DEMOS: The Power of Unreason

Conspiracy theories have become a mainstream cultural phenomenon. This paper considers the role they play in extremist groups and counterterrorism work. It presents the first ever analysis of conspiracy theories in the ideology and propaganda of fifty extremist groups: religious, far-right and left, eco, anarchic and cult-based. It is argued that conspiracy theories are a ‘radicalising multiplier', which feed back into the ideologies, internal dynamics and psychological processes of extremist groups in three ways. Firstly, they create demonologies of ‘the enemy’ that the group defines itself against. Secondly, they delegitimise voices of dissent and moderation. And thirdly, they encourage a group or individuals to turn to violence, because it acts as rhetorical devices to portray violence as necessary to ‘awaken’ the people from their acquiescent slumber. More broadly, conspiracy theories drive a wedge of distrust between governments and particular communities which can hinder community-level efforts to fight violent extremism.

Link to the lies

This just shows how they are portraying "conspiracy theorist/question askers" as terrorists

I'm going to read the report this afternoon, but it doesn't look good for us

reply to post by Pockets


This is laughable considering how much money has been revealed to have been spent on dissinfo by our alphabet agencies...

And thats just the money we hear about..

Imagine how much has been really been spent on lies and conspiracies by our own goverment..

They create, nurture and finance most of the, so called, terrorists..
OBL is the obvious example, closely followed by Saddam Hussein..

Need I say more?? s&f

reply to post by CynicalM

Need I say more??

No you don't need to...but you can if you like, I'll be reading it after my lunch and will report back after


[edit on 29-8-2010 by Pockets]

Seems like they are trying to tar everyone with the same brush, doesn't matter what you believe...you don't go along with our way of thinking you are a white supremacist or a terrorist, and all you want is violence

‘information cascades’ and ‘group polarisation’ make people more susceptible to them. Simply put, this means that people tend to agree with whatever they think the rest of the group thinks. This is in order to protect and improve their reputation, or through the force of the corroboration of one point of view.

Interestingly, intelligence agencies have long been concerned about far-right, far-left, and even al-Qaeda inspired groups forming tactical anti-establishment or anti-authority alliances.

Blame it all on Al-CIA-Da

Conspiracism is not only distrust, but also an irrational distrust – the inflexible, unfaltering tendency to act in a suspicious manner, irrespective of the situation.

Conspiracism: think they have created a new word

extreme groups may be able to draw on a larger counterculture of conspiracism as a pool of possible recruits.

New research is finding that the way we are consuming knowledge online is affecting our capacity for ‘deep processing’ skills: inductive analysis, critical thinking, imagination, and reflection.

‘seek the truth, even if it is harmful.’ The reality for many of the theorists themselves is that they are not neutral truth seekers, but are trying to father these theories and their personal careers are staked on it.

Opportunities for direct government confrontation For obvious reasons it is extremely difficult for the government to infiltrate effectively closed networks of disinformation. However, open infiltration is possible in some limited instances. Recommendation: Introduce some limited, open infiltration of Internet and physical sites by government to introduce alternative information. Government agents or their allies should openly infiltrate the Internet sites or spaces to plant doubts about conspiracy theories, introducing alternative information.

[edit on 29-8-2010 by Pockets]

I'm really disappointed with the lack of input from the ATS community, I hope it is because you are all reading the report

Very disturbing paper. The fact that they include a Cass Sunstein reference is even more troubling. I just don't understand how they can uniformly dump specific 'theories' into a left/right camp. Though this part caught my eye:
"The belief is so
widespread that, astonishingly, al-Qaeda’s second-in-command,
Ayman al-Zawahiri, criticized Iran for propagating the 9/11
conspiracy, explaining that Iran wanted itself to ‘cover up its
involvement with America."

I don't remember anybody EVER reporting on this, and this would be up Fox News' alley. And would have definatley shown up here. I definatley don't like the way they portray CT'ers as people who see a report and make up # in thier head. While there are a fair share of nutters abound , people on this site, for the most part, research the conspiracies they post about. Nothing but a good old fashioned gov't hatchet job. Good find S+F

[edit on 29-8-2010 by djvexd]

Originally posted by Pockets
.......
[edit on 29-8-2010 by Pockets]

did you notice that on the link you provided, demos.co.uk their logo of DEMOS uses an EYE for the O. could this be coincedence, pffft.

[edit on 29-8-2010 by pryingopen3rdeye]

whoops double post

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c86f669f9f5c.jpg[/atsimg]

[edit on 29-8-2010 by pryingopen3rdeye]

reply to post by pryingopen3rdeye


I did not, you are right....but does it really matter?

I think what matters here is that DEMOS are trying to say that anyone who questions the media is a bad person...and trying to say if one of us says something the rest agree

Originally posted by Pockets
reply to post by pryingopen3rdeye

 

I did not, you are right....but does it really matter?

I think what matters here is that DEMOS are trying to say that anyone who questions the media is a bad person...and trying to say if one of us says something the rest agree

i'm still reading the report, but as is apparent from the article summary i do agree with you.

i pointed out the eye thing for obvious reasons to some, so im sorry if that was like inside info kinda post i should have clarified i was refering to the all seeing eye. the one on the dollar bill, and hundreds other suspected illuminati run organizations.

video showing some examples

www.youtube.com...




btw for anyone who might take notice of single eye symbols like i do, have you also taken notice to the one at the bottom of this and every ATS page?

yes i mean the interactive advertising bureau,

im not accusing them of anything just trying to point out a synchronicity

[edit on 29-8-2010 by pryingopen3rdeye]

this would appear to me to be part of a strategy simply aimed at attacking everyone who claims any government would dream of doing anything to their people...

history has shown us that governments do all sorts of horrible and unethical things to their populations..from spraying people in england with bacteria from planes in the 70s to simply killing millions.

this report also suggests the public should 'trust' government more and its conspiracy theories built up around the 'necessary secrecy or silence' surrounding any secret service work that are fueling any mistrust.

my problem with this is that it isnt the populations that have installed cameras everywhere in england to watch the politicians every move..its not us listening to their telephones and reading their emails...its not us infringing on their rights and their privacy...

the bottom line is...its they who distrust us...and it seems to me that they are either using the conspiracy theory bunk to discredit any reasonable anti-government sentiment..or..even worse..they have become so accustomed to having control that they actually believe we should trust them at all times...if thats the case its very scary..

The US hasn't had a fair election since Bush stole the election in 2000, just think about that for a minute. How can the US give democracy to anyone else when it hasn't got it itself?

Britain's latest election was a lie, anyone poor will be targeted for the next 5yrs, both countries are engaged in a war that has no front line, no goals and nothing to gain from being involved in it. The people at the top of both countries are scumbags, its only a matter of time before the elites make it a criminal offence to even talk about the war. The rich are getting richer through no bid contracts, oil deals and in some cases petty theft from the poor while the poor are dying overseas fighting to protect the wealth of the elites. This is the modern world we live in and this is the modern warfare we are engaged in.
The term "conspiracy theory" is dead, we no longer need to hypothesize what evil deeds are being plotted by our govts as its all there for everyone to see.

Its often spoke about how much of a turning point 9/11 was and boy! nearly a decade on and we can see what a crap sandwich of a world good people find themselves in today. Protesting holds no strength with the people in power anymore because they just rig the elections, they no longer need "the people" to trust them..

Mass media is the mouthpiece of the elite, rolling 24hr news was the death of debate. I thought no-one on ATS would be fooled by it anymore but everyday I see threads on how Glen Beck is right, Palin is a patriot or the UK coalition is cutting everything for the good of the people, when in fact its a cash grab by the rich and is very similar to what Bush did in the final months of his last term...

Good people who can see their lies are now the enemy of the state it seems and have been since 9/11. My worry is that new laws will be made on the back of these types of reports to snuff out the last outpost of freedom ie the internet....

[edit on 30-8-2010 by strangleholder1]

[edit on 30-8-2010 by strangleholder1]

I'm thinking I should of went with a more sensationalist title for this thread....it is not getting the attention that this paper deserves

Infobores has picked up on this story...so expect more threads about it with infobores links, shame people will only take notice once there "leader" picks up on it

[edit on 30-8-2010 by Pockets]

So I'm a little aprehensive of downloading the whole document being the paranoid chap that I am!

I suppose it is to be expected, they are running out of 'enemies' for folks to be afraid of. They have oversaturated the media with fear of terrorism to the point that they have desensitised the public. So as we have been calling them on this stuff for years they are attempting to turn average Joe against us.

What is the end result? What is their goal? Will they shut down sites like ATS?

That would do more for conspiracy theory than any of us could even dream of. Creating a veritable martyr for the conspiracy community!

reply to post by Big Raging Loner

So I'm a little aprehensive of downloading the whole document being the paranoid chap that I am!

I've virus scanned it and it's cool...get it read...it is very worrying

I suppose it is to be expected, they are running out of 'enemies' for folks to be afraid of. They have oversaturated the media with fear of terrorism to the point that they have desensitised the public. So as we have been calling them on this stuff for years they are attempting to turn average Joe against us.

Exactly right...nail...

[edit on 30-8-2010 by Pockets]

Good day to you Pockets.

I had a look at the whole report this morning, and I have to say the most striking point for me was the mention of the Solomon Asch ‘conformity’ experiments. Having just researched these today it really seems to do nothing but devalue the DEMOS argument.

Basically in the DEMOS report it states;

The famous Solomon Asch ‘conformity’ experiments have demonstrated that when just one other member of a group disagrees with the group consensus all members are significantly more likely to resist the urge to conform.

Now this in itself would suggest that they are referring to the use of alternate theories to destabilise the conformity being reached by a group. If the group in question is one of conspiracy theorists that have stumbled onto the truth, then the plantation of different 'views' would basically amount to lies.

So I suppose the question I would pose to DEMOS is, do they suggest the blanket plantation of alternate theories regardless of the truth of the matter?

I suspect the answer is yes!

The Solomon Asch Study;
www.age-of-the-sage.org...

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

Arthur Schopenhauer
German philosopher (1788 - 1860)

Not long ago, most facts which back conspiracy theories and expose government lies were virtually unknown to the general public. If for some odd reason a conspiracy researcher got the chance to present his evidence, sarcasm and ridicule by establishment figures were enough to convince the listener, “that the CT is just another kook".

In the last years, the opposition to alternative theories and sources of information has become more angry. The opposition to alternative information seems to be especially obvious and ugly when 9/11 and state crimes committed by Israel are discussed.

In the power of unreason conspiracy theories are being associated with extremism and terrorism. At least the authors take the stand, that believers of conspiracy theories will use violence only as a last resort:

Conspiracy theories can help us understand the turn to violence. Most extremist groups that become violent present the move as the necessary and only option available to them, because: the group is under attack; its goals are unattainable through peaceful means; or there is some sense of impending, apocalyptic doom and a response is needed urgently.

P 29
www.demos.co.uk...

They also describe conspiracy theories function as radicalizing multiplier.

While it is not possible to demonstrate direct causal links between conspiracy theories and extremism, our findings suggest that the acceptance of conspiracy theories in contexts of extremism often serves as a ‘radicalizing multiplier’, which feeds back into the ideologies, internal dynamics and psychological processes of the group. They hold extremist groups together and push them in a more extreme and sometimes violent direction.

P 5
www.demos.co.uk...

I want to borrow the following definition:

Radical implies a heightening of consciousness, moving cognitively from one perspective towards another with the intention of invoking change. Becoming radicalised is a process of realisation that former ideological positions are no longer viable as a means to an end and other methods must therefore be adopted to achieve any ends deemed necessary. Radical ideas are seen as outside of the norm, the accepted, taken-for-granted conventions and rules of social life and, to borrow a phrase from Jason Barker (2000), radical ideas can shock people out of their complacency.

www.fifth-estate-online.co.uk...

Today -

The government tortures,
it violates due process and uses indefinite detention without trial,
it uses lies to instigate wars,
it uses lies to hide the nature of occupations and wars,
it is willing to use gruesome weapons like depleted uranium munition, which poison the invaded countries for decades
it grants itself the right to assassinate people without trial
it uses the instigated wars to implement authoritarian laws, surveillance and warrantless wiretapping at home

And while all this is happening, jurisdiction, police and key media figures interpret such actions as necessary steps in the “war against terror”. They remain silent or lie. They say such brutal measures will help to protect us. Most of the time they use euphemisms to hide the ugly nature of these crimes from the casual observer. They allow us to rationalize crimes and human rights violations. The unthinkable becomes thinkable. For the victim there is no difference if he is suffering from torture or “legalized enhanced interrogation techniques”. His pain, fear and hopelessness are the same.

If the establishment is willing to support deceptions and cruelities, I believe it is a moral obligation to think radical and work for change. If established paths to achieve changes are blocked, does it make sense, to walk them again and again? What use is it to write thousands of letters to your congress-critter? What use is it to expect truth from the MSM, if they have concealed the truth in the past?

We have to empower ourselves. We have to trust our own hearts and minds. We need to spread the knowledge, that governments use Machiavellian schemes like false flag attacks, human experimentations on its own population and targeted assassinations. It has to become public knowledge, that western democracies have committed state crimes against democracy (SCAD) in the past, do so in the present are are willing to commit more in the future.

Like the printing press made the written word and religious text accessible and allowed a paradigm shift, the internet has become todays game-changer. Information becomes available to everybody. People can exchange their ideas and sources of knowledge. Videos, audio files, documents, reports and articles allow us to verify information. They also allow us to expose past lies. Lies, which would otherwise have gone down the memory hole. The tools TPTB have used in the past are no longer sufficient. So they must update their toolbox. I believe the recommendations given in the Demos-report are one possible update. But in my opinion it is just a feeble attempt to win back public trust. Even if those recommendations are fully implemented - lost trust cannot be regained without accountability for past SCADs.

has anyone else noticed an increase in anti-conspiracy theory talk on tv recently...i have....in numerous totally out of place..in your face..nothing to do with the subject at hand pieces recently here in germany on tv....they could be talking about something else and you can almost FEEL how they then have had to SQUEEEEEZ a little 'arent the stories about freemasons..dianas death...fake moon landings...masons taking over the world..9/11...and area 51 subjects stupid' talk into the piece..its incredible..yesterday there was a piece about the supernatural on tv..and the program was saying how everyone should be far more critical about this sort of thing..fine.....and then there was a 2 minute animation about how stupid the belief is that snow white is alive somewhere...but how hard it is to prove that she ISNT....the animation started with snow white being taken by the 7 dwarfs to a hiding place and all of a sudden there was talk of her being involved in dianas death..that she was may have been involved in fake moon landings and fluoride and the freemasons taking over the world and bankers being evil and and and and ended with her being abducted by aliens!!!!..it was INCREDIBLE....but...i can see it would have worked...i was just sitting there AMAZED at how quickly it seems this discrediting seems to be taking place...

[edit on 7-9-2010 by alienesque]

[edit on 7-9-2010 by alienesque]

[edit on 7-9-2010 by alienesque]

Thought I'd save this one from the NecroPile since I independently stumbled across the report in question today.

Basically, it puts forward the idea that conspiracies are a central tenet of many extremist groups, from al Qaeda to Neo-Nazis to Trotskyites. It's well-researched and well written but I am concerned about the fact such a report was commissioned at all. It will in the future be cited as part of the justification for attacking viewpoints which differ from the mainstream. Saying conspiracy theories cause violence might be the shiny new toy the security forces of the various western nations use to erode our rights further.

The topic was done to death in 2010 from ATS to infowars to icke to various truther forums, so here's an extract from the report which will tell you which terrorist or extremist group you most fit based on your pet conspiracies...

1. Zionists and a financial elite working to take over the world: al Qaida, Lambs of Christ, KKK, Hamas, Nation of Islam, World Church of the Creator, Aum Shinrikyo, Aryan Nations, British People's Party, Combat 18, US far Right Militias, Pamyat, National revolutionary Faction

2. Science, technology, the arts, religion and government are all tools of Satan: Attleboro Cult

3. Israel is planning to create a new state religion called "Israelism": Gush Emunium

4. The British Government is consciously seeking to destroy Islam: Islam4UK

5. Information about our extraterrestrial origins are being suppressed and Hollywood is controlled by reptillian aliens: Nuwaubians

6. The Illuminati, composed of an international financial elite, replaced the stable former white South African and the Rhodesian governments with unstable black governments which could be easily controlled: Afrikaaner Nationalism

7. Globalisation is nothing more than an attempt at world government by default. The bad guys are the financial elite and the Jews: Red Army Faction, Anti-Globalisation protesters,

I'm apparently a bit of a combination of al Qaeda, Nuwaubian, Red Army Faction, Hamas and KKK. I had no idea I was such a bad person.