9/11 Truther Theory

The acceptance of the 9/11 Truther Movement can be explained by events or ideas from the late 20th century. Postmodernist culture, the immediacy of movies and television, the mistrust of the government following the Watergate scandal, as well as the need for comfort in an age of uncertainty, gave rise to the influx of conspiracy belief in politics and the media in the late 20th century, thus preparing Americans to believe that the attacks in September of 2001 were an inside job, perpetrated by none other than President Bush himself. 17 years have passed since the 9/11 attacks, yet Truthers still try to persuade others that 9/11 was a conspiracy. While some conspiracy theories interfere with the rebuilding period following the supposed conspiracy,

the Truther Movement was not detrimental to the rebuilding of the US post-9/11. Directly after the September 11 attacks, certain security measures were implemented to ensure nothing of that magnitude occurred again. For example, the entire airport security process was redone; among many other things, TSA agents are trained to prevent any hazardous materials from boarding, people and bags are checked for weapons of any sort, and friends and family can no longer escort someone to their gate. Secondly, the US started taking extremist groups seriously, and are more aware of their capabilities than ever. Overall, even though it’s surprising how large the Truther Movement is, the movement itself was in no way a roadblock in the rebuilding of the US; proper measures were enacted without dissent. The late 20th century was filled with paranoia and fear, the perfect invitation for conspiracy theory thinking. By the time the September 11, 2001 attacks rolled around, Americans were conditioned to accept conspiracy theories.