Pete Evans urges his fans to read an essay on coronavirus conspiracy theories

Controversial chef Pete Evans has urged his fans to read an essay on conspiracy theories by American public speaker Charles Eisenstein.

In a video posted on Instagram on Friday, the former My Kitchen Rules judge said it was ‘important’ that his followers engage with Eisenstein’s latest article.

In the lengthy blog titled The Conspiracy Myth, Eisenstein addressed some of the theories surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Eisenstein claimed the conspiracy theories about COVID-19 were being ‘fuelled by the authoritarian response to the pandemic’. 

He said many people believe – incorrectly – that ‘an evil, power-hungry cabal of insiders deliberately created the pandemic, or is at least ruthlessly exploiting it, to frighten the public into accepting a totalitarian world government under permanent medical martial law, a New World Order’.

It’s important to remember, however, that there is no factual basis for any of the coronavirus conspiracy theories being circulated online. 

Pete, 47, said Eisenstein’s opinions closely mirrored his own – that is, he believes the government’s response to coronavirus has stoked paranoia. 

Pete told his followers: ‘Have a read of this beautiful man’s words. He always has such a wondrous way of illustrating and communicating his thoughts, and they echo mine, but he says it so much more beautifully.’ 

In another Instagram post on Friday, Pete shared a screenshot of Eisenstein’s essay and urged his supporters to read it.

‘IMPORTANT. Please read the whole essay from start to finish whether you believe in conspiracy myths or staunchly oppose them,’ he wrote. 

‘This is powerful and beautiful. Thank you @charles_eisenstein once again for voicing my own thoughts in a much more succinct and wonderful way and even allowing the space for me to open up even more and question my own beliefs.’

In his essay, Eisenstein claimed the coronavirus pandemic had enabled powerful forces to gain more control in society.

‘The solution template is, facing any problem, to find something to control – to quarantine, to track, to imprison, to wall out, to dominate, or to kill,’ he wrote. 

‘If control fails, more control will fix it. To achieve social and material paradise, control everything, track every movement, monitor every word, record every transaction.

‘Then there can be no more crime, no more infection, no more disinformation… This is not a conspiracy, though it can certainly look like one.’

Eisenstein also claimed that anyone who questioned ‘mainstream beliefs’ was being labelled a conspiracy theorist. 

Pete has raised eyebrows recently with his controversial and unfounded opinions about the coronavirus pandemic.

In April, he was fined $25,200 for promoting a ‘healing lamp’ he claimed could help treat COVID-19.

He has also voiced his opinions on a potential coronavirus vaccine – saying people shouldn’t have to get it – and has argued that aged care workers and visitors should not be forced to get the flu vaccine.