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In the aftermath of the massive earthquakes in Turkey, conspiracy theories are running wild once more. The most notable of them that the tremors were caused by what they claim is a US weapon system known as HAARP, an atmospheric research project based in Alaska.

My take? “How convenient!” How convenient that we can now blame a foreign power for causing death a destruction, and not the numerous layers of officialdom which didn’t discharge their duties properly to ensure people were not living in unsafe and dangerous buildings.

Politicians and bureaucrats from across the political spectrum, both government and opposition, have been playing politics with these issues for generations. Obviously, individuals themselves resist official attempts to enforce planning regulations too when it’s their family home at stake, in which they have invested their all.

It’s natural that politicians will attempt to appeal to those voters, promising amnesties and incentives that satisfy short term goals. When push comes to shove, principles will have to be thrown out of the window. And so they were, to devastating effect.

But it’s all okay, because the people’s justifiable anger has now been diverted towards America and its allies for using a climate research station to cause earthquakes. People we know, directly affected by the tragedy having lost multiple family members, are completely sold on this conspiracy.

So hurray: there will be no accounting for the actual conspiracy. That conspiracy of human failure which enabled building regulations to be invalidated for votes, on all sides. No anger at that scandal. No rage that two hundred thousand substandard buildings were given a reprieve, shortly before they collapsed on their residents causing untold loss of life.

How easy to blame the eternal other when we’re forced to hold ourselves to account! In the latest retelling of this tale, the fabled antichrist was invoked. On and on it goes like this, as we abdicate responsibility for our actions. Nothing ever changes, it seems.