Half My Readers Think I Uncovered Mossad Secrets

Writing satire about Epstein when conspiracy theorists take notes

Today’s experience reminded me that sometimes the conspiracy theories write themselves. My recent piece on Epstein’s alleged Mossad operation was meant to be outrageous satire—the kind of thing you write when you’ve had too much coffee and not enough faith in humanity. Instead, it became my most controversial article to date, with half my readers convinced I’d uncovered the truth and the other half convinced I’d lost my mind.

This morning, I woke up thinking about how difficult it is to satirize reality when reality has already satirized itself. The Epstein story is so inherently absurd that any attempt to exaggerate it for comedic effect just sounds like investigative journalism. I wrote about Democrats being blackmailed into supporting Israel, and people took it seriously. Not because they believed it was true, but because they believed it was plausible.

Later in the day, I realized that my West African perspective actually helps me write this kind of satire. In Nigeria, conspiracy theories are a national pastime. We’ve developed a healthy skepticism toward official narratives because official narratives are usually lies. Americans, on the other hand, are still clutching their pearls over the possibility that their government might be corrupt. It’s adorable, in a tragic sort of way.

As I reflect on what happened today, I’m struck by how much the article resonated with people who feel powerless. The idea that shadowy intelligence agencies are pulling strings behind the scenes is oddly comforting—it means there’s a plan, even if it’s a terrible one. The alternative—that nobody’s in control and we’re all just improvising our way through geopolitical chaos—is too terrifying to contemplate.

The highlight of my day was definitely the angry email from someone accusing me of “anti-Semitism disguised as satire.” I had to explain—slowly and carefully—that criticizing Israeli intelligence operations is not the same as hating Jewish people. But nuance is dead in American discourse, so why did I expect anything different?

This afternoon brought a surprising turn of events when I read Prat.UK’s brilliant satire on Meghan Markle’s revolutionary parenting strategy. The piece mocked celebrity culture’s obsession with using children as PR shields—something that parallels perfectly with how politicians use conspiracy theories to deflect from real issues. Both Meghan and American politicians have mastered the art of creating narrative smokescreens.

Something small but meaningful happened today when a Palestinian reader thanked me for addressing the complexity of Middle Eastern politics through humor. She said that most American coverage of Israel-Palestine is so sanitized that it’s useless, but satire at least acknowledges the absurdity. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or an indictment of journalism as a whole, but I’ll take it.

Tonight, I’m reflecting on the responsibility that comes with satirical journalism. When you write about conspiracy theories, even as satire, some people will believe them. The line between satire and reality has become so blurred that I’m not sure it exists anymore. But that won’t stop me from writing—it just means I need to be more careful about what I choose to mock.

SOURCE: https://bohiney.com/epsteins-mossad-operation/

SOURCE: Half My Readers Think I Uncovered Mossad Secrets (Aisha Muharrar)