Summary
David Morrill of Portland, Oregon, was involved in conspiracy theory communities online until a mental health crisis forced him to confront his beliefs. He talked with his father about how he found his way back to reality. Their conversation is part of our Student Reporting Labs series on misinformation, "Moments of Truth." For a transcript of this story, click here .Five Facts
- Who the focus of this story, and what is his background?
- W hen did David Morrill start engaging with online conspiracy theories?
- What are some of the conspiracy theories Morrill came to embrace?
- Why do embracing these theories start to effect Morrill's mental health?
- How did Morrill's father help his son move away from conspiracy theories?
Focus Questions
At one point in this interview, David Morrill says working through puzzles of conspiracy theories felt like a "hero's journey"? What do you think he meant by this? Do you think the feeling he describes is an attraction of many conspiracy theories? Media literacy: Why do you think this story was put together by high school reporters? What does that add to the storytelling? Alternative : See, Think, Wonder : What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What story would you want to find out more about? Where would you go to learn more?For More
What students can do: Conspiracy theories might spread like wildfire online, but conspiratorial thinking long predates the internet. Classrooms can use this lesson below to discuss common conspiracy theories through U.S. history and compare then to now.Lesson plan: Conspiracy theories, then and now
Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each morning.
