Why do we believe in conspiracy theories? Intellectual Character?

The author was an obvious communist sleeper agent, a covert member of C.H.A.O.S. foisting false information upon the "Sheeple" or sleeping masses under the influence of MK -Ultra. Unbeknownst to the aforementioned agent the real rulers are a race of ultra-terrestrial of reptillian origin. (LOL).

originally posted by: LiveForever8
So when some little upstart, average Joe with a grueling 9-5 and a minor drink problem comes along with a theory that makes more sense than anything they could ever have dreamed of they make it their mission to belittle and destroy.

It is the scientific method to attempt to disprove hypotheses, whether they come from nine-to-fivers or Stephen Hawking. If the nine-to-fiver's hypothesis survived rigorous examination, it would be published and become the new mainstream theory (or at least one of several) for whatever phenomenon it purports to explain.