Why are some people so offended by Conspiracy Theories???

reply to post by DelMarvel

I actually think that the notion that reality is represented by what's on a TV or computer screen is fueling the acceptance of bogus conspiracy theories. Look at almost any CT discussion on line and what is usually being offered as evidence are links to youtube videos.

Don't forget that the anonymity of the internet can encourage people who know nothing of the subject they are espousing to pose as experts. Conspiracy Theorists flee from ideas received from authorities, only to shelter under the wings of self proclaimed "authorities." I won't mention any names.

First, what is a conspiracy theory?

Here is quote from Wikipedia:

A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.
en.wikipedia.org...

And why are these "theories" largely unknown? Because they are not reported by the mainstream media. So then, here is the question, can we say that a CONSPIRACY THEORY is ANYTHING that is not being widely reported by the mainstream media? Basically, I'm saying every story starts out as a CT until it reaches that tipping point. Here a few examples of objective reality still considered CONSPIRACY THEORY:

1) Bill Clinton used Social Security money to make it appear like he had a budget surplus. Here we have a set of facts not widely reported which is often dismissed as opinion or CONSPIRACY THEORY. There is another example: 2) California is forcing austerity measure based on a reported $16 billion budget deficit when the state actually has $600 billion in surplus taxpayer assets "hidden" in their CAFR. Again, this is a CONSPIRACY THEORY not because if is factually incorrect, but simple because it has not been widely reported by the news media.. Now here is more wild and "crazy" example: 3) The CIA financed Arab Nazis who built 300 Madras schools (teaching doctrines of fascist Wahhabiism) and gave birth to what we know today as al-Qaeda, and then put its leaders on the payroll.

Placing the facts (and common sense) to the side for moment, it could be said all of these STORIES are not being widely reported at this time. That means most people have not heard these stories and therefore they fall into the realm of CONSPIRACY THEORY. Regardless of their veracity, the extent to which these STORIES are not widely reported makes a person react the same way--with doubt and skepticism.

So then, there is a TIPPING point at which a STORY becomes accepted and this has more to do with whether or not it is widely reported (and therefore accepted) than it does with how the facts conform to any standard of reality. My point is, for most people the "truth" (or the accuracy of facts being reported) has more to do with a majority view (public opinion) than it does trusted sources. Certainly, those trusted sources can (and do) influence public opinion, but that is beside the point. What I am saying is this: people FEEL one way or another based on their need for emotional validation at that moment. Logic, reason, and facts have nothing to do with it.

Why do people react with negative EMOTION when they hear a "conspiracy theory?"

Two reasons:

- First, it isn't the first time they've heard it (or they would not react emotionally). They had time to think about it and time to build up strong feeling about why the alternative history is offensive to them. This is often based on the emotional reaction they have seen others have to the same information. This is how human being learn, we imitate others. So, without any study or investigation on their part, they are reacting based on their emotion need for belonging. In short, they want to appear sane and normal (corresponding to the norms of society) This is what I call, "The EGO need for social acceptance and belonging to community."

- Second, for those who have done some study or investigation they look to their political or social examples, leaders, friends, family, trust sources, and ideological guides for their emotional validation as it conforms to their existing set of beliefs, values, and convictions. This is where the real insanity lies. People determine the "truth" is how they feel AFTER they test the new information (or the so-called "conspiracy theory") against their current set of beliefs, or what we might call their "world-view" or ideological assumptions. In the end, people FEEL the way they FEEL because they collect 'facts' to support their preconceived ideas, while rejecting any 'facts' which do not fit with their views. This is what I call, "The EGO need for individual opinion and personal validation."

So people need validation is two ways, 1) to belong to a group, [or to be distinguished from other opposing groups], and 2) to have value as an individual human being. In both cases, opinions and views get added to the mix. People want to accepted so they adopt a belief, but they also want to be accepted as a unique person. Some times they think that means they must hold strong opinions to really be accepted or valued. Regardless of what those view may be, the desire is the same--to gain validation as in individual, either by sharing views or opposing them.

This explains not only why people reject off-beat ideas, but also why they seek them out.

because they live in fear, probably in the religion mind trap/delusion

reply to post by r2d246

hi, its so frustrating when people choose to take the mic out of us, when i first started to see the world for what it really is (only about 8 months ago) i was trying to show my family, my mum listens to me and takes an interest, she even occasionally rings me just to tell me when she's seen something on the news that just didn't add up, my dad on the other hand actually tells me to stop talking about things, so i generally talk to my mum when he's not there.

my brother on the other hand chooses to ridicule me and turn everything into a joke, i once showed him a video about an MI5 spy called annie machon and he didn't like what she had to say so he told me that she must be lying about being MI5, i then emailed him a link to bbc website which confirmed that she had in fact worked for MI5 and my brother then said, ''yeah well, anyone can create a fake webpage''. i was gobsmacked when he said this,

but i do understand why people choose not to believe, its just easier for them, as once we start seeing the truth the world around us changes completely,

for me personally, i would never want to go back to how i was a year ago, as i was completely ignorant

Why do some conspiracy theorists get offended when i think there talking out there arse, fact is 98% of these theories are complete #. People get offended when i fart, Why do you care?

Originally posted by r2d246
I'm kinda surprised by how offended some people get if you bring up the notion of anything going on beyond the main stream media story, or the general understanding people have about different things.

Like if I mention anything to my friend he automatically either makes fun of the idea of it or you can see these walls go up, or they look and act so defensive. This seems to happen with a lot of people. So typically I never mention any concepts or knowledge to them. As they just get so defensive and offended.

My other friend does this as well. You bring up anything. Like 9/11, religion, or anything other than main stream media crap and he's automatically making jokes and acting all defensive. Like they wouldn't get this defensive if I lipped them off and also insulted there mother. But you bring some CT idea up and they're all up in arms!!!

I don't get it. Like they don't want to know at all about any other possibilities or opinions or things if it falls outside what is taught in school or told on the news.

Do you find that?

And their eyes glaze over because you've taken them out of their very shallow comfort zone. And it's not just conspiracy theories. They can talk baseball, the weather, or about themselves and their entire predictable lives, but bring up one little Drake Equation and I'm suddenly talking Japanese.

Originally posted by r2d246
I'm kinda surprised by how offended some people get if you bring up the notion of anything going on beyond the main stream media story, or the general understanding people have about different things.

Like if I mention anything to my friend he automatically either makes fun of the idea of it or you can see these walls go up, or they look and act so defensive. This seems to happen with a lot of people. So typically I never mention any concepts or knowledge to them. As they just get so defensive and offended.

My other friend does this as well. You bring up anything. Like 9/11, religion, or anything other than main stream media crap and he's automatically making jokes and acting all defensive. Like they wouldn't get this defensive if I lipped them off and also insulted there mother. But you bring some CT idea up and they're all up in arms!!!

I don't get it. Like they don't want to know at all about any other possibilities or opinions or things if it falls outside what is taught in school or told on the news.

Do you find that?

Maybe it's because you call all your stuff "cocepts or knowledge" and all their stuff "main stream media crap."

And in seriousness, different people have different threshold levels for what they consider to be a waste of time. Such as: Things that can't be proven, ideas that are not fully formed, or differences that are inconsequential.

But yeah, sometimes people just don't want to make the effort to consider a different point of view. Just keep in mind that you might be one of those people.

Originally posted by HamrHeed
I find the conspiracies about 911 (missile hitting pentagon,holograms) and the crop circle conspiracies to be the most annoying because it's borderline insanity.
Some people need to listen more and talk less.
I suppose they're just trolling though.

ed/ There ARE definately some conspiracies however it's common these days for people to poison the well with nonsense to make them look bad.

What conspiracy do you find most intriguing OP?

lol, look at this guy trying to derail the thread and marginalize the point the OP is making. Step 1: insinuate hardly any real conspiracies exist and most conspiracy theories are total crap and that's why no one listens. Step 2: ask the OP what conspiracies he talks about so that he can make fun of the OP by pointing out how stupid they are, thereby validating the point made in step 1.

Yes OP... most people are reactionary morons who are repulsed like a magnet from any topic which differs from the mainstream story. It's just the way they were brought up, to fit in with the crowd and never step out of line or risk being mocked and taunted for being different. I take pride in being different, who wants to be a stupid clone sheep anyway... they're all so pathetic and predictable.

There are a lot of judgmental generalizations being made here about those who might question conspiratorial beliefs. As usual, it frequently boils down to accusations about closed mindedness and the emotional state of the "non-believer."

I would like to briefly share my own story. Two quick examples: I used to believe a physical pole shift was possible and I believed the U.S. government was behind 911. Long story short -- after many years of researching these subjects, listening to both sides and applying critical thinking I finally concluded I was wrong. So I'm a little bristled by accusations of "cognitive dissonance" or of being closed minded. I'm willing to entertain any possibility. But I need to see logical reasoning and verifiable evidence and that's often in short supply in the CT community.

reply to post by DelMarvel

There are a lot of judgmental generalizations being made here about those who might question conspiratorial beliefs.

Actually no, it has nothing do to with questioning conspiracy theories, it has everything to do with the fact most people wont even be willing to contemplate conspiracy theories. If I could easily discuss conspiracy theories with people, and they had the ability to question my argument, and we could have a proper debate about it, that would be super great... but the problem is having a debate about such topics is virtually impossible with most people, they simply don't want to hear it because it puts their beliefs into question and "normal people" don't talk about such "weird things".... their desire to be a normal average person who never steps outside of the mainstream causes them to exhibit irrational deflectionary and dismissive responses when confronted with anything outside of the mainstream.

This is because it messes with their reality. Government, like god, is something people want to believe in, often irrationally.

reply to post by ChaoticOrder


Well put. It's just so far out of their sense of reality that the sheer possibility of a conspiracy being true is enough to throw some people's lives into free fall. As a result, most people put up psychological defense mechanisms to prevent their reality from being attacked.

It should also be mentioned that skepticism is telling of a healthy mind; gullibility is very detrimental to survival.

Ah, look. A thread full of conspiracy theorists screaming to the world, "why do you think I am crazy?" Rather than admit the fact that you are, indeed, crazy, you rather work it out that we are the sheep who need your help to survive.

reply to post by Orderamongchaos


Yeah, except those nagging issues like the fact that there is something shiney and silver flying around in our skies that the public is not aware of the nature of.

Or that we are finding that all the banks ARE in cahoots to extract value from the smaller banks, like an Oreck XL.

Or that any other number of conspiracies have proven to be true. We could go on and on. Sure, we have our lunatics here. And we generally ignore their stuff and let them keep to themselves. No need to ridicule someone with ideas to far gone to even comprehend.

BUt to say that we are all crazy is, well, crazy.

Funny this came up. I can remember when I first started browsing ATS and even under my first screen name (I forgot it and had to start over!)... it was a site more towards debunking conspiracies....well maybe not debunking, but a vast majority of the posts were well thought out, had lots of supporting links/docs, and ususally had to do with things like stealth aircraft, political fraud, scientific discoveries, and to a lesser degree unfolding current events. Roswell was about as far out as it got....

Now, reptillians, nibiru, NWO, galactic alliance, 9/11 conspiracy, and everything else is dominated, and most posts look to be written by middle schoolers.

reply to post by r2d246


Because no conspiracy has ever been proven.

ahem

Originally posted by r2d246
I don't get it. Like they don't want to know at all about any other possibilities or opinions or things

Why do you think people are interested in silly made up conspiracy theories?

- You do not seem to want to know their opinions, so why should they accept yours?

Originally posted by InsertRelevantMeme
Why do some conspiracy theorists get offended when i think there talking out there arse, fact is 98% of these theories are complete #. People get offended when i fart, Why do you care?

edit on 7-7-2012 by InsertRelevantMeme because: (no reason given)

Not that I care, but I did happen to notice....

It may be because you are an "arse" and 98% of people don't like arses.

Of course all of the statistics are made up..and I may be speaking out of my arse.

reply to post by akzz1


Excellent reply. It is very true that people feel more comfortable just fitting in with the rest of the 'sheep' and don't like to discuss anything that might damage their image or perception among their peers. Much of this stems from our upbringing and programming through our younger years, to school and television and still right through our lives. We are led to believe that being accepted by our peers is the only path to success. Anyone that dares offer a different opinion or presents a differing perspective that doesn't fit mainstream logic will be ridiculed and belittled.

I did also read a good article recently ( can't remember where) that with 9/11 for instance. Many Americans may actually have PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the events that occurred that day. So not only does talking about the day hit a sore point with many, but if anyone offers alternative theories as to the actual behind the scenes events they will probably be lashed out at in one way or another. Whether that be ridiculing, laughing off, or basically whatever way that person has of dealing with the emotions they have from such a traumatic event.

If your friends aren't interested in hearing your differing viewpoint, leave it at that. Perhaps it's time to explore a bit and meet some new friends who are maybe more open minded.

Be well.

Because the average person is retarded. Newsflash - you are way smarter than your friends are.

That is why.