CONSPIRACY THEORY: When states, politicians and companies hide the facts and tell half-truths, conspiracy theories become the attempt of the powerless to understand the reality that conditions their lives – and if possible change it. Conspiracy as both a revolutionary and authoritarian tool, pandemics such as AIDS and covid19, post-truth mythologies, the US's military build-up, gold rush and deindustrialisation, al-Qaeda and UFOs are touched upon here.