The United States of Paranoia: A Conspiracy Theory

Description

Jesse Walker’s The United States of Paranoia presents a comprehensive history of conspiracy theories in American culture and politics, from the colonial era to the War on Terror.The fear of intrigue and subversion doesn’t exist only on the fringes of society, but has always been part of our national identity. When such tales takes hold, Walker argues, they reflect the anxieties and experiences of the people who believe them, even if they say nothing true about the objects of the theories themselves.With intensive research and a deadpan sense of humor, Jesse Walker’s The United States of Paranoia combines the rigor of real history with the punch of pulp fiction.This edition includes primary-source documentation in the form of archival photographs, cartoons, and film stills selected by the author. Dedication......Page 3 Epigraph......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Part I: Primal Myths......Page 7 1 - The Paranoid Style Is American Politics......Page 8 2 - The Devil in the Wilderness......Page 24 3 - The Devil Next Door......Page 43 4 - The Beast Below......Page 73 5 - Puppeteers......Page 95 6 - Conspiracies of Angels......Page 115 Part II: Modern Fear......Page 132 7 - The Water’s Gate......Page 133 8 - The Legend of John Todd......Page 155 9 - Operation Mindfuck......Page 183 10 - The Ghost of Rambo......Page 217 11 - The Demonic Cafeteria......Page 227 12 - Everything Is a Clue......Page 246 Epilogue: The Monster at the End of This Book......Page 274 Acknowledgments......Page 279 Notes......Page 281 Index......Page 357 About the Author......Page 396 Credits......Page 397 Copyright......Page 398 About the Publisher......Page 400