Science lectures for the inquisitive and wondering
Bristol Skeptics Society is delighted to present Skeptics in the P̶u̶b̶… Theatre!
Skeptics in the Pub is a regular lecture series, hosting academics from the world of science and skepticism, to share their unique research and insights. The goal is for every talk to delight and inspire, and help us understand our complex world a little better.
March 2025
Speaker: Dr Joe Ondrak
Talk Title: Horror Everything: 2016 – Forever
In his talk, Dr. Ondrak will discuss how horror fiction traditions are useful in understanding contemporary conspiracy culture, moving from false documents and found footage to creepypasta and QAnon. Taking a formalist and stylistic approach, he will demonstrate how social media platforms shape meaning, blur the boundaries of fact and fiction, and create a shared cognitive environment ripe for conspiracy belief.
Bio: Dr. Joe Ondrak is an Open-Source Intelligence practitioner, investigative journalist, and an expert in disinformation, conspiracy theories, and contemporary media theory. Over five years, he has exposed conspiracy grifters, extreme right-wing figures, hostile state influence operations, and platform manipulation efforts, and advised government and policymakers on how to address the risks that come with our hypermediated age. His PhD – ‘Digesting Creepypasta: Social Media Horror Narratives as Gothic Fourth-Generation Digital Fiction’ – explored how social media blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction when used as a venue for storytelling, and the wider implications for society. His research interests include virality and memetics, the ‘truthiness‘ of false narratives, and all things to do with digital text and how it shapes culture.
Skepticism is the philosophy that we can understand the world better by using evidence and scientific methods. The skeptical community is committed to combating misinformation, and pursuing a better, more compassionate world, through scientific exploration and inquiry – and making some friends whilst doing it! 🔎❤️
Bristol Skeptics Society is a Bristol based non-profit education and advocacy organisation, dedicated to promoting science and critical thinking in Bristol, around the UK, and internationally. Founded in 2009, we have hosted hundreds of speakers over the years on a variety of skeptical and scientific topics, and supported local and national skeptical campaigns.
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