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Daily Cartoon: Monday, August 24th | The New Yorker

newyorker.com

Lindsay Clancy conspiracy theories are spreading fast — what makes people so eager to believe an alternative story about a mother accused of killing her children?

Motivated ReasoningConspiracy Theory PsychologyJust-World HypothesisSocial Proof
Daily Cartoon: Monday, August 24th | The New Yorker

Theory Briefing

  • Conspiracy theories around Lindsay Clancy have gained traction despite a formal legal case already in place, suggesting the official narrative feels unsatisfying to many.
  • The desire to believe an alternative account may reflect a broader tendency to seek hidden causes when a crime feels too disturbing to accept at face value.
  • Clancy's case — a postpartum nurse accused of killing her children — carries emotional weight that makes people especially motivated to reframe her as a victim of a larger cover-up.
  • The spread of these theories points to how online communities can sustain and amplify doubt even when courts have already assigned responsibility.