The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

[Az]

Something horrible happens. Its so horrible that some minds balk at the thought that this is just one of those things that happens. It had to have been set in motion by someone by design.

Its akin to some forms of religious belief. A need to understand why something was made to happen. It has such impact for them that they cannot accept that it was not by design that this thing came about.

With the notion that it was controlled comes the need to identify the people behind it. Then there comes the collection of oddities and things that just do not fit. This can be exasterbated by the fact that they often do not have access to pristine information. It can become convoluted and error ridden over time. Into these errors and misinformation the conspiracy begins to take shape in their mind.

Any attempt to correct the postion is met with rejection. So complete is their conviction that they alone have the true picture that direct evidence refuting their argument is met with extreme rejection. Either dismissed or tossed into the theory as the machinations of the controlling force.

Conspiracies happen. All the time. Capital C Conspiracies are far less common. The disruptive effects of time and size of the conspiracy eventually cause any far reaching conspiracy to collapse. The real difficulty in examining a conspiracy theory is in trying to keep your feet on the ground.

[Merlin]

1. What pedestrian bullshit. This is typical nonsense parroted by apologists.

Conspiracies happen all the time.
But
Capital C Conspiracies are far less common.

Yeah, right. Like we're supposed to believe there are not hundreds of very bright professionals out there in the think tanks, in the CIA, in psyops in every country in the world calculating how they can take sub rosa actions which will influence the outcome of opinions and events.

Anybody who doesn't understand this simple fact is smoking a pipe.

I don't know if the beheading was pulled off by our side or not. But I would not put it past them (us).

[Must_B_Free]

2. Yeah

and like history doesn't show us over and over again that people will do whatever they can to cheat, and deceive to gain advantage.

[Az]

3. Perhaps you miss the point

A think tank will try to manipulate things and push things their way. But the Capital C Conspiracy Theory postulates that every single action is orchestrated. Full control is held. Nothing happens without a purpose.

Think tanks and small c conspiracies work within the real world. They do not have full control and have to rely on manipulation. The stronger their hold the more likely it is to fall apart.

[Merlin]

8. I think you are the one missing the point.

First of all, don't delude yourself that those of us who entertain "conspiracy theories" are self-deluding idiots who see conspiracy in everything. That seems to be what you're suggesting.

We understand full well that it is not typical or easy to pull off, say, an assassination of the US President in full view of the nation at high noon, and cover up the clear evidence of the conspiracy for evermore afterward. That's why such spectacular events rarely occur.

But there are dozens of every day conspiracies that occur, well, every day. Some large. Some small.

If you can't grasp the enormous value to the Bushies of this video, and can't conceive there were people working day and night since the torture scandal broke trying to come up with a way to stop it dead in its tracks, and understand how simple such a video would be to orchestrate and distribute, then you do not understand either human nature or politics.

If you don't start looking at world events with a conspiratorial mindset, you will never fully understand reality. Because conspiracy is nothing more than human nature.

[TomNickell]

4. Az, you're right, but....

you've just stirred up a swarm of locusts (cicadas). You are about to be accused of being a deluded naive fool, or an agent of Karl Rove.

You might as well argue with the Jehovah's Witnesses, or the Moonies.

Best to leave them lay.

Post a hearty ROFLMAO, and a big HorseLaugh. Then move on.

[Az]

5. A skeptic remains open

Until enough facts are in to make an informed descision. On this current issue of the day I have been examining both sides of the argument. I have found evidence for conspiracy and percieved real motivation for the claims as made. In my book the evidence is not in yet.

[Old and In the Way]

10. There is not enough evidence to blame anyone.

But your posting this thread suggests you've already dicounted certain groups with both motive and means to pull this off.

[incapsulated]

6. Well, time for my favorite line about conspiracy theories..

"The complete lack of evidence is the best proof the conspiracy is working!"

:)



(It's a joke, people. But a man lost his life in a horrible way, that is not.)

[Zero Gravitas]

7. Good post

But you must know that the Believers will not listen to reason.

[Merlin]

9. Yeah, and reason is always exactly what the establishment wants it to be

So that means reason would dictate there really ARE WMDs in Iraq. And al Quaeda was Hussein's right arm. The opposition in Iraq are all Saddam loyalists and al Quaeda operatives. We are really winning the war in Iraq. We don't need any more troops. Bush is a great leader. The tortures were actions taken by a tiny handful of low ranking dead enders. Americans are getting an objective picture of the Iraq situation from the US embedded media.

Only conspiracy nuts would ever believe their very own, sacred, US government would ever do anything illegal, immoral, misleading, coniving, intended to deceive, manipulate or bamboozle the American people and the world. WE would NEVER do anything like that. That would be maybe the Russians and the Chinese and maybe them there banana republics, but never US. Because, you see, WE are above all that. WE are purer than the most pure. WE are holier than the most holy. America is just too exceptional for its leaders--who are all good men, honest and true, to engage in such subterfuge.

Oh, well, sure, we've been involved in a few coups in Latin America, and Iran, and god knows where else. And we train and support death squads to wipe out union organizers throughout Latin America EVEN TODAY. But those things don't count because they are not reported on and so we can ignore them.

Thank god those people who believe that diabolical things could be done by our government are all just kooks. Because we would all hate to think how much we'd have to be on our guards if any significant part of what they say is true.

:evilgrin:

[Zero Gravitas]

13. No

Reason does not dictate that there ARE WMDs in Iraq or that al Qaeada was Saddam's right arm. In fact reason indicates quite the opposite.

No one is claiming it is unreasonable that the US Govt. does "anything illegal, immoral, misleading, coniving, intended to deceive, manipulate or bamboozle the American people and the world" But it is a huge leap from thinking that to believing that remote controlled planes were flown into the WTC or that the US government killed Berg to manipulate public opinion.

[Merlin]

14. If you can't entertain the very real possibility...

that "the US government killed Berg to manipulate public opinion" then you are entirely deluded.

Just in case you don't understand what that statement means, let me explain it to you.

It does NOT suggest there was a damn act of congress, or a formal meeting of the NSC or a private get together of the JSC or any of that.

THIS is the way things like that really work.

Within, lets say, the DIA, controlled by the DOD (Rumsfeld), there is a faction that owes its allegiance to the neocons and the Bushies. They have been hard at work for a year now trying to figure out how to plant WMDs but the world is watching too closely. But THIS is something they CAN do. They don't get approval to do it. They don't NEED approval to do it. They've got the budget, they have the equipment, they have the contacts within the DOD for support--people they KNOW agree with them and will support them and even lie for them. They KNOW they don't need and must not seek approval from higher ups because those people must not be tainted.

THAT'S how it really works. You don't need hundreds or even dozens of people to pull a thing like this off. Just a few who have the ability and the will and the money and the contacts to do it.

[Cronus Protagonist]

15. I can't tell if that's a conspiracy theory or reality

...well, it might be reality to a freeper, not you and I.

:)

[arwalden]

11. Thanks Az. --- One Of The Most Coherent Things I've Read Today

-- Allen

[Joe the Revelator]

12. But its so much easier...

to politicize a man's death. I don't know which side is worse some days,us or the RW.