Are conspiracy theorists the new bible bashers?

Trans Ann · 07-09-2020 1:39am #1

Are they? Well are they? They appear to be just as angry crazy forceful and judgemental as them..but then again so do atheist's?? So are conspiracy theorists the new bible bashers and are atheist similar in their approach. Is it not insulting to mock someone's beliefs? Aren't Atheists just as ignorant as Religious people? Is there a God? But who gets to say if there is or isn't? Why are people so sure they know everything? Scientists/media etc ...from before not now. But even now? I dunno I smell bull**** everywhere. I expect I'll get a load of angry answers but at least I expect that.

IAMAMORON · 07-09-2020 1:43am

Environmentalists are the new zealots.

It is late, good night.

dzsfah2xoynme9 · 07-09-2020 1:46am

Trans Ann wrote: »

Are they? Well are they? They appear to be just as angry crazy forceful and judgemental as them..but then again so do atheist's?? So are conspiracy theorists the new bible bashers and are atheist similar in their approach. Is it not insulting to mock someone's beliefs? Aren't Atheists just as ignorant as Religious people? Is there a God? But who gets to say if there is or isn't? Why are people so sure they know everything? Scientists/media etc ...from before not now. But even now? I dunno I smell bull**** everywhere. I expect I'll get a load of angry answers but at least I expect that.

You need to chill and stop looking at crap in the internet. I'm atheist and don't mock anyone. Everyone should be entitled to believe what they want to believe. They're free to do that as long as it doesn't affect or hurt others.

Trans Ann · 07-09-2020 1:49am

Matthias Dazzling Lasso wrote: »

You need to chill and stop looking at crap in the internet. I'm atheist and don't mock anyone. Everyone should be entitled to believe what they want to believe. They're free to do that as long as it doesn't affect or hurt others.

Yaaas. No I've just a mix of friends who are both ..amongst other religions.. I've noticed the Christians and atheists have similar ways of going on. I can't stand any of it. Seems loopy. That was judgemental oops..but no they're worse.

07-09-2020 2:15am

... we invented a conspiracy theory from scratch. We asked US participants to read about an entirely fictitious debate unfolding in Germany. The installation of smoke detectors is mandatory according to German housing law (this much is true). Now here comes the fiction: Allegedly, a retired engineer had found evidence that these smoke detectors have serious side effects, emanating a ‘hypersound’ that causes nausea, gastritis, and depression. This was forcefully rejected by VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH, the largest (and invented) producer of smoke detectors. The conspiracy: VdS was in cahoots with the government and knew about the dangerous smoke detectors, but did nothing

Then we introduced the conspiracy as being believed either by a majority (81%) or a minority (19%) of the German public. Our hypothesis was that those with a higher conspiracy mentality (already correlated with a higher need for uniqueness) were more likely to endorse the conspiracy when finding out that fewer people believed in it than when they found out that many people believed it. And that’s exactly what our study showed.

The new conspiracy seemed to be more attractive if it was a minority opinion. It set them apart from the masses.

These findings draw a more nuanced understanding of what attracts people to conspiracy theories. Although the effects of our smoke-detector experiment were relatively small, they are consistent. In fact, an independent team from France tested the same hypothesis (without either of our teams being aware) and obtained a very similar result. Seeing evil plots at play behind virtually any world event is not only an effort to make sense of the world. It can also be gratifying in and of itself:

**It grants one the allure of exclusive knowledge that sets one apart from the sleeping sheep. **

- prof roland imhoff.

https://qz.com/1286982/why-do-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories-because-they-want-to-feel-unique/

tl;dr many conspiracy theorists are just being conceited egoists.

thats the best quote i could find right now. but other articles have been better and more damning, the same theorists holding opposing views such as osama still being alive, and later that osama was long dead before the u.s. missions. these beliefs changing whenever it placed them in the minority.
just people who want to be special.

Trans Ann · 07-09-2020 2:30am

85603 wrote: »

... we invented a conspiracy theory from scratch. We asked US participants to read about an entirely fictitious debate unfolding in Germany. The installation of smoke detectors is mandatory according to German housing law (this much is true). Now here comes the fiction: Allegedly, a retired engineer had found evidence that these smoke detectors have serious side effects, emanating a ‘hypersound’ that causes nausea, gastritis, and depression. This was forcefully rejected by VdS Schadenverhütung GmbH, the largest (and invented) producer of smoke detectors. The conspiracy: VdS was in cahoots with the government and knew about the dangerous smoke detectors, but did nothing

Then we introduced the conspiracy as being believed either by a majority (81%) or a minority (19%) of the German public. Our hypothesis was that those with a higher conspiracy mentality (already correlated with a higher need for uniqueness) were more likely to endorse the conspiracy when finding out that fewer people believed in it than when they found out that many people believed it. And that’s exactly what our study showed.

The new conspiracy seemed to be more attractive if it was a minority opinion. It set them apart from the masses.

These findings draw a more nuanced understanding of what attracts people to conspiracy theories. Although the effects of our smoke-detector experiment were relatively small, they are consistent. In fact, an independent team from France tested the same hypothesis (without either of our teams being aware) and obtained a very similar result. Seeing evil plots at play behind virtually any world event is not only an effort to make sense of the world. It can also be gratifying in and of itself:

**It grants one the allure of exclusive knowledge that sets one apart from the sleeping sheep. **

- prof roland imhoff.

tl;dr many conspiracy theorists are just being conceited egoists.

I completely agree and feel this vibe when I am around them...its very difficult to let all that go and get past what seems to be their paranoia or something?? Like everything is a debate etc I'm all up for questioning things but I don't get why people don't just live in the moment. Its like how people think if they were stoned and then laugh about it the next day. Its entertaining for an hour but after that...good luck!! So cringe.. can also be insulting to people who have lived through a traumatic experience only to be told the facts of that experience didn't happen or happened differently...and this being said by people who didn't even experience it. Thanks.

enno99 · 07-09-2020 2:30pm

I thought this was a forum for discussing conspiracy theories not conspiracy theorists

IAMAMORON · 07-09-2020 2:41pm

enno99 wrote: »

I thought this was a forum for discussing conspiracy theories not conspiracy theorists

That is a 50/50 discussion that we lack the current balance of opinion on yet.

Mullaghteelin · 16-09-2020 5:44pm

As long as there are sociopaths who crave power, and stand to gain financially from deceiving or hurting the population at large, there will be conspiracies and sinister schemes.

There will also be those who use the conspiracy theory label to shut down debate and ridicule their opponents. Every inquisitive reporter asking too many questions can be called a conspiracy theorist.
The media has been accusing a lot of people of conspiracy theories of late. Its like accusing everyone of racism, it will become a meaningless term if overused.
Declaring certain topics of conversation off limits, and heavily censoring social media, is just going to make the general public more receptive to conspiracy theories in the longer run.

Dohnjoe · 16-09-2020 7:01pm

Mullaghteelin wrote: »

As long as there are sociopaths who crave power, and stand to gain financially from deceiving or hurting the population at large, there will be conspiracies and sinister schemes.

Indeed, conspiracies, sleaze, corruption happens all the time, you only need to open a newspaper.

However that stuff is very rarely discussed here. On conspiracy forums like this it's typically the more "fantastical" stuff like 9/11, chemtrails, Jewish conspiracies, 5G, moon landings, etc, etc.

Most of which is patently untrue. And worse, some of the medical conspiracy theories are actually dangerous/harmful.

The Nal · 17-09-2020 9:47am

Mullaghteelin wrote: »

The media has been accusing a lot of people of conspiracy theories of late. Its like accusing everyone of racism, it will become a meaningless term if overused.
Declaring certain topics of conversation off limits, and heavily censoring social media, is just going to make the general public more receptive to conspiracy theories in the longer run.

Conspiracy theories aren't immediately apparent, by their nature. The problem with new online conspiracy theorists is that the initial assumption is that its a conspiracy based on no evidence whatsoever outside of a couple of (usually) Facebook posts. New Zealand mosque attacks, Sandy Hook, Sutherland Springs, Covid etc.

Conspiracies are real of course but take time to investigate and unravel. Watergate, Iran/Contra etc.

That nonsense Plandemic documentary for example was released a few weeks after lockdown. These are either just edgelords trying to "win" online and take your attention and money or "I know best" "lol" people who really want to appear to be more knowledgeable than everyone else.

The Journal are really debunking a lot of this nonsense now, hence the protests from the loony right as a result but its good solid, journalistic work from them. Even if its easily done with a few minutes of research. Thats how bad these theories are. Its sad people are so gullible.

Debunked: No, Paul Murphy isn't recruiting and training actors to attend protests

Debunked: No, there weren't 'only 717 deaths' in Ireland in July

Debunked: No, countries were not exporting Covid-19 test kits in 2017

Are conspiracy theorists the new bible bashers?

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