Conspiracy theorists... are they all just a bit thick?
Discussion
Interesting discussion on this in the StarTalk podcast about conspiracy theorists a while back https://youtu.be/L2cMZK8SgBs
Jiebo said:
Maybe these completely idiotic theories like flat earth have been fabricated by government agencies to discourage the public from believing anything that's been labelled as a 'conspiracy theory'?
I fully believe that there are very naferious agendas in the world, and not everything is as were told or made to believe. The media is more of less run by a few key players, and anything outside of this is generally ignored by the masses.
Many would equate my deep cynicism with 'conspiracy theorist', which is exactly what I believe the people in control want.
Before Snowden provided evidence, the masses would have called him a conspiracy theorist, as it would be implausible that illegal backdoor government surveillance could exist.
You are wrong. It is cockup, not conspiracy, all the way up. I fully believe that there are very naferious agendas in the world, and not everything is as were told or made to believe. The media is more of less run by a few key players, and anything outside of this is generally ignored by the masses.
Many would equate my deep cynicism with 'conspiracy theorist', which is exactly what I believe the people in control want.
Before Snowden provided evidence, the masses would have called him a conspiracy theorist, as it would be implausible that illegal backdoor government surveillance could exist.
Edited by Jiebo on Tuesday 22 December 21:14
Gnostic religions have always been popular- the idea that there is secret truths only revealed to a select few. Conspiracy is just a non religious version. My wife is intelligent, and in a cult. She just wants to believe that there is ‘a plan’.
There's a correlation between Dunning-Kruger condition and conspiracy theory susceptibility imho
I did read an article of the Psychology of a conspiracy theory, how it sucks you in - the smoking gun, that you are now "in the know" and know more than average joe etc etc. Was quite an interesting read. The summation has all you need to know though really
"In short, conspiracy theories have a tendency to form a closed network of false beliefs that mutually support each other. "
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/social-d...
I did read an article of the Psychology of a conspiracy theory, how it sucks you in - the smoking gun, that you are now "in the know" and know more than average joe etc etc. Was quite an interesting read. The summation has all you need to know though really
"In short, conspiracy theories have a tendency to form a closed network of false beliefs that mutually support each other. "
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/social-d...
ATG said:
I used to work with a fully fledged anti-vaccine fruit loop who believed his daughter's autism was caused by MMR.
I've said it before...I will never forgive the lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous piece of s
t Andrew Wakefield for the stress he put us through when deciding whether to have our first kid vaccinated with MMR in 2002. Remember, at that time it wasn't clear exactly how much of a lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous piece of st Andrew Wakefield was. Fortunately it IS now clear how much of a lying, corrupt, self-servicing piece of st Andrew Wakefield is. Don't believe lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous pieces of st like Andrew Wakefield.It might not seem like it from the above paragraph but we are very rational people in scientific and technical professions. As much as I laugh at people who believe in conspiracy theories (and let's be honest, they deserve it), sometimes the conspiracy theories gain traction, especially if they're exploiting the fears of susceptible people, as we were in 2002.
Anti-vaxxers make my blood boil.
Edited by underwhelmist on Tuesday 22 December 23:21
A bit of reading for many on the various COVID threads:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-55350794
Must of course be dismissed because BBC, MSM!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-55350794
Must of course be dismissed because BBC, MSM!
underwhelmist said:
ATG said:
I used to work with a fully fledged anti-vaccine fruit loop who believed his daughter's autism was caused by MMR.
I've said it before...I will never forgive the lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous piece of st Andrew Wakefield for the stress he put us through when deciding whether to have our first kid vaccinated with MMR in 2002. Remember, at that time it wasn't clear exactly how much of a lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous piece of st Andrew Wakefield was. Fortunately it IS now clear how much of a lying, corrupt, self-servicing piece of st Andrew Wakefield is. Don't believe lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous pieces of st like Andrew Wakefield.It might not seem like it from the above paragraph but we are very rational people in scientific and technical professions. As much as I laugh at people who believe in conspiracy theories (and let's be honest, they deserve it), sometimes the conspiracy theories gain traction, especially if they're exploiting the fears of susceptible people, as we were in 2002.
Anti-vaxxers make my blood boil.
Edited by underwhelmist on Tuesday 22 December 23:21
sociopath said:
underwhelmist said:
ATG said:
I used to work with a fully fledged anti-vaccine fruit loop who believed his daughter's autism was caused by MMR.
I've said it before...I will never forgive the lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous piece of st Andrew Wakefield for the stress he put us through when deciding whether to have our first kid vaccinated with MMR in 2002. Remember, at that time it wasn't clear exactly how much of a lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous piece of st Andrew Wakefield was. Fortunately it IS now clear how much of a lying, corrupt, self-servicing piece of st Andrew Wakefield is. Don't believe lying, corrupt, self-serving, duplicitous pieces of st like Andrew Wakefield.It might not seem like it from the above paragraph but we are very rational people in scientific and technical professions. As much as I laugh at people who believe in conspiracy theories (and let's be honest, they deserve it), sometimes the conspiracy theories gain traction, especially if they're exploiting the fears of susceptible people, as we were in 2002.
Anti-vaxxers make my blood boil.
Edited by underwhelmist on Tuesday 22 December 23:21
OzzyR1 said:
sociopath said:
underwhelmist said:
ATG said:
I used to work with a fully fledged anti-vaccine fruit loop who believed his daughter's autism was caused by MMR.
<rant />Anti-vaxxers make my blood boil.
Edited by underwhelmist on Tuesday 22 December 23:21
Neighbour of mine keeps telling me not to believe the media and the ‘so called’ scientific journals. Apparently YouTube has all the truths.
Then again, he thinks I’m part of the machine anyway as I’m a european patent examiner and international civil servant. I think he thinks I’m a spy.
I’m not a spy. Honest.
Then again, he thinks I’m part of the machine anyway as I’m a european patent examiner and international civil servant. I think he thinks I’m a spy.
I’m not a spy. Honest.
troc said:
Neighbour of mine keeps telling me not to believe the media and the ‘so called’ scientific journals. Apparently YouTube has all the truths.
Then again, he thinks I’m part of the machine anyway as I’m a european patent examiner and international civil servant. I think he thinks I’m a spy.
I’m not a spy. Honest.
Yeah, well, you *would* say that wouldn't you?Then again, he thinks I’m part of the machine anyway as I’m a european patent examiner and international civil servant. I think he thinks I’m a spy.
I’m not a spy. Honest.
underwhelmist said:
troc said:
Neighbour of mine keeps telling me not to believe the media and the ‘so called’ scientific journals. Apparently YouTube has all the truths.
Then again, he thinks I’m part of the machine anyway as I’m a european patent examiner and international civil servant. I think he thinks I’m a spy.
I’m not a spy. Honest.
Yeah, well, you *would* say that wouldn't you?Then again, he thinks I’m part of the machine anyway as I’m a european patent examiner and international civil servant. I think he thinks I’m a spy.
I’m not a spy. Honest.
Don't tell him your name Pike!!
We do have to be careful in what we label as a conspiracy theory or hokum.
Many ideas in history have been labelled as such until being adopted by the mainstream many years later.
Examples
Earth not centre of solar system
Tectonic plate movement
Neanderthal not direct line of human evolution
Conventional science totally dismisses ideas that do not fit with the accepted convention until there is overwhelming evidence even if it is logical
Many ideas in history have been labelled as such until being adopted by the mainstream many years later.
Examples
Earth not centre of solar system
Tectonic plate movement
Neanderthal not direct line of human evolution
Conventional science totally dismisses ideas that do not fit with the accepted convention until there is overwhelming evidence even if it is logical
Bright Halo said:
We do have to be careful in what we label as a conspiracy theory or hokum.
Many ideas in history have been labelled as such until being adopted by the mainstream many years later.
Examples
Earth not centre of solar system
Tectonic plate movement
Neanderthal not direct line of human evolution
Conventional science totally dismisses ideas that do not fit with the accepted convention until there is overwhelming evidence even if it is logical
Earth not centre of solar system - Heliocentrism was debunked by Gallileo, the father of the scientific method, through rigorous observation. Previous beliefs that everything revolved around the earth were religious hokum.Many ideas in history have been labelled as such until being adopted by the mainstream many years later.
Examples
Earth not centre of solar system
Tectonic plate movement
Neanderthal not direct line of human evolution
Conventional science totally dismisses ideas that do not fit with the accepted convention until there is overwhelming evidence even if it is logical
Tectonic plate movement - Supplanted the globe expansion theory in the 1950's. Validated by rigorous application of the scientific method. Until tectonic plate theory was validated, globe expansion was the best we'd got.
Neanderthals - OK, I don't know much about this but it seems that a theory that was popular is now being cast into doubt due to the rigorous application of the scientific method. Just shows that scientists are willing to change their views based on new evidence emerging, which is just as it should be.
The problem is that some people don't want to use the scientific method or understand/engage in the process of science, they just want to say "yeah, but I reckon..."
robuk said:
They are very quick learners.
Expertise developed on the 2020 programme includes:
Jan-April: epidemiology
May-Sept: virology
Oct-Dec: pathology
There is a bonus module on haulage and logistics being taught now it seems.
Expertise developed on the 2020 programme includes:
Jan-April: epidemiology
May-Sept: virology
Oct-Dec: pathology
There is a bonus module on haulage and logistics being taught now it seems.
Brilliant.
And last year, everyone seemed an expert in economics and politics. Throw in some civil rights during summer.
Bright Halo said:
We do have to be careful in what we label as a conspiracy theory or hokum.
Many ideas in history have been labelled as such until being adopted by the mainstream many years later.
Examples
Earth not centre of solar system
Tectonic plate movement
Neanderthal not direct line of human evolution
Conventional science totally dismisses ideas that do not fit with the accepted convention until there is overwhelming evidence even if it is logical
No I don’t think we need to be careful. Conspiracy theories and hokum are just that and easily spotted by the non-gullible. Many ideas in history have been labelled as such until being adopted by the mainstream many years later.
Examples
Earth not centre of solar system
Tectonic plate movement
Neanderthal not direct line of human evolution
Conventional science totally dismisses ideas that do not fit with the accepted convention until there is overwhelming evidence even if it is logical
Plate tectonics were accepted by some geologists immediately but it took time to accumulate evidence to show it was a better explanation for the current state of the continents.
Neanderthal’s are cousins of humans and we are not their direct descendants. Europeans have some Neanderthal DNA because of interbreeding with modern humans who replaced them.
Esceptico said:
Bright Halo said:
We do have to be careful in what we label as a conspiracy theory or hokum.
Many ideas in history have been labelled as such until being adopted by the mainstream many years later.
Examples
Earth not centre of solar system
Tectonic plate movement
Neanderthal not direct line of human evolution
Conventional science totally dismisses ideas that do not fit with the accepted convention until there is overwhelming evidence even if it is logical
No I don’t think we need to be careful. Conspiracy theories and hokum are just that and easily spotted by the non-gullible. Many ideas in history have been labelled as such until being adopted by the mainstream many years later.
Examples
Earth not centre of solar system
Tectonic plate movement
Neanderthal not direct line of human evolution
Conventional science totally dismisses ideas that do not fit with the accepted convention until there is overwhelming evidence even if it is logical
Plate tectonics were accepted by some geologists immediately but it took time to accumulate evidence to show it was a better explanation for the current state of the continents.
Neanderthal’s are cousins of humans and we are not their direct descendants. Europeans have some Neanderthal DNA because of interbreeding with modern humans who replaced them.
My example was:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Gareth_Will...
Just from what is written in that Wiki entry, I have no idea how this could be concluded as an accident unless someone was instructed to find that verdict.
On the face of it, casting doubt on how he died could be classed as a conspiracy theory as it goes against the official statement.
This is worlds apart for me from proclaiming that there are microchips in vaccinations, aliens built the pyramids etc.
If questioning the real cause of GW's death counts as a conspiracy theory alongside those above though - add me to the list.
I accept it might be possible that he could fold himself up into a sports bag (even though "experts tried 400 times" and couldn't). He might even have been able to lock it from the outside too, then wipe off all fingerprints from the bath and surrounding surfaces despite being inside that bag at the time.
Anything is possible, but its very f***ing unlikely.
As I said, think there is a huge gap between believing Elvis is still alive, and doubting the result of the enquiry into this chap's death.
Edited by OzzyR1 on Wednesday 23 December 01:38
Edited by OzzyR1 on Wednesday 23 December 01:40
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