More research into conspiracy theories and the people who believe them

[t.nie]

Any conspiracy theory that involves a large amount of people, or sophisticated coordination seems logically implausible. People do not keep secrets, especially if many people are involved, and Governments are inept at doing the most basic tasks.

This is a forum post from the Daily Paul site. In common sense logic, since you believe govt is inefficient and incompetent, why do you believe it could orchestrate a conspiracy as large as you claim? However, when you read more about conspiracy theories and the people who buy into them, they will take something like this and reason "oh, look, some infiltrator trying to logically debunk my thought process..... another reason to believe it's TRUE!!!"

I believe some time ago one of the leading conspiracy advocates on here made some reference to my demonstrated intelligence when I post, like I can write a complete sentence and use grammar correctly a majority of the time, that "when you get past all that stuff that makes t.nie look smart, why, he's dumb as a box of rocks and totally brainwarshed!!!"

People who study the people who believe in conspiracies report that those people twist any reasoning or intelligent argument (that the majority of normal people would conclude makes perfect logical sense in the normal, traditional sense of the word) that debunks the conspiracy is just another reason to believe the conspiracy is true and everyone is trying to deceive them.

"Self-sealing reasoning." Nothing that normal folk would consider good evidence to debunk the ridiculous conspiracy can be believed. But the self-proclaimed "schizophrenic entertainer?" They'll believe anything he tells them, no questions. Just check out TheBlaze for "the truth!" lol

[t.nie]

http://www.psypag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Issue-88.pdf

If you really want to read some interesting University level research from multiple sources looking at conspiracy theories, their origins, their purpose in our society and the people who buy into them, check out that PDF. Looks like a lot of people got interested in the subject and did all kinds of work on it. It was interesting to read, but what was most stunning was this wasn't just one or two people who saw the same patterns, but many researchers.

Of course, the common thread was always the same as stated above--if it makes good common sense and debunks the theory, then "it's just another attempt to deceive the conspiracy theory believer."

Seriously, you'll never have a normal rational conversation with people who are sold on this stuff. They can twist ANTYHING around to support their theory and claim you're brainwashed "by the lame stream media" and that "you can't trust anyone in an official capacity to tell you the truth, ever. They are all LYING to you!"

But the guy selling you the book, t-shirt and tin foil hat who's telling you the story and taking your money is being truthful? Kinda looks like there's a pretty large body of evidence that he's just selling you his conspiracies because he knows if you believe that ridiculous crap, you'll buy anything... Just $19.95... step right up.....

And just a footnote for anyone who is going to read the following passages from the article I link to.... When you see (Smith, Johnson, et. al 2004) or whatever, that is the source being cited. If you wish to do more study into the subject, you can go look up the study done by the people named and the date to read their full conclusions.

Of course, the conspiracy believer is going to conclude "it's all a big conspiracy of LIES against us" but that is explained and documented very well in all the research done by all these people, so that response is not going to be a surprise.

[t.nie]

History of Conspiracy Theories dating back to Rome.

http://www.psypag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Issue-88.pdf

In the first century AD, the Roman Emperor Nero started a conspiracy theory that it was Christians who were responsible for the Great Fire of Rome. So reviled by the Christians was Nero that some even considered him the first Antichrist as prophesised in the Book of Revelation. Even Nero’s suicide in 69 AD was tinged with conspiracy, with Romans believing he was being hidden until he could once again enact swift revenge on his enemies.

Issue 88 September 2013

Hmm..... Now how could Nero be the anti-Christ when we all know now it's Obama? lol

[t.nie]

http://www.psypag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Issue-88.pdf

The US in particular, seems to have a special relationship with the conspiracy theory, starting right from its own founding in the late 17th century. In his seminal article in 1964, Richard Hofstadter explored and
charted the rise of what he saw as ‘movements of suspicious discontent’ throughout American history. Hofstadter discussed a sermon preached by Reverend Jedidiah Morse in Massachusetts in 1798 which highlighted ‘secret and systematic means’ by ‘impious conspirators’ to ‘undermine the foundations of this Religion’. From these early events, Hofstadter defined conspiratorial thinking as a belief in a ‘vast, insidious, preternaturally effective international conspiratorial network designed to perpetrate acts of the most fiendish character’. Reinforced by more recent empirical studies, the concept central of Hofstadter’s essay was that conspiracy ideation arose because it gave a voice to the ‘dispossessed’ (Leman, 2007; Miller, 2002) or it gave people a chance to reassert their individualism or otherwise discontent with their position in society in general (Melley, 2000; Combs, Penn & Fenigstein, 2002).

Hmm... wonder if we have any people on here who would fall into the category of feeling they were "dispossessed" of their country now that the President isn't a White Male Republican?

[t.nie]

This is good.... the findings are that people who believe in conspiracies theories are prone to believing contrary things simultaneously and contradict themselves. So how on earth can you ever have a reasonable level of conversation about anything with them if they can't stick to one theory? lol It would appear the only constant is "someone is covering something up, I just don't know exactly what...or who.... yet....." lol

http://www.psypag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Issue-88.pdf

The formulation of a belief in conspiracy that is resistant to contrary evidence was argued by Goertzel to demonstrate the idea of a ‘monological belief system’ (Goertzel,1994). This allows believers an easier way of providing explanations of complex new phenomena that might threaten existing belief systems. It suggests that one conspiratorial idea serves as evidence for other forms of conspiracy, which has been more recently supported by esearch where participants who believed theories regarding the 9/11 terrorist attacks were more likely to believe in other non-related theories of conspiracy (Swami, Chamorro-Premuzic & Furnham, 2010). This remains one of the most consistently repeated findings from the research to date, and has even been extended to demonstrate that even contradictory theories are equally as likely to be believed, where the more participants believed that Bin Laden was already dead when the Americans reached his compound in Pakistan, the more they believed he was still alive. These mutually incompatible conspiracies demonstrate a common theme instead, that the message isn’t as important as the idea that the authorities are responsible for a cover-up (Wood, Douglas & Sutton, 2012).

[t.nie]

http://www.psypag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Issue-88.pdf

Here research has found that conspiracy beliefs can be predicted by high levels of anomie (a lack or rejection of social norms), authoritarianism, and powerlessness, together with low levels of self-esteem and trust. (Abalakina-Paap et al., 1999). Further work has also demonstrated a relationship between conspiracist ideation and a low level of agreeableness and high levels of political cynicism (Swami et al., 2011). The findings from this perspective have reinforced the view that beliefs in conspiracies are a response to feeling disadvantaged, powerless, and hostile toward the traditional politics that have let them down.

Wow. Can anyone think of people on here who are "authoritarian (I am right cause I said so, I don't need nothing to prove it)" and probably feel like they have been left powerless and disadvantaged when their candidate didn't win? Combine that with being hostile toward government in general because it didn't give them what they want and hey presto! Subscribe to Glenn Beck!

[t.nie]

This is extremely amusing to read, and it makes perfect sense to anyone who doesn't have the mentality that buys into conspiracy theories. Ever try to plan a family get together? Then you know "shyt happens." But to the conspiracy believer, the people who orchestrate the "New World Order" are way beyond mere mortals and NOTHING not in THE PLAN happens..... ever.... LOL

http://www.psypag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Issue-88.pdf

Events and situations are explained not as a result of many different complex, chaotic, interacting, and uncontrollable factors, but solely as the result of the conspirators’ desires and actions. Every observed detail is said to have resulted from conscious planning, direct intervention, manipulation, and deception. The potential role of chance, accidents, and unintended consequences is largely overlooked. Rather, the conspirators are assumed to be hypercompetent in their ability to successfully plan and control events and subsequently keep secret their actions (Byford, 2011; Popp, 2006; Popper, 2006).

[t.nie]

Anyway. It's a lot of articles documenting volumes of research into people who contrive conspiracy theories and the people who believe them. Read it at your leisure. Lots of studies, lots of authors, all scholars, etc.


But we already know the conspiracy believer's response....."More LIES that PROVE we are right!"

[Bubstr]

This is a forum post from the Daily Paul site. In common sense logic, since you believe govt is inefficient and incompetent, why do you believe it could orchestrate a conspiracy as large as you claim? However, when you read more about conspiracy theories and the people who buy into them, they will take something like this and reason "oh, look, some infiltrator trying to logically debunk my thought process..... another reason to believe it's TRUE!!!"

I believe some time ago one of the leading conspiracy advocates on here made some reference to my demonstrated intelligence when I post, like I can write a complete sentence and use grammar correctly a majority of the time, that "when you get past all that stuff that makes t.nie look smart, why, he's dumb as a box of rocks and totally brainwarshed!!!"

People who study the people who believe in conspiracies report that those people twist any reasoning or intelligent argument (that the majority of normal people would conclude makes perfect logical sense in the normal, traditional sense of the word) that debunks the conspiracy is just another reason to believe the conspiracy is true and everyone is trying to deceive them.

"Self-sealing reasoning." Nothing that normal folk would consider good evidence to debunk the ridiculous conspiracy can be believed. But the self-proclaimed "schizophrenic entertainer?" They'll believe anything he tells them, no questions. Just check out TheBlaze for "the truth!" lol

First off, I like Ron Paul and agree with him about 75% of the time. I believe he was the best candidate for the presidency last election.

Anytime I suspect a conspiracy. I look to two things for the most part. History and the paper trail. Has it happened before? The answer is yes, there is nothing new on this earth. There may be twists and turns, but it happened before. Since hindsight is 20 20, it will shed light on today. Second is motive. This is always shown by who benefits from the conspiracy or who benefits from denouncing truth as conspiracy.

Now as Paul put it, If government is so incompetent, how could it be smart enough to conspire against the public? The answer is simple. Just as in ancient Greece, Rome or any country that failed, government didn't run the country, Money and the power it has ran the country. Greed has played a ig part in every government failure. The government would rather look stupid than corrupt is the answer.

One fact that should never be overlooked. There are conspiracies for good and evil, there are even anti conspiracy conspiracies.

[t.nie]

First off, I like Ron Paul and agree with him about 75% of the time. I believe he was the best candidate for the presidency last election.

Anytime I suspect a conspiracy. I look to two things for the most part. History and the paper trail. Has it happened before? The answer is yes, there is nothing new on this earth. There may be twists and turns, but it happened before. Since hindsight is 20 20, it will shed light on today. Second is motive. This is always shown by who benefits from the conspiracy or who benefits from denouncing truth as conspiracy.

Now as Paul put it, If government is so incompetent, how could it be smart enough to conspire against the public? The answer is simple. Just as in ancient Greece, Rome or any country that failed, government didn't run the country, Money and the power it has ran the country. Greed has played a ig part in every government failure. The government would rather look stupid than corrupt is the answer.

One fact that should never be overlooked. There are conspiracies for good and evil, there are even anti conspiracy conspiracies.

Yeah. Those researchers talk about conspiracy believers formulating their own theories about people who study them and their conspiracies, too.

Of course, the conclusion is always "more evidence to support our belief that the conspiracy is true and everyone else is lying!"

Conspiracies-convenient ways to dismiss uncomfortable reality. It's like sitting around and discussing navel lint with some stoned 16 year old. Sure, he thinks he's intellectual, but to the non-stoned rational adult sitting next to him, he just looks like a stupid, stoned and very immature 16 year old.

To me its all about dealing with your perception of reality. Either you are comfortable living in the real world and you don't need some conspiracy explanation, or you aren't so you make up a fantasy to get you by.

[LITE-INN]

Dedicated to restoring Constitutional government to the United States of America tiy tea bagger tnie we didn't know that

[Clayton_Wetter]

This is bad! Please make it stop. lol A Mad Man Walketh! lol

[LITE-INN]

hey clayton tnie is getting goofier by the second what a douchebag

[racin6mod]

A teacher told me once people only resort to name calling to cover their lack of intelligence. so I have to wonder why do the people that claim to have all the real/true information always start the name calling on this forum?

[Clayton_Wetter]

Sometimes one is forced into choosing between being nice and being honest. And in this case we have no choice but to be honest!!! lol