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A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

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A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by Deleted User 4520 » Wed Dec 09, 2020 2:07 pm

Quite a fascinating read about the mindset of conspiracy minded people.

Snippets:

Dr. John Grohol, a psychologist and the founder of Psych Central, says that conspiracy theorists come up with ideas out of thin air to match whatever 'fact' they think is true, and often use paranoia-based beliefs to convince others.

He says that these people tend to be uncooperative, distrustful, and socially isolated — which is why believing in a conspiracy theory with strangers on the internet can give them a sense of belonging.

Conspiracy theories are driven by people, not facts
You can't really argue with people who believe in conspiracy theories, because their beliefs aren't rational. Instead, they are often fear- or paranoia-based beliefs that, when confronted with contrarian factual evidence, will dismiss both the evidence and the messenger who brings it.2 That's because conspiracy theories are driven by the people who believe and spread them and their own psychological makeup — not on the factual support or logical reasoning of the theory itself.


https://www.businessinsider.com/psychol ... mes-2020-4



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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by Bryce » Wed Dec 09, 2020 5:24 pm

So that's what the driving force behind the Russian Collusion conspiracy was. Democrats couldn't accept defeat, their future power uncertain, so they clung to that conspiracy. All this time I thought it was a simple coup attempt. Learn something new everyday.


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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by Rate This » Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:34 pm

Bryce wrote:
Wed Dec 09, 2020 5:24 pm
So that's what the driving force behind the Russian Collusion conspiracy was. Democrats couldn't accept defeat, their future power uncertain, so they clung to that conspiracy. All this time I thought it was a simple coup attempt. Learn something new everyday.
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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by MotorCityRadioFreak » Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:48 pm

Conspiracy theorists are always the uneducated. Just look at Alex Jones.


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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by stopnswop2 » Wed Dec 09, 2020 11:24 pm

There's no such thing as a "conspiracy theory".
That's a media invented term to label propoganda they invented the first place.
This is called "Controlled Opposition".


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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by G G » Thu Dec 10, 2020 7:29 am

stopnswop2 wrote:
Wed Dec 09, 2020 11:24 pm
There's no such thing as a "conspiracy theory".
That's a media invented term to label propoganda they invented the first place.
This is called "Controlled Opposition".
I agree that it is a poor term because many things labeled "conspiracy theory" are in fact true. There are things that are clearly outside the bounds of reality that are labeled conspiracy theories and they don't even involve conspiracy. I think that the term "improbable bullshit" gives these things the respect and attention they deserve.


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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by Bryce » Thu Dec 10, 2020 9:00 am

Well, it seems like the "baseless conspiracy theory," and "smear campaign," most of the media outlets labeled the New York Post story about Hunter Biden to allow them deep six any reporting on it prior to the election, isn't such a 'conspiracy theory' after all.
The investigation is being led by the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware. It was opened in late 2018 and has included inquiries into potential criminal violations of tax and money laundering laws, according to people familiar with the inquiry.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/09/us/p ... ation.html

Labeling something as a conspiracy theory is often simply a tool to delegitimize inconvenient truths.


New York and Chicago were all in with respect to their sanctuary status — until they were hit with the challenge of actually providing sanctuary. In other words, typical liberal hypocrisy.

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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by Calvert DeForest » Thu Dec 10, 2020 11:23 am

My questions is, where were the Russians this time? Haven't heard anything about them. Did they just give up?


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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by TC Shuts Up » Thu Dec 10, 2020 3:09 pm

These arguments about truths being conspiracy theories are right out of the Soviet Union and Chinese Communist Party playbooks.


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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by Rate This » Thu Dec 10, 2020 3:34 pm

Calvert DeForest wrote:
Thu Dec 10, 2020 11:23 am
My questions is, where were the Russians this time? Haven't heard anything about them. Did they just give up?
No. The social media folks were better about sniffing it out this time.



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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by Calvert DeForest » Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:57 am

TC Shuts Up wrote:
Thu Dec 10, 2020 3:09 pm
These arguments about truths being conspiracy theories are right out of the Soviet Union and Chinese Communist Party playbooks.
Sad but true. It amazes me that in an age when we have the greatest research tool ever at our fingertips, many people choose a handful of big media platforms as sources of information. Relying on a few favorite outlets for quick answers is easy. Research is harder. It involves time and effort that most people are not willing to invest. The internet is a big place with no shortage of crap. Digging through the crap to find credible, rational nuggets of information is an effort that can seem tedious, but not to do so is not only a waste of the most valuable research tool we've ever had at our disposal, it shirks our responsibility as citizens of a free republic.

People before us with far fewer resources did the work because they understood that informational research is a pillar of democracy and freedom. We don't have to travel to the library to shuffle through the card catalog. We have libraries in our houses and our pockets. Relying on one or two sources for information as we like to hear it is like holding up in the corner of the library that has just our favorite books and magazines, thinking it's enough to write an informed thesis. Perhaps if we had to walk five miles to a library and spend half a day researching an important subject, we might better appreciate the value of what we have. People in places like China and North Korea would give their left arm (pardon the pun) to have the free and open internet we enjoy in the States. Let's not take this gem for granted, lest we risk losing it ourselves.


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Re: A psychologist explains why people cling to conspiracy theories during uncertain times

Post by Rate This » Fri Dec 11, 2020 1:06 pm

R Bedell wrote:
Fri Dec 11, 2020 12:37 pm
Conspiracy theorists are always the uneducated. Just look at Alex Jones.
Or look at the DNC. 3.5 Yrs of Russian Collusion Bullsh*t.
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