Frankly, I've never been wrong : A rhetorical analysis of Alex Jones' prophecies, predictions and conspiracy rhetoric

On 14/12 2012 conspiracy theorist and political commentator Alex Jones was in his Austin, Texas studio discussing the police state that was being ushered into taking control of the United States of America, something he had prophesied for two decades. A shooter had entered the premises of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut and had mercilessly killed 20 children and 6 staffers before ending his own life. To Jones this was not a symptom of failed gun control measures, a lack of mental health responses or socioeconomic ailments of contemporary America, it was a calculated move by the deep state that he had been predicting for years. Because of the explosive impact Jones had on the post 9/11 conspiracy world, this thesis is going to explore the way prophecies and predictions function as rhetorical devices in conspiracy rhetoric and not only explore their functions in a larger sense but also show how they are received by an implied audience. One of the key events Jones is most famous for predicting, both according to himself and others, is the terrorist attacks of 11/9 2001 which is the material that this thesis will explore. This thesis not only makes the case that the predictions themselves may serve an ethos constructing purpose and function, but also that prophecy and prediction are integral for the dissemination of information by InfoWars. Is the act of seeing the future divinely ordained or is it a matter of knowing, as Jones often says, the “inside baseball”? By applying conceptually oriented criticism, propaganda theory and by analyzing InfoWars’ own source material and its reception, this thesis both examines the conspiracy rhetoric emerging from InfoWars through close reading of its communication and audience reception, exploring the role of prophecy and prediction in strategic communication. By identifying suitable audiences (or implied audience) and adapting to what they perceive as persuasive, Jones has effectively positioned himself as a prophet-like figure in the alternative media space and conspiracy theory subculture - an influence that has at times, had dire consequences for others. Finally, this thesis discusses counter-propagandistic measures that can be employed to mitigate this type of ethos construction which affects how future communication is received by an audience.