Is Everyone a Conspiracy Theorist in One Way or Another?

[Revoltingest]

I think this would be a fine place, for those who accused Trump of working as an agent of Russia, to come forward and admit they're guilty as well of holding conspiracy theories.

But it also tells me that bias can play a major role in conspiratorial thought... Another human instinct... This is getting complicated.

People don't admit believing conspiracy theories.
They admit believing reality.

 

[Revoltingest]

This is the second time in a week I've agreed with you. Perhaps I should take a break from RF.

And get a well grounded lightning rod.

 

[Revoltingest]

I remember hearing about a guy who claimed he found a way to get 200-300 mpg, but he didn't want to reveal his secret or sell his design because he was afraid the oil companies would kill him.

I know such people.
It seems that they have an inflated opinion of their knowledge
& abilities. And the threats posed to them indicate their exceptional
value as a person....that they're so important, that they have
powerful enemies.

 

[Stevicus]

I know such people.
It seems that they have an inflated opinion of their knowledge
& abilities. And the threats posed to them indicate their exceptional
value as a person....that they're so important, that they have
powerful enemies.

I have the death sentence on 12 systems.

 

[Willamena]

Most conspiracy theories occur by two reasons I know of.

1. We see three different similar cases, at three different times. Our minds kick into "abstract thinking" mode, and automatically attempt to draw a conclusion by linking 3 different, distinct cases, that are actually in no way physically related by natural instinct.
   
2. We are told something over and over and over, whether it be on the news, or constantly reciting scriptures, and then the "abstract thinking" part of our mind activates, and stamps it as a belief in our long term memory bank.

Thanks for your participation.

3. Realism. That a given thing exists independent of knowledge, thought, or understanding.

 

[Willamena]

But drawing mental abstractions are a kind of critical thinking.

For instance, a person will see a famous child-molesting celebrity in the news, and then a month later a child molesting priest in the news, and then a month later, he will see random politicians in photographs with both priests and said celebrity.

...It would be through critical thinking that one would attempt to draw a personal conclusion, by combining the three isolated incidents as a single collective thought -- That there exists a group of wealthy elitists, who regularly molest and have sex with children.

No, that would be a logical fallacy called Association fallacy.

Now that seems crazy to me, and I don’t believe there exists such a group, because all those incidents were actually isolated instances in reality, but it seems like fairly common human behavior for people to combine them as one for some reason, and I'm determined to get to the very root of the problem.

...I wonder if there is a new kind of *thinking* that we can evolve toward, that would eliminate this human problem.

Critical thinking can expose fallacies.

 

[Deidre]

Maybe. But, conspiracy theories usually stem from paranoia, and that certain events are the outcome of secretive, powerful groups. Conspiracy theorists reject typical/standard explanations for these events, and instead cling to the idea that a covert operation must be underway. It's more than mere abstract thinking, or usual human behavior, to form these types of mindsets. (just my theory, anyway)

 

[McBell]

Is it possible that through our human nature, being abstract thinkers, that we are all bound to some kind of conspiracy theory or another? Search deep within yourself and others, and see if you can find evidence of a belief or "hunch" based on merely putting 2 and 2 together, but lacking actual evidence.

Remember, statistics aren't always "evidence"... If statistics are based on raw numbers, then only those numbers are facts, but it takes conspiratorial thought to assume those numbers are as they are because of any said reason.

...So think about it. Think about the deep seated harm that conspiratorial thought causes all around the world... And then think about how we can get around it. Also, if someone here can claim to be conspiracy-free, then please explain how you think you came to be this way.

Here's something I've learned...

Most conspiracy theories occur by two reasons I know of.

1. We see three different similar cases, at three different times. Our minds kick into "abstract thinking" mode, and automatically attempt to draw a conclusion by linking 3 different, distinct cases, that are actually in no way physically related by natural instinct.
   
2. We are told something over and over and over, whether it be on the news, or constantly reciting scriptures, and then the "abstract thinking" part of our mind activates, and stamps it as a belief in our long term memory bank.

Thanks for your participation.

Huh?

Lets start with what a conspiracy theory is:

A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable. The term has a negative connotation, implying that the appeal to a conspiracy is based on prejudice or insufficient evidence.

Source
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[McBell]

"Conspiracy theory" was a term created by the CIA to discredit those who questioned the JFK assassination. The term itself was literally created by a conspiracy. It's used by the media and government officials as a bludgeon to beat down dissenting voices or true investigative journalism.

The method they use is identify, nullify destroy. That is first they must identify or highlight the opposition. Then they isolate them or turn everyone against them. An easy way to do this is slap a catchy title on people like conspiracy theorist. Then they can effectively nullify the target. That is discredit them. The end goal is to literally destroy them or wipe them out of existence.

That being said many conspiracy theories are just nonsense.

I am conspiracy free because I'm not plotting anything against anyone. All a conspiracy is, is a illegal plot by two or more people in secret.

Conspiracy theory "explanation of an event or situation involving unwarranted belief that it is caused by a conspiracy among powerful forces" emerged in mid-20c. (by 1937) and figures in the writings of, or about, Charles Beard, Hofstadter, Veblen, etc., but the degree of paranoia and unreasonableness implied in each use is not always easy to discern. The phrase was used from 19c. in a non-pejorative sense "the theory that a (certain) conspiracy exists," especially in court cases. Its use in general reference to theories of hidden cabals pulling wires behind the scenes of national or global events is by 1871.

We shall better understand the ensuing civil war if we study the movements in the four most important of these States, in relation to a theory which asserts that the secession was a conspiracy whose central cabal, composed of Southern senators and representatives in Washington, dictated through its ramifications in the States the inception and the course of the revolution. [James Ford Rhodes, page headed "The Conspiracy Theory" in "History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850," New York, 1893]

To the Jingo Imperialist "the South African Conspiracy" is the alleged Dutch conspiracy to drive the British into the sea. But, to the man accustomed to weigh evidence and to base his opinions on ascertained facts, it is clear that this conspiracy theory is absolutely untenable, for whatever "evidence" has been adduced in support of the theory is nebulous and shadowy in the extreme. ["The South African Conspiracy," in The Westminster Review, January 1902]

Source
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The term was being used some 26 years before the JFK Assassination...

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[Estro Felino]

By law, in my country, all procurators (called district attorneys in the US) have to be necessarily conspiracy theorists.
Otherwise, if they ignore clues and coincidences, they don't solve the cases and get fired.

I have friends who are criminologists too...so I know their modus operandi. But also the criminal procedure, codice di procedura penale, gives clues relevance in a trial.
Meaning: clues (that is putting 2 and 2 together) are very important. When there are so many clues which are (art 192 cr. Proc.)
1) severe
2) precise
3) matching
you do not need actual evidence.
To give you an example...the Kennedys murders were clearly a conspiracy.
They were both eliminated by the very same criminal minds.
And it is a given here in the criminology literature of my country. They were two heroes trying to undo many shady organizations ..many secret societies.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

is that your theory???

I read the same thing in a book a out why people believe conspiracy theories. I believe it may have been titled "Why do People Believe in Conspiracy Theories?"
And not everybody does believe them. I couldn't even vote on this poll because a simple "no" is all that's needed.

 

[Heyo]

Critical thinking tends to prevent people from swallowing convoluted, cockamame conspiracy BS.

It can also have the opposite effect.
When you are fed a story by the MSM that smells fishy to you, your critical thinking can drive you right into conspiracy theorist territory. It did me.
I didn't believe the conspiracy theory of the media of a terrorist attack at the twin towers orchestrated by Osama bin Laden. Well, by not swallowing one (official) conspiracy theory, I am now in the camp of those who believe a different conspiracy theory. You can't escape.

 

[Father Heathen]

It can also have the opposite effect.
When you are fed a story by the MSM that smells fishy to you, your critical thinking can drive you right into conspiracy theorist territory. It did me.
I didn't believe the conspiracy theory of the media of a terrorist attack at the twin towers orchestrated by Osama bin Laden. Well, by not swallowing one (official) conspiracy theory, I am now in the camp of those who believe a different conspiracy theory. You can't escape.

I prefer the sound logic and solid evidence camp.

 

[Heyo]

I prefer the sound logic and solid evidence camp.

So do I. But sometimes evidence is scare, held by an unfriendly actor or mysteriously vanished. And the scientific method doesn't work here. In science the objects of investigation usually have no agenda of their own.
That leaves us with speculation to come up with an explanation that fits the obtainable evidence (somewhat) and is congruent with our biases. If it also makes us feel good (the international cabal of rich people isn't scary when we know what they're up to) we have what we want.

 

[Heyo]

Conspiracy theories are usually unpatriotic and the theorists often called lunatics.
But does nobody seen the paradoxical situation when the conspiracy theorist in chief is the government?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

So do I. But sometimes evidence is scare, held by an unfriendly actor or mysteriously vanished. And the scientific method doesn't work here. In science the objects of investigation usually have no agenda of their own.
That leaves us with speculation to come up with an explanation that fits the obtainable evidence (somewhat) and is congruent with our biases. If it also makes us feel good (the international cabal of rich people isn't scary when we know what they're up to) we have what we want.

It gets hard for conspiracy theories to survive at this point, as it is true that generally the simpler, less complicated answer it the correct one.
Such as 9/11 (since you mentioned it): the logistics of a massive inside job would have been a huge web of insiders who remained silent for 20 years, and it's a very high chance of getting caught rigging the buildings for demolitions. That's too big and too many people involved for it to be a plausible explanation.

 

[Mock Turtle]

One thing I've noticed in some discussions I've seen regarding the JFK assassination (and this might apply to other topics as well) is that, for the most part, neither side really is speaking from direct, personal knowledge of the event. They haven't personally reviewed all the forensic evidence or documents - and most people wouldn't have the expertise to makes heads or tails out of it even if they did. Their arguments tend to rest on their assessment and readings of actual experts who have reviewed the evidence, although this is where it can get a bit dicey.

I think one problem with the JFK incident is that the 'evidence' just isn't solid - some missing, lost, or whatever - either due to incompetence, mishaps, or even deliberate obfuscation. Even the Zapruder film is reputed to have frames missing from it. Who knows. So this event is one where a conspiracy is probably just as likely as the version presented because there is doubt over the evidence plus he had so many powerful enemies willing to see him dead. I just leave it as an unknown, but I would like to know the truth on this one, unlike most others, which I generally dismiss as being improbable.

 

[Heyo]

It gets hard for conspiracy theories to survive at this point, as it is true that generally the simpler, less complicated answer it the correct one.
Such as 9/11 (since you mentioned it): the logistics of a massive inside job would have been a huge web of insiders who remained silent for 20 years, and it's a very high chance of getting caught rigging the buildings for demolitions. That's too big and too many people involved for it to be a plausible explanation.

I'm not going to argue about 9/11. That ship has sailed a long time ago. But just poke a bit at your simple explanation: the logistics was the same for the terrorists or a government (or secret government) organization and much of it was easier from the inside. Are you implying that a bunch of goat herders can pull off what the US government can't?

 

[Jedster]

There's one Jew on the RF Staff, so RF is obviously part of the Jewish owned media!

Actually, it's the other way round.
The one Jew is just a token to prove that the RF is not anti-Semitic(just like Iran has a token Jew in their government), whereas in reality they are.

 

[Estro Felino]

Conspiracy theories are usually unpatriotic and the theorists often called lunatics.
But does nobody seen the paradoxical situation when the conspiracy theorist in chief is the government?

Considering that there was a conspiracy organized by Mafia and Deep State here in 1992, we need to thank heroes like judge Falcone and judge Borsellino.
If they hadn't been conspiracy theorists, they wouldn't have exposed it.
So I guess it is patriotic.