Why rational people buy into conspiracy theories

[Berniewood Hogan]

POORLY SOURCED, UNSUPPORTED, ACCUSATORY, AND HIGHLY SPECULATIVE HYPOTHESES ARE NOT AN EQUAL COUNTERBALANCE TO PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM, BROTHER! THEY'RE NOT ATTACKING FREE THOUGHT, DUDE! THEY'RE LAMENTING OUR TENDENCY TO BELIEVE IN SIMPLIFIED GRAND SCHEMES WHEN THE REAL STORY IS COMPLEX AND REQUIRES INTENSE RESEARCH, MEAN GENE!

 

[newworldafro]

POORLY SOURCED, UNSUPPORTED, ACCUSATORY, AND HIGHLY SPECULATIVE HYPOTHESES ARE NOT AN EQUAL COUNTERBALANCE TO PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM, BROTHER! THEY'RE NOT ATTACKING FREE THOUGHT, DUDE! THEY'RE LAMENTING OUR TENDENCY TO BELIEVE IN SIMPLIFIED GRAND SCHEMES WHEN THE REAL STORY IS COMPLEX AND REQUIRES INTENSE RESEARCH, MEAN GENE!

Poorly sourced?? Unsupported? Accusatory? Highly speculative?? ... oh you're talking about the MSM .... I see you Hogan ....

Sometimes you aren't given the entire story brother ....... you don't have to wait for the MSM to give you permission to believe something brother ..... the MSM doesn't not give all the facts brother .......

You know that as well as I do brother ......

I'm going to repeat just in case you didn't catch it the first time........ I scrutinize as any competent adult should all information that happens to enter my thinking realm ... doesn't matter where its coming from....

 

[Serious]

I'm going to repeat just in case you didn't catch it the first time........ I scrutinize as any competent adult should all information that happens to enter my thinking realm ... doesn't matter where its coming from....

yet someone like alex jones is right, more times than not

 

[OsO]

Also what is the difference between mistrust/paranoia/conspiracy theories? Who gets to label what what? The prison industrial complex would be labeled a CT by the majority of America. But its a real problem and not some myth created on the internet.

good point.

i think the majority of the problem lies in the extremes. we have the group who think everything is a conspiracy theory and/or they fully believe any conspiracy theory they are introduced to. on the other extreme you have the people who do not even entertain information if they perceive it to be a "conspiracy theory." and to me both extremes are just as silly and unproductive, especially when the TRUTH is probably somewhere in the middle.

but getting back to brotha tru mac's point, how are we defining "conspiracy theory?" if we polled everyone in this thread for their definition of conspiracy theory we'd probably get 20 different answers. so we cant even begin to have a productive, coherent conversation until everyone is working from the same definition of conspiracy theory.

 

[NZA]

very few easy answers, brehs

 

[Berniewood Hogan]

Poorly sourced?? Unsupported? Accusatory? Highly speculative?? ... oh you're talking about the MSM

YOU KNOW I'M TALKING ABOUT ALEX JONES, LOOSE CHANGE, THE RON PAUL NEWSLETTER, AND THE VARIETY OF DUBIOUS TINFOIL HAT SITES THAT ARE PROMOTED HERE FROM TIME TO TIME, BROTHER! I DON'T HOLD CNN AND FOX UP THERE WITH THE SAME REGARD I HOLD MATT TAIBBI, GLENN GREENWALD, BILL MOYERS, AND SOME OF SALON AND THE ATLANTIC'S WRITERS, DUDE! YOUR MISTAKE IS IN ASSUMING WE ALL BUY INTO A CONSPIRACY/MAINSTREAM DICHOTOMY THAT EXISTS PURELY IN YOUR OWN MIND, MEAN GENE!

 

[newworldafro]

YOU KNOW I'M TALKING ABOUT ALEX JONES, LOOSE CHANGE, THE RON PAUL NEWSLETTER, AND THE VARIETY OF DUBIOUS TINFOIL HAT SITES THAT ARE PROMOTED HERE FROM TIME TO TIME, BROTHER! I DON'T HOLD CNN AND FOX UP THERE WITH THE SAME REGARD I HOLD MATT TAIBBI, GLENN GREENWALD, BILL MOYERS, AND SOME OF SALON AND THE ATLANTIC'S WRITERS, DUDE! YOUR MISTAKE IS IN ASSUMING WE ALL BUY INTO A CONSPIRACY/MAINSTREAM DICHOTOMY THAT EXISTS PURELY IN YOUR OWN MIND, MEAN GENE!

..........

I oppose generalities too, which is what this article is attempting to do ...

 

[NZA]

but getting back to brotha tru mac's point, how are we defining "conspiracy theory?" if we polled everyone in this thread for their definition of conspiracy theory we'd probably get 20 different answers. so we cant even begin to have a productive, coherent conversation until everyone is working from the same definition of conspiracy theory.

conspiracy theory: belief that two or more entities have agreed to an endeavor whose true nature will be disguised from outside observers. most often, these endeavors are given malevolent motives. due to the alleged subterfuge, mainstream sources for information and facts that do not support belief in the conspiracy theory are regarded as irrelevant at best, and in cahoots with the conspiracy at worst by many who are proponents of conspiracy theories.

because some conspiracy theories are true, and some are not, the reliance on esoteric sources of record as the primary basis for conspiracy theories leads to a phenomenon sometimes referred to as a "clusterfukk". this is a state of discourse in which well-meaning parties on both sides of a conspiracy theory debate cannot ever reach a satisfying conclusion on the veracity of the conspiracy. the conspiracy theory doubter knows that there is a possibility, no matter how slim, that the conspiracy may be true, but the manner in which the conspiracy theory was presented is simply too troubling for the doubter to agree. the conspiracy theorist works from a more solid belief in their knowledge of the events, and has a tendency to view those who disagree as being so blind to what is apparently obvious to them that the doubter shares the "easy to lead" characteristics of sheep. the differing views on which source counts as credible, the scientific value of a given piece of evidence, or even the value of science versus more "supernatural" methods of discovery are all common points of contention in a true clusterfukk.

 

[Hacksaw Jim Thuggin]

im curious...

lets say a conspiracy theory is correct....now what?

what happens next?

i have a friend who believes in damn near every one that comes about...and while im half listening...im thinking...ok so even if thats true...now what happens?

 

[88m3]

im curious...

lets say a conspiracy theory is correct....now what?

what happens next?

i have a friend who believes in damn near every one that comes about...and while im half listening...im thinking...ok so even if thats true...now what happens?

You need a higher quality of friend, friend.

 

[Sensitive Blake Griffin]

Hogan went in.. it always blows my mind was a good poster he actually is.

I went through a "conspiracy phase" late in high school, but obviously realized what non-sense it was. I kinda knew the whole time that it was more-so something that I bought into because of the great stories that conspiracy theories make.

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

Something I've always said.

The truth is, the world is random, harsh, and unfair. There are many things in life you have no control over, and sometimes bad things happen to good people for no real reason other than chance. I can definitely imagine that it would be comforting, in a way, to think that the government/Illuminati/aliens control everything and if only enough people learned the truth, we could save the world.

If only shyt was that simple.

Alan Moore said basically the same thing.

"The main thing that I learned about conspiracy theory is that conspiracy theorists actually believe in a conspiracy because that is more comforting. The truth of the world is that it is chaotic. The truth is, that it is not the Jewish banking conspiracy or the grey aliens or the 12 foot reptiloids from another dimension that are in control. The truth is more frightening, nobody is in control. The world is rudderless."

 

[acri1]

Alan Moore said basically the same thing.

"The main thing that I learned about conspiracy theory is that conspiracy theorists actually believe in a conspiracy because that is more comforting. The truth of the world is that it is chaotic. The truth is, that it is not the Jewish banking conspiracy or the grey aliens or the 12 foot reptiloids from another dimension that are in control. The truth is more frightening, nobody is in control. The world is rudderless."

 

[newworldafro]

Here is a list of folks you should check out sometime ..... http://www.activistpost.com/2011/06/10-most-influential-people-in.html

Alan Watt: Consummate researcher into the history of elite control, and frequent guest on the Alex Jones Show. His website and his own radio show can be found at Cutting Through The Matrix.
Jim Marrs: Author of many books on conspiracy truth, and one of the foremost experts on the JFK assassination. His work can be found at JimMarrs.com and has influenced many of the above.
Mike Adams: Mike Adams, known as the "Health Ranger", is a consumer health advocate and independent journalist. .
Jeff Rense: Jeff Rense has built a massive audience of those seeking the truth inside and outside of the Matrix. His website, Rense.com, has been by far the best news aggregator covering the Gulf oil disaster and the current Fukushima nuclear meltdown. His website is the 2101st most-viewed in the United States on Alexa -- a powerful ranking indeed.
Dr. Paul Craig Roberts: Paul Craig Roberts is one of the most respected columnists in the alternative media. His syndicated articles can be seen on many leading alternative news websites including Lew Rockwell, Infowars, Counterpunch, InformationClearingHouse and countless others. Roberts scores huge points in the credibility department having been the former head of policy at the Department of Treasury under Reagan, and the editor of the Wall Street Journal -- among a long list of other accolades.

Then you have Webster Tarpley, Gerald Celente, Joel Skousen, Dr. Deagle, Ben Fuchs,, etc etc

They don't always agree with each other on every point, so when generalizations that everybody believes the same alternative theory is blatantly false .................. what they do agree on is that the MSM does not give you the full facts on political issues/current events/history/science .................... many have worked in the areas they are talking about......so when Hollywood Hogan says professionalism, where here it is ........ who knows more about an industry than a person that has worked in it for 20 - 25 years .....

Some appear as guest on each others show from time ........ and so this is not about Alex Jones, but what's more intriguing and potent than him are the guest he gets on his show, and are on these other broadcasts ....... they have worked in media, economics, government, security, science, education, etc ........ these are professional people that have made their mark in their field, yet what does NYTimes say about these people??? are they off their rockers???

 

[thekingsmen]

I have yet to be shown what is a conspiracy theory?