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Conspiracy Theory on Wikipedia (12 posts)

  1. truthmod
    Administrator

    Some highlights from the Wikipedia page
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theory


    Christopher Hitchens represents conspiracy theories as the "exhaust fumes of democracy",[12] the unavoidable result of a large amount of information circulating among a large number of people.

    Some psychologists believe that the search for meaning is common in conspiracism and the development of conspiracy theories, and may be powerful enough alone to lead to the first formulation of the idea. Once cognized, confirmation bias and avoidance of cognitive dissonance may reinforce the belief.

    Some historians have argued that there is an element of psychological projection in conspiracism. This projection, according to the argument, is manifested in the form of attribution of undesirable characteristics of the self to the conspirators.

    A 2011 study found that highly Machiavellian people are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories, since they themselves would be more willing to engage in a conspiracy when placed in the same situation as the alleged conspirators.[52]

    For some individuals, an obsessive compulsion to believe, prove, or re-tell a conspiracy theory may indicate one or a combination of well-understood psychological conditions, and other hypothetical ones: paranoia, denial, schizophrenia, mean world syndrome.[54]

    Where responsible behavior is prevented by social conditions, or is simply beyond the ability of an individual, the conspiracy theory facilitates the emotional discharge or closure that such emotional challenges (after Erving Goffman)[citation needed] require. Like moral panics, conspiracy theories thus occur more frequently within communities that are experiencing social isolation or political dis-empowerment.

    Michael Kelly, a Washington Post journalist and critic of anti-war movements on both the left and right, coined the term "fusion paranoia" to refer to a political convergence of left-wing and right-wing activists around anti-war issues and civil liberties, which he said were motivated by a shared belief in conspiracism or shared anti-government views.[citation needed]

    In a 2009 article, legal scholars Cass Sunstein and Adrian Vermeule considered appropriate government responses to conspiracy theories:

    What can government do about conspiracy theories? Among the things it can do, what should it do?  
    

    We can readily imagine a series of possible responses.

    (1) Government might ban conspiracy theorizing.
    (2) Government might impose some kind of tax, financial or otherwise, on those who disseminate such theories.
    (3) Government might itself engage in counterspeech, marshaling arguments to discredit conspiracy theories.
    (4) Government might formally hire credible private parties to engage in counterspeech.
    (5) Government might engage in informal communication with such parties, encouraging them to help. Each instrument has a distinctive set of potential effects, or costs and benefits, and each will have a place under imaginable conditions. However, our main policy idea is that government should engage in cognitive infiltration of the groups that produce conspiracy theories, which involves a mix of (3), (4) and (5).[65]

    Posted 9 years ago #
  2. truthmover
    Administrator

    Pitiful. The psychological motivation meme seems to be the accepted truth on the matter.

    Soon after the Sony hack I got to suggesting that we didn't yet have any evidence of NK involvement even as the mainstream press, in very familiar fashion was writing conclusive headlines. Next Obama confirms their assertions without any more evidence made public. Seems yet again were supposed believe the intelligence community based on secret evidence.

    So I guess I was a 'conspiracy theorist' for about a week before a couple sources published by people who might know what they are talking about calling into question NK's involvement. Still a conspiracy theorist.

    Took another two weeks of security experts posing reasonable questions and calling into question the evidence in hand for me to return to the realm of informed skeptic.

    No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/24/n...

    Of course, no matter how many times my informed skepticism is demonstrated to have some merit I will always be a conspiracy theorist until I'm not.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  3. mark
    Member

    Sunstein's article noted that some 9/11 truth supporters pointed to the "Pentagon missile" as an example of disinformation used to undermine 9/11 truth ... very clever.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  4. truthmod
    Administrator

    There's a lot of hypocrisy and irony in these critiques of conspiracy theorizing, along with a little bit of truth. The overall thrust of this attitude goes against all common sense and historical evidence. It's as if these people want to convince us that we live in a benign or "random" system, where groups, states, corporations, and organizations do not look out for their own interests. But at the same time, that is the defining characteristic of our capitalist economic model. I think a lot of people are much more naive than they can imagine--they essentially want to believe that "nobody could be that evil."

    confirmation bias and avoidance of cognitive dissonance may reinforce the belief

    You could say the same thing about the people who refuse to consider perspectives or information that doesn't align with the mainstream viewpoint. It's funny how they mock the "search for meaning." I guess you're not supposed to do that.

    attribution of undesirable characteristics of the self to the conspirators

    Sometimes true. Especially with the blowhard conservative/libertarian wing.

    conspiracy theories thus occur more frequently within communities that are experiencing social isolation or political dis-empowerment

    I guess if you're poor and stupid you're more likely to be skeptical of the way the system is structured, because you're resentful of people who are better off.

    paranoia, denial, schizophrenia, mean world syndrome

    You may also be clinically insane.

    our main policy idea is that government should engage in cognitive infiltration of the groups that produce conspiracy theories

    Conspiracy theories aren't real, but we have to conspire to undermine them in a secretive and deceptive manner.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  5. truthmod
    Administrator

    As far as the the North Korea/Sony hack thing goes, I don't think many people are going to question the mainstream narrative. It's simple and logical on its face, and it's been fed to you by the sources that form your worldview.

    It still shocks me how people don't realize how conditioned their consciousness is. The CIA Torture Report may have been propaganda to begin with, but it's still amazing how quickly it moved through the news cycle.

    I really enjoyed watching former CIA acting director Mike Morell on Charlie Rose. I got the feeling that he had personally participated in plenty of torture sessions during his CIA career. I was very reassured that this Crispin Glover-like guy has our best interests in mind.

    http://www.hulu.com/watch/727620

    Posted 9 years ago #
  6. truthmover
    Administrator

    "Conspiracy theories aren't real, but we have to conspire to undermine them in a secretive and deceptive manner."

    Yeah, that's the kicker.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  7. BrianG
    Member

    Thank you all for your insightful commentary. A lot of issues are tangled up here. I'll comment later.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  8. truthmod
    Administrator

    State Department Insists North Korea Behind Sony Hack

    http://time.com/3651171/sony-hack-north-korea-fbi/

    But the inside-job theory is gaining steam among outside experts

    The U.S. government remains convinced the North Korean government was behind last month’s massive Sony hack, despite outside reports alleging an employee of the company may have been involved.

    “The United States government has concluded that the North Korean government is responsible for this attack,” State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke told reporters. “And we stand by that conclusion. “

    What if North Korea didn’t hack Sony?

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/...

    Anyone who follows North Korea will be familiar with the wild fake stories that come out of the country. Remember when Kim Jong Un had his uncle fed to a pack of wild dogs? That was fake. And when Kim had his ex-girlfriend murdered for making a "sex tape"? Also fake. The fishy stories go back decades: In 1986, there were a number of (obviously untrue) reports that Kim Jong Il had assassinated his father.

    As such, when reports began to spread that North Korea was behind the devastating hack on Sony Pictures, many experts expressed doubts. It was only when the FBI and even President Obama himself pointed the finger at Pyongyang that it began to seem likely. This wasn't some murky story from the Chinese press or planted by South Korean intelligence agencies – the U.S. government knew something we didn't.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  9. truthmover
    Administrator

    Yeah, I was posting all these stories to a thread on FB, each more skeptical than the last. This was the endpoint.

    No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/24/n...

    And yet this week we get reports that the Administration is going forward with sanctions and asserting that they have been tracking the Sony hackers for years. ... No evidence provided.

    Gotta love policy based on secrets.

    Posted 9 years ago #
  10. BrianG
    Member

    Yes, I noticed that too.

    It fits the pattern of the Iraq invasion. People assumed that Saddam MUST have had something to do with 9/11 because otherwise, why were we there?

    We're supposed to accept that if the government did something they must have had good reason. Congress sucks, but our local Rep is great! After all, the local newspapers say so!

    Posted 9 years ago #
  11. truthmover
    Administrator

    Ex-Sony Employees Echo Cybersecurity Company's Suspicion That Hack Was An Inside

    Jobhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/06/sony-h...

    Posted 9 years ago #
  12. truthmod
    Administrator

    Wouldn't be surprised if someone in the CIA had a beef with Sony and pulled this one off. It's a little hard to believe that it was just a disgruntled employee who happened to pull off something so politically volatile.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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