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Why do people believe conspiracy theories?

posted 6 years ago by Thrillhouse (1509)
18 replies | jump to latest

This question brings out the autism. People disagree with you because you're wrong. That's why.

Facebook has been having trouble with their content moderators. Apparently it is very popular for content moderators to start doubting the Holocaust after being exposed to the posts they are supposed to be censoring. Many of them are now being fired for this, through Facebook's contractor called "Cognizant". Facebook can't find good minions to reliably do their dirty work, long term. That's pretty funny.

The entire opperation is a total financial loss for Facebook. They don't make any money by having less content. They're wasting every cent they spend but that's not the point. Conspiracy theories are convincing in proportion to how hard you censor them. That's why all these giant corporations are scrambling to do it. They have to control everything you are exposed to or it doesn't work.

[–] TexasJack (12516) 6 years ago

Facebook is taking the loss because they are trying to avoid as much government interference for as long as possible.

[–] Thrillhouse (1509) 6 years ago

Facebook is taking over government roles. They're working with the government, not trying to avoid it.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Most conspiracy theories are utter BS.

In the case of the Holocaust conspiracy theory, people aren't scrambling to censor such nonsense because they're afraid there is any remote truth to such BS. They're doing so because they're, understandably, afraid of the potential impact the proliferation of such BS has on an already increasingly anti-Semitic society.

That said, you do make a disturbing, yet valid, point. Perhaps the best way to combat such blatant lies is not to censor them, and thus turn their peddlers into potential martyrs, but to tackle them head on with the masses of evidence that exists to refute them.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 6 years ago

"but to tackle them head on with the masses of evidence that exists to refute them."

Agreed, antipropaganda aka reality. That's the only upside to conspiracies and their propaganda strategies: It's an opening for a dissemination and popularization of real-world information that many people don't know.

It's a chance for education and growth. One reason I loved following Flat Earth conspiracies is because it's great mental exercise for showing someone how they can use basic scientific principles and real observation skills to prove to themselves that the Earth is indeed an oblate spheroid (plus we get introduced to awesome technical jargon like oblate spheroid!).

Even for people who are never going to give into the Flat Earth conspiracy, that information and education is valuable in general for reminding people how to study the real world for themselves.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I totally agree.

I'll add to that, that it's important not to take anything for granted. Although I'm sceptical of most, if not all, conspiracy theories, sometimes it's worth having these discussions so that we can put all doubt to rest.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 6 years ago

And every so often, we find the "conspiracy" is the general populace arriving at a common conclusion or belief that is incorrect.

Thats where we get urban legends, old wives' tales, bad folk wisdom, fallacies, and inaccurate "common knowledge."

And also clearly-incorrect myths like the "official story" from 9/11 ;) ;) ;)

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Your brevity is on fire today frogarama! I couldn’t agree more.

[–] Thrillhouse (1509) 6 years ago

Why don't you just tell them that 97% of geologists agree that they have concensus the Earth is round?

Im joking and otherwise agree with you, but in the case of holocaust denial as an example, the prevailing wisdom of experts is that holocaust deniers should not be engaged. Debating them gives them a "platform". Antifa's explicit mission is to "deplatform". I think they know what they are talking about.

Holocaust scholars are historians second and tacticians first. It doesn't mean that the holocaust is fake and they know it, but it does reflect insecurity, in their own position, and in their trust for the audience. They believe, rightly, that if people hear both sides, more people will move over to denial. With censorship, the vast majority of people only hear one side. Censorship works, for the side in power. No one in authority is questioning the value of censorship. The challenge is in how and what to censor, with a heavy or light touch. They're not having this debate that you are, about the merit of censorship versus "anti propaganda". You're a true believer, as am I.

[–] HuddsOn (23) 6 years ago

I am against de-platforming by social media but it does not necessarily follow that respectable scientists and historians should engage in debate with flat-Earthers or Holocaust deniers. Holocaust deniers, in particular, already know they have lost the argument and have nothing new to offer. They have pretty much given up even the pretence of doing any serious original research - all they do is trot out the same old lies and half-truths and irrelevant talking points that have been debunked countless times. To engage in debate with such people demeans the whole concept of competitive debate. We shouldn't censor them, we should just ignore them.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8757) 6 years ago

Why do people believe conspiracy theories?

I'd say it depends on the theory. Not all are created equal.

Some conspiracies have been proven to be true. MKULTRA, for instance, was a real CIA conspiracy. OPERATION NORTHWOODS was a (thankfully) failed government conspiracy that was planned but never implemented, thanks to a veto by JFK.

All the word "conspiracy" means is that two or more people planned secretly to do something. The truth is that conspiracies are all around us, especially in places like Washington.

Why do people believe the more outlandish shit like David Icke's thing about how all our top-ranking government officials are reptilian beings in human form or whatever? I don't know.

[–] Frogarama (12942) 6 years ago

"Apparently it is very popular for content moderators to start doubting the Holocaust after being exposed to the posts they are supposed to be censoring."

Yes, that's why propaganda is a slow process of trial and error, finding the angles/strategies that best convince (aka mislead) an average person. It's very similar to marketing concepts.

The best example for your topic here is the Flat Earth B.S.: Random average people can be convinced using the propaganda strategies because what's "excluded" from the "information" is stuff that those average people probably aren't immediately aware of, or aware of whatsoever.

Certain simplifications (aka lies) also help, like that claim of the horizon always "rising" to eye level. It can be debunked with logic and then disproven with video examples, but the claim continues on and all evidence to the contrary is just given a "Nope, wrong" from the propagandist, with zero further argument.

You know this well, Trollhouse, because I've seen you use this exact tool of propaganda.

Topics like this are just you playing coy, pretending, being false and dishonest like usual.

[–] Thrillhouse (1509) 6 years ago

I like how your mind immediately jumps to the most inconsequential conspiracy theories like Flat Earth. No NSA spying, no WMDs in Iraq or 9/11, not even "the vast right wing conspiracy". That's quite an association. Somehow it always boils down to a bunch of plucky basement dwellers behind the world's most nefarious propaganda, always the little guy. It's never the people in power, disseminating it from the top down. Simplification, not repetition? I must have heard 6 million 6 million times. But then I saw this one internet meme picture and changed my mind.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I don't. Governments are usually too stupid.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77566) 6 years ago

👆👆👆

[–] Thrillhouse (1509) 6 years ago

Our government invented nuclear bombs and stealth airplanes in total secret. Our government continues growing larger and longer that any corporation on Earth. It's incompetent only when it wants to be, when it's registering you to vote at the DMV maybe, but not when it's transferring wealth from the working class to the non-working class or killing you in a war for Israel.

What you're doing is just avoiding an issue that makes you uncomfortable. People believe in conspiracy theories because good people like you are even more stupid than they are and can't counter them. Or so it would seem. Governments are equally incapable. Maybe they are "stupid"...

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77566) 6 years ago

👆🚫🧠

[–] TandyMan (11119) 6 years ago

Cause basically everything i've ever been told is bullshit to sell me something.

[–] BillHicksFan (10611) 6 years ago

Yep. Everything is a theory before it's proven. It only takes two people for it to be a conspiracy but unfortunately most people are stupid and live their life based on pejorative labels