Conspiracy Theories, Paranoia and the Overactive Imagination

I enjoy the odd consipracy theory - in my opinion 911 is probably the greatest one in History with more twists and turns than a discarded pile of Moebius loops.

This thread is not about 911.

I am not saying that conspiracies do not exist. I am convinced there is a darker agenda in many people and governments and possibly many groups of people who are constantly trying to further their agendas. I am not convinced that there is one global group of people who have successfully over a long period of time been able to sustain a concerted global change. I could be wrong. This thread is not about them either.

This thread is about Conspiracy Theories, Paranoia and the Overactive Imagination. This thread is about my concern about the large number of people who are seeing a conspiracy in every shadow, behind every tree, and possibly in every bowl of rice crispies they eat for breakfast. They are as absurd as the people who see images of Virgin Madonna on slices of toast, waterstains on ceilings or rust stains on cars.
www.stuff.co.nz...

ATS is a great site for a number of reasons and appeals to a wide variety of interests - the most active Feed is the Conspiracy site where users are encouraged to post their theories on all manners of conspiracies.
Herein lies the problem - any person who studies or is interested in human behaviour and psychology knows full well the phrase "feeding into paranioa". If a person has any tendency towards being a paranoid schizophrenic, then ATS is the last place they should be spending their time.

Here are examples:
Michelle Obama posing on a magazine and secretly indicating the date of a false-flag operation
www.abovetopsecret.com...
Haven't these people heard of e-mail to plan their dastardly deeds?

How about the one of Hitler is still alive?
www.belowtopsecret.com...
Maybe his death was suspicious, but the Israeli's successfully tracked down many of his peers - if alive they would have know about it.

The Computer is Your Enemy -
www.abovetopsecret.com...
The American government spies on Americans and as much of the world as it can. We know this, and they have passed the Patriot Act just so they can't be challenged. Where is the conspiracy?

One of my alltime favorites is the Dragonfly spy theory ...
www.abovetopsecret.com...


Do I think I am being followed by black vehicles with black tinted windows merely because I log onto ATs every day (this must be the cause of global warning - all this following of ATS internet users)? I drive a black car with tinted windows! I should be following people. No wonder people get worried when I am travelling home and follow them for a few too many blocks.

I do believe we should all be on our guard against manipulation and control. However, we really need to exercise a bit of logic and common-sense. Most of us are not worth spying on - not even by robot Dragonflies.

You know the dragonfly device is real, right?
As well as some other things you mention.
If someone has schizophrenia, this site probably isn't good for them, but they might be paranoid doing ANYTHING. Censorship would be good?
On of my old friends was schizo and he would 'go off' just sitting in his room. No internet (or TV)around him! and he was on medication....

My point is that not everything is a conspiracy. The device might be real but saying that Dragonfly Spies exist therefore all Dragonflies must be spies is the absurdity.
Hey I even sometimes feel watched. I just believe that a government has enough trouble collecting Taxes to worry about spying on people who are too easily discredited.
And let's face it, sadly, we who are on the fringe ... are very easily discredited.

reply to post by deltaalphanovember

I agree.
I think I would be kind of boring to be watched by anyone!
We shouldn't be skeptical to the point of missing crucial information about someone needing help, whether they are 'crazy' (Give them advice) or being gang-stalked or threatened in REAL life, or something we can do ourselves to improve the global state of affairs!
ATS is great in that we have knowledgeable people in almost EVERY field!
That by itself gives us a recourse against disinfo, trolling, crazy people, teenage pranksters, etc.....




[edit on 17-2-2009 by Clearskies]

reply to post by deltaalphanovember


Your thread is a conspiracy to cover up conspiracies.

Im onto you!



On a serious note I see your point and have been thinking along the same lines lately.

I have noticed that theories are becoming more ridiculous the more members that seem to join recently.

There is also a lot of one post members for some reason.

Im not tarring all with the same brush as some members still have some well thought out conspiracy theories.

You cant have the good without the bad I guess.

I'm with you bro. For instance, if the plane that crashed last week hadn't been carrying a 9/11 widow, woud the conspiracy card had been played? Why does everything have to be a conspiracy?

reply to post by deltaalphanovember


I agree that it can be a bit much to take sometimes. There is no manner of logic you can use, no angle you can take when someone has the bit firmly between their teeth with some of the crazier conspiracies.

It usual ends up with the accusation that you too are in on it... suddenly you're a dis-info agent or a g-man etc. Apparently now, this person knows more about you than you do. It is quite comical though. What I've learned though is that people who see conspiracies in everything cannot be reasoned with.

My biggest gripe in this isn't the degree's to which they get carried away but more so that decent threads... those little diamonds we come here for quickly get buried never to see the light of day again. Blink sometimes and you risk missing them entirely!

The super paranoid threads are almost guaranteed to make it past the 10th page mainly due to the amount of general discourse they create amongst members... and the serious threads end up with about 10 replies.

The serious and interesting topics can be quickly consumed by folly all too often and that's kind of unfortunate!

IRM

XXXN3O I was actually wondering who would be the first to accuse me of being a disinfo agent - luckily your post was humorous.

As you seem to have gathered, I am not advocating censorship - or maybe I am: Self-censorship.

Stop, Think, Ask, Research - In my opinion, this should be the ATS Motto.

Sinister plans that were once rumors told by our grandparents are starting to come true. I'm sure everyone here was told about people being implanted with a tiny chip, all the continents forming a one world government, wars that would never end, famine and so on.


Now its really happening so what are we supposed to do? I would like to talk about it with people who know what they are talking about and see what I see. I'm sure no one here is running around their city screaming (yet) the NWO is coming because people who don't care in the first place do not want to know and why waste time talking to robots.

I believe the people on ATS are more alive than those who watch the well scripted 24 hour news.

Just to give you an example: I found out on ATS that the guy who invented the H2O powered vehicle was dead. Never heard it on the Fixed News. I never knew he even existed.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by darkelf


darkelf, strangely that is the event that started me on the line of thinking that got me to this point.
Inbetween I did a lot of research as to why a plane would suddenly fall off "radar" screens and also the Dash undercarriage problems from a few years back.
Not going to go into my conclusions- but learn't a heck of a lot about real radar and actual transponder tracking of aircraft.

There are lots of reasons why people are viewing the world with a suspicious eye.

Anytime there is a sense of helplessness, hopelessness or victimization, it will often give rise to paranoia. In this time of economic uncertainty and social reorganization - when the way forward seems unclear and the outcome unavoidably catastrophic, it's no surprise that people are looking around and wondering if it's all on purpose or contrived because they sure don't think any of it was in their control, yet they are paying a heavy price.

www.surveillance-and-society.org/articles5(1)/paranoia.pdf




[edit on 17/2/2009 by kosmicjack]

reply to post by InfaRedMan


InfraRedMan, I share your frustration. I am just hoping my thread contributes in some small way towards improving the current situation.

I love this site, I love the "Fringe"-benefits (the knowledge I have acquired is great when I scare the heck out of friends at dinner parties with a few choice remarks and odd video or photo).

The other day I had my entire conservative family in an uproar when I started discussing 911.

Some people believe that if you don't believe in their pet conspiracy then you are a debunker. Actually, I do believe in some conspiracies, I'm just not ready to mindlessly jump on the conspiracy du jour bandwagon.

kosmicjack, perhaps you are right - a sign of the time? There will be a time when people will look back at sites like ATS and admit they were onto something.
However, we constantly ask to be taken seriously in the MSM - yet by our very own nature and actions (certain posts, member, theories) we lose the very respect we ask for.

In case anyone think I am advocating censorship with the above post, I am not. I am merely hoping people approach their chosen subject matter a little more scientifically/seriously.

[edit on 17/2/2009 by deltaalphanovember]

This thread corresponds with another that was made recently. I agree with most of the points in here. I have been seeing a lot of one posters and randoms coming up with absurd and un-backed theories as of late. More than back in the day at least...gets stupid after a while.

Whu...!?

So, now you can post a thread like this and get replies to it?!

*mutters*

Well...

I always had issues with the "Reptilians". What is up with that?
People and their TV's...

Originally posted by kosmicjack
There are lots of reasons why people are viewing the world with a suspicious eye...it's no surprise that people are looking around and wondering if it's all on purpose or contrived because they sure don't think any of it was in their control

The key word is control, the fact that people try to establish some feeling of control over the uncertainty in their lives in unstable times by identifying agents of that instablility. While it can get unhealthy, it's also pretty natural.

Two thoughts outta the 60's, though:
1) Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean somebody isn't out to get you; and
2) A little paranoia is always cool.

reply to post by kosmicjack


While I completely understand your reasoning KJ, (it certainly makes sense), I can't help feel that on behalf of the disenfranchised, it's counter intuitive to take a stance of negativity (though again, it's understandable as an initial response).

No one ever solved big problems without taking a positive, proactive stance in defeating or overcoming it. Problems are solved by rolling up the sleeves with a 'can do' attitude. That's the way it's always worked.

The more energy that is wasted investing in imagined problems could be better spent in solving/working through the real problems IMHO. If people want to see the light again, this is eventually a conscious choice they will all have to make.

IRM

[edit on 17/2/09 by InfaRedMan]

Raud, your thread deserved more discussion as well ... it echoes my sentiments, and you have attributed your thread to another great thread. I am glad I am not the only like-minded Conspiracy Theorist around.

Originally posted by deltaalphanovember
Raud, your thread deserved more discussion as well ... it echoes my sentiments, and you have attributed your thread to another great thread. I am glad I am not the only like-minded Conspiracy Theorist around.

He he, don't say too much now, my friend! You have no idea what kind of gears operate in this twisted ol' brain of mine!

Still, I tend to find interest in conspiracies that has some sort of substance them. You know, the kinds that make sense.

I know I have jumped the gun sometimes, and even how disturbing it is, I still do it...but from now on I promise myself to go to the bottom with things waaay before I make my judgement.
One of the issues with being a romantic...

But hey, thanks for the validation!