Why do you think some people believe in conspiracy theories?

[kitty71]

Regarding all aspects in human life (health, economics, history, religion, politics, science, medical, etc) And some people who belive in those get their facts and info from You Tube, Internet; IG, Tik Tok as their sources for their "reliable information". I mean not everything you read in Internet is true anyway, many are fake news. And do all or most conspiracy theories had turn out to be totally true?

A current example that the world is facing now: Corona Virus

Many anti-vaxxers and theories conspiracy followers I had read so many things they say on the net like: It changes your DNA, men wil get infertile in the long run, it is the new world order, it contains a chip, the Illuminati wants to control us, they want to control us, it is the Apocalipsis, they may contain "alien blood", this is the most stupid one I had read,. Another one is that Bill Gates and the big pharmaceutical companies are in agreement for something fishy in order to gain more money from this virus.

A senior lady who I know and care and who is very religious and she believes in God, she does not believe much in the vaccine cause she says it may be way for hospitals and doctors to track us down with a chip with our personal information the vaccine may contain and she stick by her theory and she won't like to be vaccinated.

Many people I have talked to say they believe people who mostly believe in conspiracy theories with no proof is beucase they have low level of education (im not saying this always apply I say this based on what I had read from many people) and they believe more in what people tell them in gossip or what they read in Fake facebook news, You Tube as many information posted there could be fake but they believe everything they read in the Internet rather to really inform themselves with reliable sources somewhere else. This also applies not only with the Corona Virus but in other conspiracy theories fields.

I mean really, Are some people that naive?

[FilmGuy93]

Well the Bill Gates, Big Pharma and Dr. Fauci collaboration with the WHO and Chinese government thing is actually extraordinarily well documented and is indeed fact that we know if happening. The purpose and intention of those relationships is debatable, but the relationships themselves are absolutely real. But the reason people believe in the more harebrained conspiracies is because there are gaps in the information we are being presented and the conspiracy theorists absolutely do not trust that the establishment has their best interest at heart. So those gaps become the place where people can project their fears because the gaps are naturally being supplemented and supported by material fact.

It's not like you can go up to these people and say "we know that the vaccines aren't secretly micro chipping people because Dr. Whozeewatzit, a 15 year veteran of the NIH says _____," because those people already don't believe that anyone from the NIH has their best interests at heart. This logical fallacy is called an "ad hominem argument," which basically refers to discrediting an idea because of who the idea came from, rather than addressing the idea itself.

[TheUniqueOne96]

If a lot of our information we get taught is shoved down our throats by the media and politicians who aren't known for being honest themselves, then can you blame them for looking elsewhere?

Yeah, not everything you see on the internet is true, but it's a big place with a ton of information and therefore, there's always the chance that you can find information with more truth to it, than what's shoved down our throats from the above.

I think the government is more than capable of paying doctors and scientists to lie about something, because they're smart enough to understand that some will believe anything that one says, simply because they have the title of being a doctor or scientist, whether it's exaggerating the severity of something or downplaying it.

Whilst conspiracy theories may sound silly to some, I don't think they can all be disregarded and doing your own research is a bit more credible than believing information that's shoved down your throats, although people are getting their info from someone other than themselves, which can still be seen as being like sheep's.

Plus people are quick to brag about being educated or having a degree in something, yet other times, they deem the education system as corrupt or something like that.

The point is, it's not always totally unreasonable not to believe everything you hear or act as if something is right, simply because it's the law, otherwise laws would never change.

[Anonymous]

Sweet person, I have something to say on this, so please read my whole response which is longer in size. As there is a restriction for length of a singular comment, I will post it in more comments one after another. And whoever wants to give a like or dislike may first read the whole thing, thank you.

So. ~
First of all, I think your general attitude is very wrong, but it's not your fault and I will explain what I mean later and in between.
But let's start from some general basics

You need to know: Those things that are real conspiracies get shunned, exactly by calling them conspiracy "theories". Conspiracies often have very strong argumenations and evidences behind them and by the time they appear in the public, they were already proven. Sadly, in reality, when there is a case of something of that kind, evidences collected are "conveniently lost" and no one can retrieve them anymore, investigative journalists who discover forbidden truths always lose their jobs / get heavily bribed to keep being shut up or remove real information from media - or get killed. Real conspiracies are mostly out of the public eye. The rumour and vague public remembrance is often the only thing that survives.
Real world is much tougher and scarier than you think.

On the other hand - but along the line of that same thought, there also appear many fake (obviously stupid) conspiracy theories as well. I see you don't realise why. -

[Opinion Owner]

Such are the "theories" such as the one about the "flat Earth". They are launched exactly by those powers that stand behind the real conspiracies. They withdraw attention that way from people who sensed the truth in certain dangerous "waters". In order to make those look ridiculous and discourage majority of people from questioning things, investigating, thinking for themselves, thinking critically and using knowledge and resources to find out the reality and the truth - they will use the "ego card" which also can be titled: "be afraid what others will think about you based on that, that you believe in truthfullness of any *stupid* conspiracy theory that *we* invented and launched".

To an educated mind, it's obvious what is the point and how it's being made. This is a misuse of otherwise powerful logical strategy of making conclusions. If A=conspiracy, and B=(fake, but nobody of small people will know that) conspiracy, and we present that believers in B=stupid and uneducated people, then¬> vast majority shall conclude that people who believe in A=also stupid and uneducated people. Easy, plan, but... It isn't really succeeding everywhere and every time. In my country, for example, only doctors of science and highly respected journalists ARE the ones who COME UP with conspiracy theories. Usual "folks" don't know how to think, they are sometime even naive enough to swallow whatever promises current government lies out, hunting for their naive voices before elections.

[Opinion Owner]

In the west, and since corona, here too, there is however different thing going on. The "shame propaganda", which I mentioned. You are an example of consequence of that propaganda. Your view is successfully narrowed.

In attempt to hide away truths from small people, this propaganda simply must be created. An emotional atmosphere which will make it seem all like nothing but a nonsense. Let's explain it once more, but now involving "you" (ego card), so that this explanation and the manipulativness behind it properly gets processed in your mind.

The propaganda must create the internalised feeling of shame, as follows:
"people will think you are stupid, like the flat earth believers, because they are conspiracy theoreticians too and *this what you are saying and believing is ALSO a conspiracy theory. But YOU care too much what other people think about YOU, don't you? YOU can't allow YOURSELF to be considered stupid. YOU will not board on the boat of those crazy people. Are you stupid like them?".
Well known emotionally manipulative and rhetorical trick, like all rhetorical tricks - as old as Roman Empire.

[Opinion Owner]

You exactly showed how submissive to this thousands of years old tricks you are yourself, by choosing to quote the "stupid" conspiracy theories for your arguments that they are *All* stupid. Well, if there wasn't some shady deal behind the appearance of corona, - do you think such stupid ones like "there's alien blood in the vaccine" would ever tried to get popularised on those exttemely popular social networks, *for everyone (!) to see *? Ah, yes, you don't know how to think.

Let me put it more clearly.

Well, anyone can play like that, anyone with brains. Certain dependant media houses present whole news in schematic sentence formulas of various rhetorical tricks, and you never know it, for you don't have a knowledge such things even exist. Ask any lawyer though, do they know what they are - such methods are so powerful that "last words" in courtroom are intended to be purely battles of rhetorics (again, stemming from Ancient Rome) - it doesn't matter who is innocent, guilty, right or wrong in the debate. If there are no enough of evidences, only thing that matters is which lawyer will be more skillful swindler of words and rhetorical tricks. Back to the TV. That is the same principle of what is going on whenever there is something, that a certain Whoever Powerful interested in molding public opinion, wants to push in public opinion, into a certain direction. (for whatever political, power-saving or otherwise selfish and shady reason).

[Opinion Owner]

I must say... It's quite shocking that a 50 year old can be so naive and under-informed - judging on the age alone.

Better question than yours, is: why would we satisfy ourselves to believe mainstream media, full of lies, rhetoric floskulas, emotional influencing (manipulational psychology techniques that as well are extremely obvious - only if one is educated about them) and bribery, - especially in 21st century when there are plenty of transparent independent small and principleus media agencies who are fighting for the truth to come out there. -?

Majority of worst scandals that were supposed to be never reveled to public get discovered exactly by them. Rarely anything truly serious is a lie by 13 year old on some pathetic teen social network.

So - Why to trust to mainstream? What is your excuse? Probably that it's easier that way. It's less mentally challenging that someone else thinks for you, we all know that feeling, and so do I.

Of course, it's far easier to live with eyes shut.

[Opinion Owner]

Starting to see what the world is really like and how much it's dirty and mean below the surface, indeed changes one's perception. You become less trustworthy of anything coming your way, and you're right to become such. But, it's a small price of living freely in a captive world where people imprisoned in lies don't even know they are just encaptured pawns in a game that will sooner or later damage exactly them.

From Snowden to moneywash scandals in the UN which were everpresent and are ongoing (movie Informer (2013), watch it, based completely on the real events), from Navalny to satanists holding the all threads of the power in certain countries, you can find a lot of truth in there, it's for you to choose. Of course, what is true conspiracy going on will be obvious to you only if you can discern it from total crap, which is there also intentionally - but for different reasons - of making the truth seem "impossible".

Of course, I wouldn't recommend getting interested in conspiracies to just anyone. For that, one has to have capacity. Someone with good basis in general knowledge, critical thinking, high intelligence and of being mentally agile and present enough not to get brainwashed easily. You are not a candidate for you sound as you judge people who are on search for actual truth, therefore, you have been nicely brainwashed by the mainstream already. ~.

[kitty71]

Sorry do not have the time to read your extra long response

[Opinion Owner]

😂😂😂😂 Wow, what an excuse. Well done, kitty71, well done. Nice try. In today's time ego based shallowness is trending, but individuals who can past by that shallowness and actually show interest, focus, clarity of mind, are much more respected, you know. You are purposefully distancing yourself from opportunity to earn yourself such privilage.
~Oh, well. 😏 Your choice.

Ignorance is not a bliss, just so that you know. ☺️

[kitty71]

So only becauase I did not read the whole long response im naive. You wrote way too much. With a few paragraphs like other people here commetned were enough. You did nto have to explain me the whole issue. And Im not shallow and since you dont know me do not question me that im naive and under informed. Im not a school girl for you to explain me in way too long response about what I ask in this post. Geez!!!

[Opinion Owner]

Well I would not explain to a school girl in length in the first place. School girls often don't have such a span of focus.
And you are not only shallow to refuse to read something someone spent time to contribute to YOUR question, but also have no basic internet culture. If you're on forum, be ready to read the damn thread, let alone if thread is posted by YOU. So funny...

[kitty71]

And what is exactly the internet culture?

[Opinion Owner]

I meant: understanding of ways how things go on internet. Especially forums and forum like sites. Common sense rule on forum is: If you want to participate in a thread, you read the whole thread. Even if it's 65 pages long. Why? So that same questions are not asked again, so that people who are longer in the discussion don't feel irritated with answering same things and ultimately not remove you from the thread. Meanwhile you opened a thread where there even isn't many answers, everything's on a single page, and it's YOUR question, which shall mean you actually had some interest in that topic, and you dare to say to a person who spent time to make this general topic clearer and closer to you on YOUR thread, that you WON'T read their answer because it's long? No Internet culture, no patience or focus, and asks a question in a way that it's clear that you don't use critical thinking too often. Okay, us two have nothing to talk about. This is my last reply. Have a nice day.

[Anonymous]

Why did the person who put forward the thing called conspiracy theories do such a thing? I think you should ask him that.

[OlderAndWiser]

Some people believe in conspiracy theories because some conspiracies have occurred and the motivation and opportunity for coverup makes conspiracy theories more believable.

[EternallyCorrect]

Actually it’s those with the highest levels of education who are the most vaccine hesitant:

It’s really more that midwits (who are only slightly above average intelligence but tend to think that they’re a lot more intelligent than they actually are) are the most likely to trust the official narrative than the least or most intelligent:

Some conspiracy theories are obviously ridiculous, such as the idea that we’re ruled by shape-shifting lizard people who eat babies, but to think that the rich and powerful would never conspire is just as ridiculous. I mean they have, many times before. The world is run by psychopaths.

[TheorionMage]

"We the Uncaring, ... led by the Unseen, ... have seen SO much, ... perpetrated upon SO many gullible,
... for SO long, that now, We're capable of believing nearly ANYTHING being done and tolerated
by the disenfranchised 'sheeple' masses." Baaa-haah!

Look to the disciples of the Bohemian Grove and the Rothchild Bilderberger Conferences... THERE you will find the hunting grounds of today's 'Illuminati'; Stanley Kubrick's movie "Eyes Wide Shut" the MODERN 'hellfire' clubs~

[Anonymous]

You shouldn't trust any source of information.

If you want to know if something is true or not you do your own research.

Here's a clue for you to get you started though: Buildings do not fall straight down at near free fall speeds neatly into their own footprint without being deliberately destroyed in a calculated and controlled manner with demolition charges.

What this means is that 911 WAS an inside job.

The BBC reported WTC7 collapsing 20 minutes before it happened while it was still visible in the back drop.

What this means is that they had fore knowledge of what was going to happen.

So, as we can say with complete certainty that there are dark forces controlling western governments and who control the media it would be prudent to turn off your television and seek alternative sources of information.

[msc545]

Because they don't understand the real and complex causes behind the virus, the vaccine, and the illness (although many think they do), and so they believe in simplified causes rather than admitting they don't really know. Also, for many people, this is a political issue - you cannot be a good Republican unless you espouse conspiracy theories. Lastly, and this is mostly for men - it is a matter of arrogance and narcissism - "never admit you might be wrong". For some subset of men, they pick at complicated research findings and comments, distort them, and then construct complicated (and wrong) explanations in attempts to become "researchers". All of this is very sad and also very dangerous.

[ohshee]

When your government lies to you over and over and over and you see certain directions to things are headed in common sense and logic is taking place it's really easy to come up with them summer deeper than anybody will ever know summer 100% false but if you stand back and really look at the whole picture you can kind of see what's going on and how we're being manipulated into believing in something different

[Fineold]

Distrust of government. And to be honest, the government doesn't give anyone much of a reason to trust anything they say. They lie ALL THE TIME. We catch them in these lies. But most of us don't make that leap into paranoid lunacy where you think the authorities are trying to kill you by lacing your vaccines with reptilian DNA or something. Some people do. But the government creates these people with their perpetual dishonesty.

[ArrowheadSW]

I so much do not like conspiracy theories of any kind. And normally there really isn't any foundation for the belief that makes any sense, except paranoia.

[Anonymous]

Well when the media and politicians lie so much it erodes the trust we have in our institutions. So people start looking for alternatives to what these people are saying. Regardless of how accurate or outlandish they are the main stream labels them all conspiracy theories to use the outlandish ones to discredit the accurate ones.

[MrCommodore]

Because recent history shows us that conspiracies are happening on a daily basis.

[rcljr]

If you are in America, you are living through 2 so called “ conspiracy theories right now, so in fact they are true.

[Adam_West]

People's beliefs show their intelligence capacities.
Those who believe in conspiracy theories are therefore incurable morons.

[princeofromance]

They are interesting to speculate about. Look at all the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of J. F. K.

[OddBeMe]

Some believe on emotions and others prefer facts. Even if conspiracy theorists think they have facts it’s mired by emotion.

[Anonymous]

What some people see as "crazy theories", others understand to be FACTS.
People that are truly In-The-Know, get there info from alternative conservative sources, NOT the Main-Stream stuff.

[Chthou95]

Because some conspiracy theories turn out to be true. And just because something is labeled a conspiracy doesn't mean it can't be true

[anylolone]

If you want to be trusted, try being trustworthy first.

[Anonymous]

the democrats divided our country and now half doesn't trust the government.

[kitty71]

I meant in the whole planet not only US Im not talking particularly of US

[888theGreat]

Like UFO's or Global Warming?

[kitty71]

Any tehory

[chris_987]

Cause it’s fun and life is boring without them