Down the rabbit hole
The phrase "down the rabbit hole" is a metaphor for something that transports a person to a surreal place. Uscinski uses this metaphor for the title of his first chapter, suggesting that the world of conspiracy theories is surreal.
Spread like wildfire
Uscinski uses a simile to describe how conspiracy theories might "spread like wildfire." This simile is used to describe something that spreads very quickly with force and power.
Disperse the herd
Uskinski tells us that conspiracy theories are more likely to occur in authoritarian regimes due to the lack of free press. Using a metaphor, he describes how "there is often no credible information to disperse the herd."
Herd mentality
Uscinski continues the metaphor of a "herd," saying that "the larger the herd becomes, the more incentive rival actors have to put forth disconfirming evidence." This metaphor describes humanity as being prone to conformity and collective consciousness.
The stock market bubble
Uscinski uses a metaphor to describe the crash of the stock market, saying that "the release of Enron's financial information burst the stock market bubble."
