Kevin Are birds real, or are they government drones? Does it seem strange that some animals can fly around and appear to be spying on us?
Some conspiracy theories are pretty much insane, but they gain traction anyway. It doesn’t take too many people believing in something false to turn it into a full-blown issue for those who understand the truth. In large cities across the country, billboards have popped up declaring “Birds Aren’t Real” which seems like a far-fetched idea, but there’s quite following of this movement online, which makes it extremely strange but dangerous, especially if these conspiracy theorists believe birds to be government drones.
Online accounts have large audiences
The Birds Aren’t Real accounts on Instagram and TikTok have hundreds of thousands of followers, and YouTube videos about this conspiracy theory have gone viral. It seems the internet has gone crazy, and some people have lost their collective minds. The group supporting this theory even protested outside Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco to demand the company change its bird logo. If you aren’t shaking your head yet, you might be soon.
Fueled by government distrust
Is the government watching you? Maybe, but that’s a topic for a different discussion. Considering we know how birds move and that you don’t always see them in your neighborhoods, suggests they cannot be government drones. Still, this conspiracy theory, which sparked a strong following in 2021, has been fueled by the billboards and a strong Gen-Z crowd who were seen wearing Birds Aren’t Real T-shirts while swarming rallies and spreading the slogan. This is such a crazy thought that many don’t understand how to respond to the craze, but thankfully, there is a bit of sensibility to be had.
Do you understand parody?
The creator of the Birds Aren’t Real movement, and the followers of this movement are all in on the joke that these flying creatures are, in fact, real. Additionally, they fully understand that birds aren’t government drones sent to spy on us. This was simply a parody social movement with a purpose. Its goal is to poke fun at other conspiracy theories that share and spread misinformation, which has become a normal part of our modern society. This was a clever way for some Gen-Z creators to upend the proverbial rabbit hole with an absurd theory that some might take seriously but should not.
The theory lasted four years
Peter McIndoe created the Birds Aren’t Real movement and let it evolve to suggest that birds are actually government drones. He began this movement in 2017, probably laughing at it the entire time. He stayed in character and created quite a following for four years. He was the chief of this conspiracy theory and raged against anyone who challenged his dogma. Once again, most of what he encountered with this movement probably made him laugh as he fought lunacy with lunacy, which makes perfect sense. Thankfully, in 2021, McIndoe revealed the truth that the entire movement was false and a parody movement to show how absurd conspiracy theories can be.
Walking a fine line
McIndoe understood he had to walk a thin line while keeping the Birds Aren’t Real act up. As he told the New York Times, “Dealing in the world of misinformation for the past few years, we’ve been really conscious of the line we walk. The idea is meant to be so preposterous, but we make sure nothing we’re saying is too realistic.”
In a world that’s been filled with misinformation, its refreshing to see a group take to a conspiracy theory for the sole purpose of highlighting how absurd some theories can be. Many people have fallen victim to conspiracy theories and believe some of the strangest things. At times, these theories can be harmful to entire groups of people, which can make life intolerable for others.
Taking it back to his roots
What would cause a person to create such a strange theory and spread it with action and support? Peter McIndoe grew up in a deeply conservative and religious community outside Cincinnati, Arkansas. During his upbringing, he said that he was home-schooled and taught that “evolution was a massive brainwashing plan by the Democrats and Obama was the Antichrist.”
The movement to share his Birds Aren’t Real conspiracy theory and to further suggest birds are government drones is a way for him to have a little fun and poke fun at his extremely sheltered upbringing, which was rooted in misinformation.
What conspiracy theories have you engaged with and found to be completely false?
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