CONTAGION HOW AND WHY (BAD) IDEAS SPREAD

Aristotle Kallis1

CONTENTS01 Contagion02 Domino effect03 How (good and bad) ideas spread04 Speed and demand05 Breaking the taboo06 Extremism and mainstream07 The 1930s08 Authoritarianism09 Anti-Semitism10 Back ... to the future

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CONTAGIONWHAT IS IT AND HOW USEFUL IS IT?

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DOMINO EFFECTHow one thing leads to the other(s)

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DOMINO EFFECTSome examples

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HOW IDEAS SPREAD

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SPEEDPhysical, long-distance & virtual communication

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DEMANDStereotypes & prejudices

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BREAKING THE TABOOPrecedent & cognitive liberation

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EXTREMISMWhen extreme ideas become mainstreamed

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THE 1930sAUTHORITARIANISM, FASCISM, ANTISEMITISM

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AUTHORITARIANISMThe failure of democracy & liberalism

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ANTISEMITISMFrom intimidation to law to murder

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BACK TO THE FUTURETHE MAINSTREAMING OF THE EXTREME

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EXTREMISM? MAINSTREAM?When extreme ideas become mainstreamed

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EXTREMISM? MAINSTREAM?The rise of the far right in Europe

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CONCLUSIONS

Are ideas truly contagious?What is a successful idea?What about bad ideas?Speed, communication, spaceBreaking taboos: the power of precedentThe danger of complacencyThe insidious process of mainstreaming

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CONTAGIONCan we learn anything from pandemics?

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CONTAGIONThe spread of a pandemic

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DOMINO EFFECTSOne day in Rome...

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DOMINO EFFECTSThe Arab spring

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DOMINO EFFECTSThe debt crisis

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DOMINO EFFECTSThe 1989 revolutions in Europe

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DOMINO EFFECTSThe spread of Islam

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DOMINO EFFECTSThe Anabaptists

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DOMINO EFFECTSThe 1848 revolutions in Europe

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EXTREMISMThe 2009 Swiss referendum on banning minarets

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ANTISEMITISMThe 1935 Nuremberg Laws

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EXTREMISM (?) TODAYBanning the burqa

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EXTREMISM (?) TODAYStrong views against the Sharia law

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EXTREMISM (?) TODAYCurbing immigration

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EXTREMISM (?) TODAYFortress Europe: an acceptable anti-immigrant platform

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