One for the conspiracy theorists

[ProfessorDavey]

Not a  rule as such but certainly a trait.

There are certainly people who don't seem susceptible to conspiracy theories. But for those that are I think they can be pretty selective - accepting conspiracy theories (which are unfounded) that align with their greater prejudices/agenda, while quietly ignoring other conspiracy theories (which are equally unfounded) that do not align and indeed were they to be true might actually undermine their prejudices/agenda.

[Nearly Sane]

There are certainly people who don't seem susceptible to conspiracy theories. But for those that are I think they can be pretty selective - accepting conspiracy theories (which are unfounded) that align with their greater prejudices/agenda, while quietly ignoring other conspiracy theories (which are equally unfounded) that do not align and indeed were they to be true might actually undermine their prejudices/agenda.

Agree but stuff like 9/11, or the moon landings, lend themselves to multiple conspiracies that align with multiple prejudices. There's a mindset which looks on pretty much everything as a conspiracy, and that seems common across different prejudices.

[splashscuba]

Agree but stuff like 9/11, or the moon landings, lend themselves to multiple conspiracies that align with multiple prejudices. There's a mindset which looks on pretty much everything as a conspiracy, and that seems common across different prejudices.

I'm curious why people don't think men went to the moon. Not the details they keep bringing up about flags moving and shadows etc that get debunked ad nausium but fundimentally, they just won't accept the premise that there was a moon landing and people walked on the moon.

Just as an aside, Neal Armstrong stepped on the moon on my birthday :-)

[Nearly Sane]

I'm curious why people don't think men went to the moon. Not the details they keep bringing up about flags moving and shadows etc that get debunked ad nausium but fundimentally, they just won't accept the premise that there was a moon landing and people walked on the moon.

Just as an aside, Neal Armstrong stepped on the moon on my birthday :-)

I think a lot of it is incredulity. We went from launching a satellite, to getting men on the moon AND bringing them back in 10 years. Since then we haven't built a space station  on the moon even 25 years after 1999. Add in the political aspects of a race to the moon that needed to be won ideally before 1970 given Kennedy's commitment, and it feels to good to be true.

I do think there's a general view that some people have that everything is controlled, and so all big stories are part of that narrative.

[splashscuba]

I think a lot of it is incredulity. We went from laughing a satellite, to getting men on the moon AND bringing them back in 10 years. Since then we haven't built a space station  on the moon even 25 years after 1999. Add in the political aspects of a race to the moon that needed to be won ideally before 1970 given Kennedy's commitment, and it feels to good to be true.

I do think there's a general view that some people have that everything is controlled, and so all big stories are part of that narrative.

I guess thats all true at a superficial level which is what the conspiracy lot only look at, without the context of the times and the lack of a real goal beyond the landings.

[Nearly Sane]

I guess thats all true at a superficial level which is what the conspiracy lot only look at, without the context of the times and the lack of a real goal beyond the landings.

They'd argue that those of us who accept it aren't looking at the context of the times, or the real goal behind the landings. They would then point to scandals like the Post Office, or Grenfell, or Hillsborough, or Savile to say that society was run by an elite with their own interests in controlling us - and it wouldn't matter if that elite is identified as the WEF, the illuminati, the Jews, the Communists,  or the Knights Templar, it's all a giant conspiracy.


My own inclination is  to believe that conspiracies are cock ups built to cover up cock ups  but maybe instead of me not being 'susceptible to conspiracy theories', I'm susceptible to cock ups.

[Maeght]

I think a lot of it is incredulity. We went from launching a satellite, to getting men on the moon AND bringing them back in 10 years. Since then we haven't built a space station  on the moon even 25 years after 1999. Add in the political aspects of a race to the moon that needed to be won ideally before 1970 given Kennedy's commitment, and it feels to good to be true.

I do think there's a general view that some people have that everything is controlled, and so all big stories are part of that narrative.

But then such people are credulous in regard to the conspiracy theories that they read on the internet.

[Nearly Sane]

But then such people are credulous in regard to the conspiracy theories that they read on the internet.

Denial of the moon landings started lingerie before the internet. As covered in a later post, I think there's also a disbelief in standard explanations, and I would agree that is amplified by the net in its various guises.

[Maeght]

Denial of the moon landings started lingerie before the internet. As covered in a later post, I think there's also a disbelief in standard explanations, and I would agree that is amplified by the net in its various guises.

Yes indeed, didn't suggest that conspiracy theories are due to the internet. Just pointing out that they aren't incredulous about everything, only the official position.

[Nearly Sane]

Yes indeed, didn't suggest that conspiracy theories are due to the internet. Just pointing out that they aren't incredulous about everything, only the official position.

And I think that's wider now because of the internet, and in one sense that's a good thing if not without its cons. Pre internet I might have said that too many people accepted the official position. The problem is that people like a 'consistent' position so their doubts are filled in by other certainties. I think in that sense I agree with a modified version of the quote usually attributed to Chesterton:

"When people cease to believe in God, they do not then believe in nothing, but in anything"
More when people no longer believe the general mainstream view, they believe another view which provides a 'holistic' explanation

[Gordon]

Imagine if a notable event occurred regarding which there were no known conspiracy theories - I'd imagine there would be some who'd find that very suspicious (nudge, nudge, say no more)!

[Nearly Sane]

Imagine if a notable event occurred regarding which there were no known conspiracy theories - I'd imagine there would be some who'd find that very suspicious (nudge, nudge, say no more)!

I know I would