Conspiracy Theories

[Rum]

Reading a summary of what has been released as well as commentary it would appear that there were a few monumental cockups the FBI and CIA would not have been enthusiastic about being public knowledge.

But of course J Edgar Hoover was a lizard Lord so that explains it.

[Sean Hayden]

They're mostly government actors, or at least most of their material is given to them by intelligence communities.

Rule 7: The Universe loves irony more than you, or anything you cherish.

[Tero]

Can someone direct me to some reading material on this?

It’s either a drug company, Monsanto, a government agency or other invisible thing. Starts with an event or a bit of science even.

The conspiracy, alleged, brings out the facts of a case. There is some detail that does not fit. Almost immediately some Youtuber gives a passioned speech with LOTS of questions.

Where does the public go with this? I’m betting that all see this issue goes on the Youtuber side. The few that don’t do that have either money on it on the ”agency” side or are experts in the field.

[Rum]

One theory I've read is that it is part of the human need to find patterns in everything - presumably to make things predictable in evolutionary terms and therefore a bit safer. In the absence of one, as with religion, one is invented. In the absence of suitable explanations for coincidences and oddly connected events people are similarly exercised.

Other theories (sic) tend to lay more emphasis on the psychological makeup of those who believe such nonsense - as here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/me ... -appealing

A short extract:

"... research has found evidence that certain personality traits such as Machiavellianism, openness to experience, narcissism, and low agreeability seem especially high in conspiracy believers. They also show lower levels of analytical thinking and a tendency to see "patterns" in often unrelated events. But a new research article published in the journal Social Psychology suggests that conspiracy theories may also provide some interesting psychological benefits for people who choose to believe in them.

According to Anthony Lantian of France's Universite Paris Nanterre and his co-authors, people are drawn to conspiracy theories because of an underlying need for uniqueness. In other words, a need to be different from other people by embracing beliefs that are out of the ordinary. Just as this need for uniqueness can cause people to develop unusual hobbies or seek out experiences that set them apart from the crowd, conspiracy believers adopt unusual beliefs about the world that make them feel special or above average. Whether this involves embracing the "truth" behind political assassinations, alien visitors, the misdeeds of government officials, or "secret" scientific discoveries that ordinary people don't know about, embracing conspiracy theories can provide believers with a false sense of confidence over how the world "really" works".

[Brian Peacock]

There's a lot of stuff around and it's been widely covered over the years.

What Makes Conspiracy Theories so Appealing? Psychology Today, 2017
Why Do People Believe in Conspiracy Theories? Scientific America, 2014
The Anatomy of the Conspiracy Theory, Byford, 2011.

[Tero]

There's a lot of stuff around and it's been widely covered over the years.

What Makes Conspiracy Theories so Appealing? Psychology Today, 2017
Why Do People Believe in Conspiracy Theories? Scientific America, 2014
The Anatomy of the Conspiracy Theory, Byford, 2011.

OK, thanks. A start.

It’s a little faulty this uniqueness theory. It makes it almost the same to wear tattoos or conspiracy theories. If it’s a small enough group, they could tattoos designed just for your conspiracy. ”What symbols would you like on your conspiracy tattoo?”

Many conspiracies revolve around some new technology. They want to go back where Google Earth did not exist etc.

I liked the Scientific American article.

[JimC]

WITH THEIR DISMISSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL"THEORIES" THE ESTABLISHMENT IS TRYING TO SILENCE US TO STOP US FROM REVEALING THE TRUTH!!!!!!!

WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED!!!!!

[L'Emmerdeur]

I've always thought that a conspiracy theory (but often more than one) gives the believer the gratifying sensation of having inside knowledge and higher moral worth; a defining badge of superior insight and probity.

[Hermit]

Conspiracy theorists are the creation of conspirators. There simply is no better way of concealing the plain truth than by having it revealed by people who seem utterly delusionary and deranged by the vast majority of the world's population, who will therefore ridicule the seers of truth and reject real conspiracies out of hand. The technique is called "hiding in plain sight".

You've got to give those shape-shifting lizards credit for their cunning.

[Brian Peacock]

I for one welcome and applaud the work of our shape-shifting reptilian overlords. I went out for a drink with them on Tuesday. A great bunch of lads, but I must say that their penchant for goblets of warm blood did rather put me off my sherry.

[JimC]

And the scales they shed...

Cleaning up after them is a real pain...

[pErvinalia]

Galaxian might have some tips for us.

[Tero]

I did a blog on the topic. It was too difficult to go into the psychology so I just stuck to politics. As far as politics goes, there is no need to prove the conspiracy. You merely need to cast doubt and the conspiracy has worked, it brought the topic into the election without any debate on it. The white Christian will know how to vote. Vote against the educated elite of course.

[Woodbutcher]

It's simple enough, the government controls us through them. Vaccinations, fluoridation and chem trails soften our brains and make us more susceptible to cosmic rays and alien broadcasts from our reptilian overlords from outer space. Our controllers live on the other side of our flat earth, beaming alien propaganda disguised as religious messages through the ley lines and pyramids to every person except a select few like me, who are able to resist the temptation to yield to the overlords because we were not circumcised at birth!

[Tero]

Good to hear the protection is working. Speaking of appendages, don't you people up North use a lot of chain saws? Do you still have all your fingers and toes?