What Makes Some People So Closed-Minded to Conspiracies?

I was having a discussion with a friend earlier today. And he made an off-hand reference to TWA Flight 800. His commented suggested he believed the official story. I asked him if he'd seen the 2013 documentary on the subject. He immediately said he hadn't seen it. He had no interest in seeing it. And the NSTB findings were totally accurate. I noted that the documentary included some whistle-blowers who'd been involved in the investigation. And they had some very interesting things to say. He didn't believe there could be any evidence that countered the official story. And he had no interest in wasting his time.

It got me thinking. What makes some people so wedded to official stories? And so unable (even in a casual conversation with a friend to even briefly entertain the possibility of alternate explanations?

I have some ideas why this may be so. But I'd like to hear what ATSers think first before offering my humble opinions.

And for the purpose of this thread, I'm not talking about people who've looked at alternate theories in some detail and rejected them. I talking about that very large group of people who won't even look. But will vehemently assert the validity of the "official story".

Cowardice and social conditioning.

a reply to: Moresby

I think it's because they want to believe that they aren't being lied to. They want the "safety" of having the authorities be honest with them. Many people ignore the signs of something, even when it's staring them right in the face. For example, a woman will stay with a cheating man because she's in denial of the signs. She WANTS to believe... for the safety and security she has in her marriage.

To be fair, many people buy every conspiracy theory that comes along, for the same reason. They feel a certain safety in not believing the lies they're being told. So, they WANT to believe it when a crazy theory comes along.

Maybe he just don't give a #.

Some people just make up their mind and move on, as things get muddy and has no conclusive end, and never will.

I did not want to accept anything other than the official story for 9/11, but something got me looking into it. It left me a mess for a few days when it all finally clicked and I had to process and understand the implications. Years latter there are still some holes in the picture, but what is clear is a big complicated mess. I get it that most people do not want to deal with it. On a practical level what difference does it really make?

Like it or not, our relationship with big brother is like a marriage, till death do we part. If one partners is cheating and there is nothing can be done about it, do we really want to know?

Fear that society may reject you if you do not believe as they believe would be a good reason. Also, people will laugh at someone behind their backs if it does not coincide with what is considered acceptable by the majority in the area. Most people know that the world is full of deceit and half truths but do not realize that the basic things we were taught were conditioning. Sometimes the conditioning is for good reasons and sometimes because someone wants control over us.

Question everything, investigate both sides of everything, and keep your mouth shut in your community. Just leave out little hints now and then and people will sometimes surprise you and you will learn something new and juicy.

originally posted by: Mianeye
Maybe he just don't give a .

Some people just make up their mind and move on, as things get muddy and has no conclusive end, and never will.

With some people, it can't be that simple.

I had a good buddy, who's since passed on, that I considered pretty even tempered and intelligent. One day I approached the subject of 9-11. He was absolutely hostile to the idea of anything other than the official story. Not "Yeah, yeah, whatever" or "You can talk, but it's crazy." He didn't want to hear anything that questioned any part of the OS. It was the sort of reaction I would expect if I had asked to have sex with his daughter. It really took me by surprise. I felt like if I kept talking about it he would have taken a swing at me.

Im going to say:
Their paychecks coming from the conspirators!


a reply to: Moresby

Kinda like the bozos that bought into the highschool cool kids paradigm.
a reply to: rickymouse

originally posted by: VictorVonDoom

originally posted by: Mianeye
Maybe he just don't give a .

Some people just make up their mind and move on, as things get muddy and has no conclusive end, and never will.

With some people, it can't be that simple.

I had a good buddy, who's since passed on, that I considered pretty even tempered and intelligent. One day I approached the subject of 9-11. He was absolutely hostile to the idea of anything other than the official story. Not "Yeah, yeah, whatever" or "You can talk, but it's crazy." He didn't want to hear anything that questioned any part of the OS. It was the sort of reaction I would expect if I had asked to have sex with his daughter. It really took me by surprise. I felt like if I kept talking about it he would have taken a swing at me.

This is identical to the reaction I encountered today that inspired this thread.

depending on how close it may effect their lives is I think proportional to how much they will question the official story. it could be considered a self preservation trait..at least to ones sanity.

like...I look at the sky, I see contrails from airplanes. now, I dont believe the chemtrail stuff, and have checked into the claims and found no seriously compelling reason to think it is anything but contrails, but I haven't done any major investigation and read every single article.
but if I did read and suddenly believe "they" are spraying us humans..well, it would make me absolutely fearful to even go outside without a gas mask, I would want air scrubbers in home, and feel utterly helpless in life. totally out of my control..so, in this example, perhaps a bit of chosen ignorance in order to just make it through the day would be a better choice.

Now, I can easily entertain say, a chinese media scandal working with the government to keep the people confused and ignorant..sure..its far away, it doesn't effect me and my life regardless of how I believe, etc...same with aliens visiting. its not like believing or not believing will change my actions for tomorrow

Just tossing that out there for consideration.

a reply to: Moresby

There's a reason the root word of ignorance is ignore.

a reply to: kwakakev

Like it or not, our relationship with big brother is like a marriage, till death do we part. If one partners is cheating and there is nothing can be done about it, do we really want to know?

That's what's sad because something can be done about it. The people are the majority not the government. There's strength in numbers and we should use that strength to demand a private investigation into 911. People in the U.S. are too busy slaving at their jobs everyday and trying to make ends meet to worry about something they feel is just too big for them to have any kind of effect. It's much easier to go on with life as usual until it personally affects their pocket book and daily life.

originally posted by: Moresby
What makes some people so wedded to official stories?

A much better question is "why do some people believe every silly conspiracy theory that comes along, refusing to look at the facts just blindly believing a silly conspiracy theory"!

originally posted by: hellobruce

originally posted by: Moresby
What makes some people so wedded to official stories?

A much better question is "why do some people believe every silly conspiracy theory that comes along, refusing to look at the facts just blindly believing a silly conspiracy theory"!

That would be the title of a very interesting thread, but I can't see it being written anytime soon on ATS.

The power that be, or whom ever wins the conflict are the writers of history. I wish it wasn't so but it is. Some people just can't see it any other way. One of the most painful conversations of my life was trying to explain the moon landing to my Grand Father. He was convinced it was a fake. Hell, 40 years later maybe he was right.

Facts?

Yes blindly accepting facts as expounded by whom? Scientists? Or well paid reserchers holding up established paradigms?
a reply to: hellobruce

a reply to: hellobruce

Maybe those people that believe every conspiracy theory they hear is why so many people distance themselves from any alternative views to the official stories. I read stuff on here almost daily but when I talk to people at work that are into conspiracy theories, some of the things they say seem a little too out there for me.

I do agree with the OP that some people are just downright hostile to entertaining the idea of conspiracy theories. Like today at lunch someone started talking about the deal Obama just made with China about selling nuclear materials. This one guy was like "Oh great, he's talking about that conspiracy crap again." and gets up and leaves. That's not even a conspiracy theory. It happened! It's on the news.

There are many examples of shillitude.
what makes one better than the other?
a reply to: hellobruce

a reply to: Moresby

MERICA !!! Its unpatriotic to question your country , haven't you heard.