Pulling The Thread

Conspiracy theorists and skeptics alike engage in ideas that defy the facts. Indeed, in America’s new “post-truth” reality we seem more attracted than ever to baseless but comfortable fictions that reinforce our values, our self-image, and our social status. In a series of 8-minute episodes, Pulling the Thread unravels popular conspiracy theories - from UFOs to Sandy Hook hoaxers - examining larger truths about why we believe them and what they reveal about our society. The series includes the voices of colorful and influential conspiracy theorists and professional skeptics like Michael Shermer, founder of the Skeptics Society and David Mikkelson, founder of Snopes.com. Together, their stories, along with those of true believers across the nation, serve to dismantle the stereotype of the crackpot conspiracy theorist and the myth that these ideas are the purview of one group or party.