Conspiracy theories are rooted in a culture of victimhood

Last month, at a Saturday afternoon open-air rally in rural Pennsylvania, former U.S. president Donald Trump was grazed by an assassin’s bullet, which left three others injured and two dead, including the shooter.

The FBI quickly identified the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, an intelligent but friendless young man with an affinity for firearms. Investigators have so far been hesitant to ascribe a clear motive to his actions. This has encouraged many to fill the knowledge gap with assumptions, gossip, and dubious conspiracies.