on the moon. Not what we might expect

Details and Evidence • Scenarios: – Complete hoax, partial hoax, failed technology, impossible •

Details and Evidence • Scenarios: – Complete hoax, partial hoax, failed technology, impossible • Motives: – Cold War prestige or distraction, JFK’s promise • Evidence: • Photographs are the most popular evidence – See Mythbusters photo test – High quality images Aldrin 1 Aldrin 2 Aldrin 3 • 1/6 gravity: – wires vs Mythbusters moonwalk test • The web gives multiple expert vs expert

Reasons for such belief? • Part of the general decline of trust in authority

Reasons for such belief? • Part of the general decline of trust in authority since 1990 s (not just in government, also science – other examples? ) As such is actually also a theory about the present • Reveals our era has profound doubts about technology (global warming? ) • Probably also a result of the achievement itself (could we repeat it today? ) • Is retro-active (has grown recently, looks backwards, “re-maps” history) • All that makes it more likely to come from young, educated and sceptical people

Rebuttals • At first few, as theory was not considered worth dignifying with a

Rebuttals • At first few, as theory was not considered worth dignifying with a reply • NASA’s attitude was one of dismissal – 2002 cancelled book by James Oberg • Has been left to websites such as Bad Astronomy and Clavius • 2006 Discovery Channel produced Moon Hoax Challenged • 2007 moonwalker Charlie Duke In the Shadow of the Moon coda said: – "We've been to the Moon nine times. Why would we fake it nine times, if we faked it? " • 2008 Mythbusters special – meaning?

Wider and wider • Now part of the general mass of conspiracy theories about

Wider and wider • Now part of the general mass of conspiracy theories about US government • And bigger theories about space such as Richard Hoagland Dark Mission • Subject of Spoofs The Onion and the result • Complexity - hoaxed hoaxes. See Fact or Fake about Stanley Kubrick

Final Answers? • Final answers? • NASA’s return to the Moon in 2020 (if

Final Answers? • Final answers? • NASA’s return to the Moon in 2020 (if the Chinese aren’t first), more than 50 years later • The relics still on the lunar surface • New images of the landers • But does that really close the book?

Conclusions • What does the popularity of this conspiracy theory tell us? – About

Conclusions • What does the popularity of this conspiracy theory tell us? – About the actual subject (the moon landing) – About wider concerns (about technology, national self-confidence, achievement? ) – About how evidence, belief and imagination work in CTs? – About how these relate not to the 1960 s but to the 2000 s?