Abstract The models used to analyse conspiracy theory have often been individualistic; conspiracy theorists have been seen to embody either faulty epistemology (believing things neither true nor justified) or to suffer from psychopathology. In this article, I will argue that the conception of the (disordered) mind common to both is inadequate to the task, and instead that conspiracy theory is better conceived along lines supplied by what colleagues and I call “distributed intelligence”—the way in which human judgement circulates through various technologically mediated networks, subject to forms of contagion and reinforcement. At stake ultimately is not simply a set of epistemic issues, but a consideration of the ways in which certain forms and distributions of judgement entail ethical and political costs, ones which we need to be mindful of if we are to see conspiracy theory in terms more adequate to the phenomenon itself.

‘Lived experience’ is a pivotal concept in activism, highlighting the rights of marginalised individuals to share their stories and gain recognition within broader societal discourse. Social movements and social justice activism have leveraged the knowledge derived from marginalised ‘lived experience’ to challenge systemic authority, disrupt neoliberal hegemony, and amplify silenced voices. However, contemporary discourse often calls on activists to either ‘speak their truth’ about marginalisation or confess their privilege, depending on their positionality. This paper examines the role of ‘lived experience’ in activism through twenty in-depth qualitative interviews with activists, integrating historical and genealogical insights on ‘parrhesia’ (truth-telling) and ‘confession’. By addressing concepts such as ‘dysphoric guilt’, this study explores how ‘lived experience’ can be harnessed to inspire solidarity and drive political and societal ‘transformative action’.

As the year draws to a close we would like to express our thanks to all the authors and peer reviewers who have supported the journal this year, as well as the guest editors. We very much appreciate the time and effort you have all invested to contribute to the success of Subjectivity in 2024. The final issue of 2024 opens with Amanda Light presenting the case for a rethinking of wellbeing in precarious times in "Exploring precarity and wellbeing through embodied eco-psychotherapies and posthuman subjectivity". In "Revisiting the liberation dilemma in the context of semiocapitalism", Sun Liang and Liu Lipeng wrIte about Franco (Bifo) Berardi, and his breakthroughs and limits on the predicament of post-operaismo. Elia Pusterla connects the philosophical arguments of Jacques Derrida and Giorgio Agamben to explore "Deconstruction at the Time of Post-Truth Politics". And in "Left to their Own Devices", Jesse Ruse, Ernst Schraube and Paul Rhodes explore how digital mental health tools redefine the meaning of mental health care. As a new departure for the journal, we include an essay by Agnieszka Piotrowska discussing her short film on Agnès Varda, available on Vimeo here https:// vimeo. com/ 39034 8927 and we would urge you to view the film alongside reading Agnieszka's essay. This issue also includes some commentaries on articles published this year. We are always happy to encourage debate in the journal, please let us know if you wish to propose a discussion on any new or recent articles. We are also always keen to receive proposals for special issues, or collections that might span multiple issues.

The pandemic and all of its restrictions dominated public attention and social practices for almost three years. There was declared a state of exception in many national contexts during the pandemic. A revolution took place in the governing of bodies and the obstruction of sociality or the basic togetherness of humans. In a direct, physical way, the pandemic regulations were radically individualizing to a degree that had not been seen in either normal societies or normal crises and emergencies. This pandemic condition of being exposed represented a kind of extreme object existence.

This article problematizes subjectification through the practice of norm critique. The study builds on interviews with some of the key initiators and participants in a project working norm critically with men and masculinity in relation to gender equality and climate change in Sweden. Through the psychoanalytical framework of enjoyment and fantasy, I develop a perspective on how and why a certain understanding of the norm-critical subject emerges. The analysis makes visible how the practice of norm critique, while challenging hegemonic masculine norms such as emotional stoicism, reinforces neoliberal ideals of individualized self-emancipation and the quest for authenticity and wholeness, which risks de-politicizing the issue of climate change.