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HIV/AIDS Conspiracy Theories
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HIV/AIDS Conspiracy Theories
Various conspiracy theories that are deceptive and misleading exist in contemporary society regarding many existing issues, for instance, the origin of diseases such as the recent COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS, amongst others. One of the conspiracy theories initially hinted at by former South African president, Thabo Mbeki, alleges that a single virus cannot trigger immune deficiency as it occurs in the case of HIV/AIDS. Mbeki also accused the CIA and, in extension, the US government of being behind the origin of HIV/AIDS, allegedly to reduce the population of homosexuals among African Americans (Cohen, 2000) (Time Inc., 2008). The Soviet State Security Committee (KGB), alongside the East German Ministry for State Security (Stasi) on the other hand, are responsible for the conspiracy theory accusing the US government of deliberately creating the Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus as a biological weapon to wipe out minority communities in the US and globally (Selvage, 2019, pp. 71–123). This paper explores the conspiracy theories surrounding HIV/AIDS in consideration of the beneficiaries and followers of the theories, the history, and evidence proving the fallacy of the same.
The beneficiaries of the conspiracies surrounding HIV/AIDS are mainly governments and political regimes. Russia and Germany, for instance, in their conspiracy theory that accuses the US of being behind the creation of HIV/AIDS, imparted political influence globally. Germany and Russia were able to wage political negativity on the US due to the fallacy, specifically in their efforts relating to biological warfare (Selvage, 2019, pp. 71–123). The conspiracy theory spread by the Russians and Germans against the US still renders effects, as confirmed by Ayres (2020).
The conspiracy theory accusing the US government as the culprit behind the biological engineering of HIV/AIDS commenced in 1985 after the discovery of the disease in 1981. The conspiracy was created as a psychological approach to fight against the US by accusing them of being aggressive from a military perspective during the cold war. The conspiracy was developed under a military-led operation with the codename “Denver” (Selvage,2019, pp. 71–123). Mbeki’s theory was first made public in the year 2000 and was later backed by Kenyan Nobel Peace prize winner Wangari Maathai (Gibbs, 2004).
HIV/AIDS exists contrary to the underpinnings of the conspiracy theories surrounding it. The World Health Organization confirms that over 40 million people have died from HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS affects all indiscriminately and has no cure, which dismisses the claim that it was a US government project since if this was true, the cure could have been outlined already to save their citizens infected with the disease. WHO also confirms that antiretroviral therapy lowers the mortality and morbidity rates associated with HIV/AIDS, which refutes claims of conspiracy theories alleging that HIV medication is meant to benefit pharmaceuticals. Research reveals that HIV/AIDS is accurate, and those with the infection undergo various experiences (Arias-Colmenero et al., 2020).
Finally, as psychology proves, conspiracy theories are hard to dispose of and overlook since they are naturally in the human brain. However, conspiracy theories are still harmful and misleading as they are responsible for the low rate of blacks’ adherence to HIV/AIDS medication, Antiretroviral Therapy, as indicated by Andrade (2020). Conspiracy theories are associated with political apathy (Douglas, 2021), as witnessed in the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which was surrounded by the same. Generally, conspiracy theories are negative, harmful, deceptive, and misleading, especially in the current times where information, including fake news, spreads swiftly, enabled by technological advancement.
References
Andrade, G. (2020). Medical conspiracy theories: Cognitive science and implications for ethics. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy, 23(3), 505–518. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-020-09951-6
Arias-Colmenero, T., Pérez-Morente, M. Á., Ramos-Morcillo, A. J., Capilla-Díaz, C., Ruzafa-Martínez, M., & Hueso-Montoro, C. (2020). Experiences and attitudes of people with HIV/AIDS: A systematic review of qualitative studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(2), 639. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020639
Ayres, S. (2020, March 12). HIV conspiracy theories and the virus continue to thrive in Russia. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-03-12/disinformation-and-conspiracy-theories-keep-russias-hiv-inf
Cohen, J. (n.d.). Mbeki speech angers AIDS researchers. Science. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.science.org/content/article/mbeki-speech-angers-aids-researchers
Douglas, K. M. (2021). Are conspiracy theories harmless? The Spanish Journal of Psychology, p. 24. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2021.10
Gibbs, W. (2004, December 10). Nobel peace laureate seeks to explain remarks about aids. The New York Times. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/10/world/nobel-peace-laureate-seeks-to-explain-remarks-about-aids.html#:~:text=Maathai%20the%202004%20Peace%20Prize,wipe%20out%20the%20black%20race.%22
Selvage, D. (2019). Operation “Denver”: The East German Ministry of State Security and the KGB’s AIDS disinformation campaign, 1985–1986 (part 1). Journal of Cold War Studies, 21(4), 71–123. https://doi.org/10.1162/jcws_a_00907
Time Inc. (2008, November 20). Conspiracy Theories. Time. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1860871_1860876_1861031,00.html
World Health Organization. (2022). HIV. World Health Organization. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids
QUESTION
Instructor Defined Assignment Blended PHIL 341
Pick 1 conspiracy theory, and prove it wrong.
Write a minimum of 5 paragraphs on this.
1) Include an introduction that names and summaries the conspiracy theory.
2) Explain who benefits from this conspiracy theory and who follows it.
3) Discuss the history of this conspiracy theory.
4) Explain with evidence how and why this conspiracy theory is fallacious/false.
5) Conclusion- summarize and insert your opinion on this conspiracy theory.
You will need to use a minimum of 2 credible sources.
You must use a minimum of 2 research references in APA Style and include in-text citations in your paragraphs.
These references are academic peer-reviewed books or journal articles. Other sources may be used as supplemental sources, such as journalistic, government, web-based, or media sources.
Sources should not include dictionaries, encyclopedias, or general information websites like Wikipedia.