The Inner Worlds of Conspiracy Believers

The Inner Worlds of Conspiracy Believers

www.usnews.com

A report scheduled to appear in an upcoming Applied Cognitive Psychology offers a preliminary psychological profile of people who believe in 9/11 conspiracies.

A team led by psychologist Viren Swami of the University of Westminster in London identified several traits associated with subscribing to 9/11 conspiracies, at least among British citizens. These characteristics consist of backing one or more conspiracy theories unrelated to 9/11, frequently talking about 9/11 conspiracy beliefs with likeminded friends and others, taking a cynical stance toward politics, mistrusting authority, endorsing democratic practices, feeling generally suspicious toward others and displaying an inquisitive, imaginative outlook.

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:

The Inner Worlds of Conspiracy Believers (it's ALL your fault)

Conspiracy Theorist: As a Mental Illness

Why People Believe Invisible Agents Control the World

Fox news doesnt kill people, conspiracy theorists kill people

[edit on 27-5-2009 by The All Seeing I]

So if you don't buy the authorised version of the 911 you are mentally handicapped/disturbed. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Kim Jong Il would be proud. Does anyone still believe the "official" sophomoric tale? ... those who still do... don't you think the government has a credibility issue ie WMD, torture, bailout.

Am i the only one who sees this as a propaganda thought management piece?

Makes me question where we currently are ... in the following Gandhi equation:

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

... maybe we are at ... "they fight you"? ... if so that means the collective breakthrough is around the corner ... it's about time and hopefully just in time to turn things around.

www.usnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 27-5-2009 by The All Seeing I]

Your quote reminds me of this one:

First They Came

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
First they came for the Socialist
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
First they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
First they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

"First they came…" is a poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.

I havent read any of those books. I dont know where this guy got this idea.

I look at things and see they dont add up to the normal like physics going on vacation 1 day in all of existence on 9-11-01. And the history leading up to it. What more can you ask for to say someone is lying to you.

You dont need to be in some cliche to believe 9/11 was an inside job. god these people.
Then again if you watch American Idol you might believe this crap also.

Wow. What a perfect example of the ideological shift of this country.

This country was FOUNDED on questioning authority and speaking out when you feel something is unjust.

All of a sudden, if you are of a different point of view, you are unpatriotic, mentally-deficient, or a terrorist.


Yikes

Conspiracy thinkers share an optimistic conviction that they can find “the truth,” spread it to the masses and foster social change, Goldberg asserts.

Over the past 50 years, researchers and observers of social dynamics have traced beliefs in conspiracy theories to feelings of powerlessness, attempts to bolster self-esteem and diminished faith in government. Some conspiracy beliefs — such as the widespread conviction among blacks that the U.S. government concocted HIV/AIDS as a genocidal plot — gain strength from actual events, such as the once-secret Tuskegee experiments in which black men with syphilis were denied treatment.

Interesting to see how they word the report in such a way that they give no credence to the obvious justification for distrust in the government.

reply to post by cautiouslypessimistic


Did you read the news story?

It was done in England.

It's idiots like this that give mental health researchers a bad name...

First, I didn't get too much substance out of the article. Ok, if your findings are true, what's the point? Provide some insight or use for this data to justify the study at least...not just a low level headlines grabbing journal paper. Yes, if statistically sound it is interesting, but is it useful? (An argument can be made that if one believes in, say a 9/11 coverup, would that person make a good guard at Area 51 since they are more likely to believe in UFO's...yes, an exaggeration, but there could be sensitive types of realistic work it could relate to, or as an indicator along with other criteria for a certain pattern of behavior...again, only if statistically significant across a wide population.)

What bugs me is it seems their sample group was asked about common USA based conspiracy theories (ex. 9/11 & JFK) and not UK inspired plots (ex. Diana). I would really like to know if the Brits are more paranoid about their own then us across the pond. That could really skew numbers!

I also really loved the quoted study at the end of the article referring to "invented conspiracies". So government cell phone tracking doesn't exist? Better tell the EFF ( www.eff.org... ) and all the other law enforcements groups (Read: NSA) who use such technology!

The best bit had to be

A belief that the government is covering up its involvement in the 9/11 attacks thus feeds the idea that the government is also hiding evidence of extraterrestrial contacts or that John F. Kennedy was not killed by a lone gunman.

I can't believe that the government is hiding evidence of extraterrestrial contacts.
I am not one the droids you are looking for. Nothing to see here.

reply to post by The All Seeing I


I totally agree with the source. There are certain people who subcribe to conspiracy theories and I think this is an accurate account of that.

Originally posted by lightchild
reply to post by cautiouslypessimistic

 

Did you read the news story?

It was done in England.

And your point is?
Do you really think this is an isolated thing?
Do you really think this isnt already ABSOLUTELY how they are trying to paint truthers, and have been for oh, say, roughly 8 years now?
Do you really think this wont hit the media in the U.S.?

Quit deflecting. It is what it is, and it's a disgusting shift in the line of thinking of the free citizens of this world.

Way to defend the death of america.

Originally posted by justsomeboreddude
reply to post by The All Seeing I

 

I totally agree with the source. There are certain people who subcribe to conspiracy theories and I think this is an accurate account of that.

So why are you on a conspiracy theory website again? Oh right.....AGENDA

reply to post by cautiouslypessimistic


I am pretty sure the majority of citizens in the world have all thought that certain types of people are conspiracy theorists even before this report. Now there is just a little science to back it up.

The gov and media said there were WMDs in Iraq... There weren't.

They said the anthrax came from the Middle East... It didn't.

You know, they said that $700 billion bailout was going to fix something... It didn't.

Now they say believing 9/11 was an inside job is some sort of mass mental deficiency? Hahaha, wrong again!

Originally posted by The All Seeing I
Interesting to see how they word the report in such a way that they give no credence to the obvious justification for distrust in the government.

Indeed. But this sorta thing has been going on for as long as I can remember. If you dare question certain historical events, or just outright be mistrustful of government, then you must be mentally unstable, etc.

At least conspiracy theory and discussion encourage critical thinking and promote investigatory skills. You'd hope that they would at least give credit for that.

Half the people of the world are conspiracy theorists (in a sense). So you'd basically be condemning half the world for not trusting government and looking past the politics? -- the irony!

Regards,

reply to post by cautiouslypessimistic


I am pretty sure this is more than just a conspiracy site as there are folders for all kind of topics outside the realm of conspiracy theory. I believe the favorite term is a Discussion Board.

The snippet from 'usnews' in the OP is actually no deflamatory. It ends by describing one as imaginative. It's a description of an open minded person... That said I am yet to click the links and read the full articles.

Here's a better thought; - why not label people who trust in the government(s) so much and their official explanations; as mentally deficient? - seems a better explanation than any.

Regards,

The intention to derail/detour in deception is transparent.
All you need to do is perform a simple flip in perspective.

"taking a cynical stance toward politics,"
trusting politics and all politicians

"mistrusting authority,"
trusting authority ie government, gov funded "science", MSM

"endorsing democratic practices,"
endorsing un-democratic practices

"feeling generally suspicious toward others"
trust everyone... especially those labeled "authority"

"and displaying an inquisitive, ... outlook.”
are not Inquisitive... are intellectually lazy

"...imaginative outlook"
have no imagination... afraid to connect the obvious dots



[edit on 27-5-2009 by The All Seeing I]

Originally posted by justsomeboreddude
reply to post by cautiouslypessimistic

 

I am pretty sure the majority of citizens in the world have all thought that certain types of people are conspiracy theorists even before this report. Now there is just a little science to back it up.

Sure they have-and you know what? Many of the conspiracy theories that have become common knowledge have turned out to be...wait for it.....REAL CONSPIRACIES.