“This, in sum, is our problem: the truest conspiracies meet with the least opposition.
“Or to put it another way, conspiracy practices — the methods by which true conspiracies such as gerrymandering, or the debt industry, or mass surveillance are realized — are almost always overshadowed by conspiracy theories: those malevolent falsehoods that in aggregate can erode civic confidence in the existence of anything certain or verifiable.”
So says Edward Snowden.
He’s the former NSA drone who exposed a bunch of inside NSA data. He had to flee America and is now living in exile in Russia.
I thought Snowden’s idea above was interesting. But if Snowden is right, then it makes me wonder…
Why do people believe in conspiracy theories, but ignore conspiracy practices?
I came up with a few possible answers. They might be useful to you if you are in the business of persuading:
1. Our brains prefer neat, human-sized explanations.
Conspiracy theories give us this. Conspiracy practices don’t — they are a mess of individual actors, institutions, and changing mass behavior.
2. Conspiracy theories are black and white, while conspiracy practices are not.
Conspiracy theories allow us to focus our blame on something alien and evil. Conspiracy practices often mesh with our deeply held beliefs and commitments, like paying off our mortgage, voting for the party we believe in, and taking the medication our doctor tells us to take.
3. We get habituated to anything.
There is value in something new and different (conspiracy theories) over what we already have and know (conspiracy practices).
4. Conspiracy theories give us hope.
Because conspiracy theories are new, because they are run by a few people, because they are external, we believe they are opposable. We even hope that one good fight can be enough. Things are much more murky with conspiracy practices.
5. Conspiracy theories often involve added drama.
Examples: pedophilia, satanists, Hollywood stars, billionaires, midnight rituals. And we like drama. On the other hand, conspiracy practices are mundane.
6. There is official pushback on conspiracy theories…
… but there is no official pushback on conspiracy practices. In other words, conspiracy theories trigger reactance, and conspiracy practices do not.
When you add all this up, it’s no wonder direct response copywriters figured out long ago that unfamiliar, hidden conspiracies, run by a few bad actors, can get crazy attention and drive a lot of sales.
That’s why I cover conspiracies in round 3 of Copy Riddles, which is all about that essential copy ingredient, intrigue.
But like I tried to show above, standard copywriting tactics like conspiracies go deeper. They tap into more fundamental human needs and desires.
And the best copywriters know this, and use it to their advantage.
So that’s why Copy Riddles has another round, which I called “Dark psychological things.” It teaches you how A-list copywriters tap into things like mistrust and outrage and desire for the “Inner Ring” to drive sales.
As I’ve mentioned over the past few days, Copy Riddles is open right now. But it will close tomorrow night (Sunday) at midnight PST.
Why exactly that time?
Because that’s when the official Copy Riddles midnight ritual kicks off… and I have to be there in time to meet the brothers and sisters of my Inner Ring.
More seriously, if you are interested in a higher level of copywriting chops, here’s where you can find out about Copy Riddles before it closes: