It’s not exactly a conspiracy because it doesn’t require coordination. The idea is that if Covid came from a lab, it will make the field of virology as a whole

It’s not exactly a conspiracy because it doesn’t require coordination. The idea is that if Covid came from a lab, it will make the field of virology as a whole look bad, because it implies studying viruses actually makes us less safe. It can also be explained by respect of your colleagues - to accuse them of lying may hurt your career even if tue. I’m not defending this paper - it raises too many red flags - but it’s easy to see why such theories are likely to come from outside the field.