What to do about the conspiracy theory problem?

[Brodders17]

100 years ago, religion was pretty much the only conspiracy to fixate on, in an increasingly complex world, theres dozens to choose from.

Maybe people's propensity to believe absolute horseshit is embedded in them when they are young and taught to believe in fanciful stories by the 'respected' adults around them.

 

[eZyT]

Maybe people's propensity to believe absolute horseshit is embedded in them when they are young and taught to believe in fanciful stories by the 'respected' adults around them.

Yeah like i said,

Humans make meaning where there isnt any.

It what happens when love island enters a big brain

 

[RoarEmotion]

The AFL Still hate us right.
Do not let TBR on this thread.

 

[AngryAnt]

Another factor i think is,

The human mind is wired to find patterns,

Even where there are none.

The world is more complex and unpredictible than anytime in history.

And a conspiracy is a pattern,

That makes sense (sic) where there is none.

Some peoples minds are desperate and working overtime,

And facebook is petrol on a burning man

Come to think of it,

Conspiratorial, fixated, thought may be akin to a reverse color blindness. You know when the numbers are concealed in a heap of colored dots and you can either see them or you cant?

Maybe truth is invisible to people with what ill call 'facebook psychosis'?

This leads me to another point

Why for 2000 years have mentally ill people thought they were jesus christ? (Do they think they are other prophets in other cultures?)

Does the ill mind fixate on the topic of the day?

100 years ago, religion was pretty much the only conspiracy to fixate on, in an increasingly complex world, theres dozens to choose from.

This is right.

People have always believed that there are hidden patterns that govern the universe - actually there are hidden patterns that maths/physics/genetics etc can reveal.

But there are the other types - hidden mystical patterns, astrology, numerology, the spirit world. Some people claim they understand these patterns - eg Q - and can reveal them to others. There is a comfort to this type of thinking and this is what makes them appealing - "I know what's happening, you don't. I've done my research." Unscrupulous types propagate these ideas and feed off them.

 

[Brodders17]

The AFL Still hate us right.
Do not let TBR on this thread.

Wrong thread. this is about conspiracies, not facts.

 

[tommystigers]

Thats a very interesting one. I'd say the opposite. The fact Alex Jones was challenged and held to account for his lies, which is very rare and proved difficult to do, is a landmark moment and proves this can be rectified. Its a positive. It was amazing to watch him go to extraordinary lengths, like Trump, to avoid being held to account in court of law. But despite the tantrums, the stalling, the faking of illness etc, the institution worked and held to account he was.

That's the correct read on it, Snake. My comment was more based on the lengths this idiot went to to perpetrate his bent on society. Instead of standing there and saying "Yes, I made it up. I was wrong and apologise for doing so." he went to extraordinary lengths to try to preach his lie even while being held to account.

This is what cannot be resolved. He still has faithful followers and believers wearing his branded tin foil. The individual may have been punished, but the movement has been strengthened by the martyrdom. I cant see any way that you can defeat this.

Trump has a strong chance to get another gig as the Republican nominee. It's staggering.

 

[TigerPort]

Knew some nutters in mid 1980s. Living off the "grid" and preparing for the end of the world. Government and police were spying on them.

Wonder if they are still off the grid??

 

[Scoop]

Like you mean, a 10m stretch of the nullabor IS flat?

Or vaccines are administered by a person who ate a couple of very small chips?

Or neil armstrong once visited disneyland?

Pretty small shreds scoop

Mild conspiracy is often part or whole true - Fifa take bribes, Morrison would love a nonsecular state. Big fossil fuel lobby govt and media to deny climate change.

But the Qanon flat earth false flag stuff is pure delusion utterly devoid of truth.

Anyway, swerving into dangerous territory - a kind of dog whistle for the loons.

Like snake outlined at the outset

Yeah I don't disagree with any of that. I think curiosity and something not making sense and trying to find out more about is healthy. It's how we learn.

But being obsessed about anything every day and changing your life to fit half-truths is the problem. Like anything in life, moderation is the key.

Thats a very interesting one. I'd say the opposite. The fact Alex Jones was challenged and held to account for his lies, which is very rare and proved difficult to do, is a landmark moment and proves this can be rectified. Its a positive. It was amazing to watch him go to extraordinary lengths, like Trump, to avoid being held to account in court of law. But despite the tantrums, the stalling, the faking of illness etc, the institution worked and held to account he was.

Spot on. Huge win. For me the "theory" can be about anything, it's about how these grifters grab on to it and weaponize it.

 

[tigersnake]

I think curiosity and something not making sense and trying to find out more about is healthy. It's how we learn.

Couple of points on this, in large part I think its reverse- or non-curiosity and learning. For example instead of being curious about the biggest issue of our time, climate change, and what is causing it and how to stop it, people refuse to countenance that its happening, understandably, and manufacture or go looking for whacky theories that say its not happening.

There is predisposition to believing this stuff, which I suppose is at the heart of what might address the problem if we can understand that. For example I had an old friend, mates for over 20 years, started going antivax whacky at the start of covid. At first I gave him the benefit of the doubt, smart guy, (at least he was), an old friend. He's send me something with a note saying something like 'you have to read this, this proves that the vax dosn't work/ is poison/ hasn't been tested/ is big pharma making $$/ whatever, this is compelling stuff, if you only read one thing this year, this is it!'. So I'd read it. Within 150 words I could see it was *smile*. Why can I see that but he can't? That interests me.

 

[MD Jazz]

The QLD shooting appears to be a very sad story on how religion *smile* people up as well as social media. Its apparently not ok to have multiple sex partners but its ok to shoot innocents in cold blood:

God and guns: the strict religious upbringing of the Wieambilla shooters

Self-described ‘free evangelical’ Ronald Train, who created his own church based on literal reading of scripture, says sons ‘lost their way’ before Queensland shooting

www.theguardian.com

This. Religion is the staple of most nutjobs. Once you've embraced a belief in any sort of "god" how can it be a stretch to believe any wacko theory?

 

[MD Jazz]

Couple of points on this, in large part I think its reverse- or non-curiosity and learning. For example instead of being curious about the biggest issue of our time, climate change, and what is causing it and how to stop it, people refuse to countenance that its happening, understandably, and manufacture or go looking for whacky theories that say its not happening.

There is predisposition to believing this stuff, which I suppose is at the heart of what might address the problem if we can understand that. For example I had an old friend, mates for over 20 years, started going antivax whacky at the start of covid. At first I gave him the benefit of the doubt, smart guy, (at least he was), an old friend. He's send me something with a note saying something like 'you have to read this, this proves that the vax dosn't work/ is poison/ hasn't been tested/ is big pharma making $$/ whatever, this is compelling stuff, if you only read one thing this year, this is it!'. So I'd read it. Within 150 words I could see it was *smile*. Why can I see that but he can't? That interests me.

You're mates with lambswool?

 

[tigersnake]

The QLD shooting appears to be a very sad story on how religion *smile* people up as well as social media. Its apparently not ok to have multiple sex partners but its ok to shoot innocents in cold blood:

God and guns: the strict religious upbringing of the Wieambilla shooters

Self-described ‘free evangelical’ Ronald Train, who created his own church based on literal reading of scripture, says sons ‘lost their way’ before Queensland shooting

www.theguardian.com

chips off the old block

 

[gold1]

This.

I beleive the current church of conspiracy

Is a result of big business undermining scientific and rationale thought

On climate change.

Its been a concerted, 40 year, campaign

Against science. And truth was collateral.

And its not a genie that can be put back in the bottle.

Society used to largely believe in science,

Now a dangerous proportion of it, beleive in Facebook.

There are already people believing that 'They' staged the execution of police, in order to control the population through gun control and expanded laws.

OK I will stick my neck out on the climate change thought.Is it really climate change or just the climate cycle from previous weather/volcanic/earthquake events?

Not debunking science here but in Australia alone we have had extremes for as long as records go back.Are the extremes increasing? That is always open for debate.

Getting back to the scientific community.I remember 10 years ago during the drought many were saying we will never experience rainfall from previous years again????????Desal plants were built and never used.

When it comes to the weather I believe many factors come into play and not just human activity.Ice ages of the past/hyper volcanic activity/and sun spots occur despite this.

 

[tigersnake]

OK I will stick my neck out on the climate change thought.Is it really climate change or just the climate cycle from previous weather/volcanic/earthquake events?

Not debunking science here but in Australia alone we have had extremes for as long as records go back.Are the extremes increasing? That is always open for debate.

Getting back to the scientific community.I remember 10 years ago during the drought many were saying we will never experience rainfall from previous years again????????Desal plants were built and never used.

When it comes to the weather I believe many factors come into play and not just human activity.Ice ages of the past/hyper volcanic activity/and sun spots occur despite this.

Your welcome to start your own thread, and besides there is a CC thread, but as I said from the outset, not interested in pseudo science, half-baked anecdotal bulldust. Not interested in discussing the merits of any conspiracy theory, been done to death.

This thread is to discuss why people insist on denying truth, rationality, logic, evidence and believing and/or promoting lies, half truths, myths and fairytales.

 

[Midsy]

People have their own truths, and they might be different. Science is there to prove/disprove truth. Science questions everything. So does questioning truth make you a conspiracy theorist?

The truth changes as evidence emerges. To find evidence, things must be questioned.

It seems to me that, at the moment, anyone who questions something perceived as truth, gets labelled a conspiracy theorist.

It was truth that COVID vaccines were safe and effective. As evidence continues to emerge, that truth is being questioned. And rightly so.

 

[gold1]

Your welcome to start your own thread, and besides there is a CC thread, but as I said from the outset, not interested in pseudo science, half-baked anecdotal bulldust. Not interested in discussing the merits of any conspiracy theory, been done to death.

This thread is to discuss why people insist on denying truth, rationality, logic, evidence and believing and/or promoting lies, half truths, myths and fairytales.

Oh I see it now.If one dares to question start some other thread?????Being touchy here IMO.Your reaction is just the type that zealotry is made of.If you cannot discuss/debate you are blinkered and your arguments for/against matter little because what you are espousing against is exactly what you are doing??????????

 

[tigersnake]

Oh I see it now.If one dares to question start some other thread?????Being touchy here IMO.Your reaction is just the type that zealotry is made of.If you cannot discuss/debate you are blinkered and your arguments for/against matter little because what you are espousing against is exactly what you are doing??????????

good grief. Read the first post pal. Go and talk *smile* in your own thread, or another relevant thread, or even better, not do it. This thread is squarely aimed at why people buy and peddle *smile*, which is what you are doing. Not interested in hearing people do it, only why they do it and how we can stop it.

 

[IanG]

Oh I see it now.If one dares to question start some other thread?????Being touchy here IMO.Your reaction is just the type that zealotry is made of.If you cannot discuss/debate you are blinkered and your arguments for/against matter little because what you are espousing against is exactly what you are doing??????????

No he's saying he didn't create this thread to debate climate change, if you want to do that he'd prefer you going to the actual climate change thread.

 

[tigersnake]

People have their own truths, and they might be different. Science is there to prove/disprove truth. Science questions everything. So does questioning truth make you a conspiracy theorist?

The truth changes as evidence emerges. To find evidence, things must be questioned.

It seems to me that, at the moment, anyone who questions something perceived as truth, gets labelled a conspiracy theorist.

It was truth that COVID vaccines were safe and effective. As evidence continues to emerge, that truth is being questioned. And rightly so.

what part of not interested don't you understand?

We are not debating the merits of any conspiracy or anti science theory here. There are shiploads of threads you can go and do that on.

 

[gold1]

good grief. Read the first post pal. Go and talk *smile* in your own thread, or another relevant thread, or even better, not do it. This thread is squarely aimed at why people buy and peddle *smile*, which is what you are doing. Not interested in hearing people do it, only why they do it and how we can stop it.

Sorry to hurt your feelings as I jumped in on others comments in this thread.Having said that be careful when you denounce others. Saying better not do it puts you again in that zealotry category. So have this thread to yourself and I will get back to the footy stuff.Enjoy.