5G COVID Conspiracy Theory

5G is the next generation of wireless network technology that is steadily being rolled out across the United States and around the world. It provides faster data speeds and network capacity than existing 4G LTE technology.

An implausible 5G Conspiracy theory is based on the strange notion that the launch of 5G caused the spread of COVID-19. With social media platforms plagued by the spread of misinformation, this idea circulated like wildfire. The basic premise was that COVID-19 was man-made or something evil, a sort of viral Frankenstein. One version of the conspiracy goes like this, the COVID-19 pandemic is part of a strategy conceived by global elites to roll out vaccinations with tracking chips that would later be activated by 5G, the technology used by cellular networks.

More than 70 cellphone towers were set on fire in the United Kingdom in April and May because of their alleged link to the spread of the virus. Other arsonists struck around the world, while a woman in North Carolina fired her gun at cell phone workers as they worked on a tower. This is like the villagers taking to the streets with torches and pitchforks to corner the monster.

This level of fear inspired irrationality reminded me of the 1938 Orson Wells produced radio play War of the Worlds. This radio broadcast had residents in New Jersey running for the hills and shooting at water towers thinking the Martians were attacking. The mind can become unhinged in times of crisis.

“The weight of scientific evidence has not effectively linked exposure to radio frequency energy from mobile devices with any known health problems,” the FCC noted. I’m left wondering why these conspiracy theorists wear face masks if they believe the towers cause the infection. Tech companies have had struggled to combat COVID-19 misinformation. As long as the pandemic has been in the news, there has been an endless torrent of false information about it.

“People are drawn to conspiracy theories during periods of crisis and uncertainty, and this is certainly one of those times,” Karen Douglas, a professor of psychology told the HuffPost. By connecting dots, conspiracy theories take the unknown out of the equation and give people a sense of control. Even if the belief is untrue, having some sort of explanation for what’s going on can be soothing.

The reality of the situation is that COVID-19 was naturally caused, and we don’t know how to stop it from spreading yet. That is scary. If a person believes 5G towers caused COVID-19, they have something concrete to fight rather than facing the unknown. A study from Princeton University found that social isolation is linked to dark, superstitious thinking. People have more time for conspiratorial thinking. People who believe in conspiracy theories are more likely to be associated with prejudice, violence and crime.

Of course the president of the United States is often guilty of spreading these conspiracy theories leading to a perfect storm of stupid. He has even Tweeted that the CDC and media are lying about the virus to hurt his re-election chances. He has troubles with his priorities. He loves throwing gasoline on the fire.

One thing we can all do to prevent the spread of conspiracy theories is to look for trusted, reliable information backed by facts and science and maybe some art.

The Cradle Will Rock is a 1937 musical by Marc Blitzstein. Originally a part of the Federal Theatre Project, it was directed by Orson Welles, and produced by John Houseman. The musical is an allegory of corruption and corporate greed. Set in “Steeltown, USA”, it follows the efforts of Larry Foreman to unionize the town’s workers and combat wicked, greedy businessman Mr. Mister, who controls the town’s factory, press, church and social organization. The piece is almost entirely sung-through, giving it many operatic qualities, although Blitzstein included popular song styles of the time.

The production was shut down four days before its opening by the Work Progress Administration,
which stated that due to budget cuts, the WPA was reorganizing its arts
projects, and all openings of WPA plays, musicals, concerts, and art
galleries were to be delayed until after July 1, however, many asserted
that the musical had been censored because the pro-union plot was “too
radical”.
The theatre was padlocked and surrounded by security to prevent anyone
from stealing props or costumes, as these were considered U. S.
Government property. Welles, Houseman, and Blitzstein, seeking a way to privately produce the show, rented the much larger Venice Theatre and a piano just in time for the scheduled preview on June 16, 1937.
The 600 audience members, who had gathered outside the Maxine Elliot
Theatre for the preview, traveled 21 blocks north to the Venice
Theatre; many were on foot. The sold-out house grew even larger when the show’s creators invited people off the street to attend for free.To avoid government and union restrictions, the show was performed with Blitzstein playing piano onstage and the cast members singing their parts from the audience. It was a bold decision for every actor since taking this stance could have ruined their careers. Orson Wells and John Houseman were fired for insubordination. They then formed their own, Mercury Theater Company, which would later produce the radio play War of the Worlds which put Orson Wells on the map allowing him to later direct the movie Citizen Kane using many actors from the Mercury Theater troupe.

Though attempts might be made, it is hard to silence creativity in a democratic society. But it might take one frail voice to make that stand. Students sat in a circle on the empty stage reliving the events in 1937. It is hard to imagine remaining silent when social media makes expressing any idea so easy. Yet who honestly ever swims upstream. We do all we can to swim downstream in school formation.