The problem with conspiracy theories (may be a conspiracy in itself).

It appears to me that one of the main reasons conspiracy theories are disregarded is because of the paranoid nature that they're presented.

An example of this are the many chemicals in food (not just excessive fat, sugar or salt). This in itself is TRUE, you can't deny it because there's no evidence to the contrary. Yet do you see what we conspiracy theorists turn it into? We add our own bit (-possibly-fiction) to a subject that is fact by suggesting that these chemicals are the result of a group of rich people who are trying to control us/kill us.

By adding this (-possibly-)false bit of information you are consequently doing several things.
1) You've voided any credibility for the rest of your theory.
2) It makes you look paranoid and delusional.
3) The person you are addressing the information to will focus on the supposed group of people and it will be hard to prove that they exist.

I don't know if these things are done intentionally or even created by 'TPTB' to discredit us but they certainly do happen and they do damage the cause.

I'm just posting this to let other people know that what they're doing is wrong and to see if anyone else has noticed this or has an opinion on it. It also happens with the Flouride topic and a couple of others.

I think many people need to subscribe some sense of agency and purpose to a perceived wrong or crisis. It can be difficult for some to conceive the often diffuse and systemic manner in which many conspiracy related topics are carried out. So instead of seeing chemicals pumped in food in an economical way, it simply bolsters the profit margins of a corporation to make food in that way, it's easier to see it as the task of some nefarious plot of a handful of shadowy operatives. It can be difficult to grasp all the systemic nuances for why certain things happen, or appear to happen. It's quite easy to think oh, the illuminati must have done it.

i have to wonder if maybe it has something to do with the way we teach our children. sure some people might disagree that we do teach our children to question a claim with no evidence or facts, but i think we do for the most outrageous things.
the idea that some shadow group dumps chemicals into our food to kill or control us seems too outrageous to most people. yes i've heard it's the government and that same shadow group brainwashing or indoctrinating us to believe that, which to me is nothing but poisoning the well.and circular thought.

the claims made by most conspiracy theories are outrageous, and have no proof except for the claimers statements themselves.
to most anyone even with the most rudimentary knowledge, that alone would be, in the words of atsers, a "red flag".
irony so thick that you could cut it with a spoon!

anyway, i think we have instilled at least some level of a "BS detector" in most people. sure people disbelieve in a lot of claims for various reasons, but really as you ramp up the hysteria and loony-ness the more people will reject it. same reason you see most people ignore street-preachers, they sound crazy.