Why do people believe conspiracy theories?

[crocodilian]

Because outside of outrageous fantasy delusions like reptilian overlords and intergalactic magic (i.e. things that aren't feasible), there's often a grain of truth in every conspiracy theory. "Pizzagate" turns into "various western entities, often politically-related, have tangible ties to human trafficking networks." "The Red Scare" turns into "communists were seeking high-value positions in entertainment and branches of the U.S. government." "The Holocaust never happened" stays "the Holocaust never happened." "Russian meddling in the 2016 election" turns into "Democrats meddling in the 2016 election." Staying on top of these various theories (while maintaining a healthy patina of skepticism) provides more insight than you'd think.

The conspiracy theorists you often view as delusional build upon a conspiracy's foundation until it bears no relation to reality. The genuinely-effective conspiracy theorists (such as U.S. government intelligence agencies) deconstruct conspiracy theories, breaking them down to their foundational pieces, and then try to comprehend what's left.

 

[No Exit]

I think it's a trust issue. There's been plenty of conspiracies that have been proven to be true and the American people lost a huge amount of trust in the Government after Watergate.

Things like the Banana Republic and the African diamond minds prove that corporations and the rich will use dirty tactics to make as much money as possible.
And with 9/11 the American people really suffered and I'm not talking about the damage from the attack. The Patriot Act and the war in the middle east really fucked a lot up. Not only that but if you look up the owner of the world trade center at the time, shit looks really suspicious.

Basically if someone believes a conspiracy it's more likely fueled by confirmation bias against a system, group, or person they already didn't trust.

 

[Judge Holden]

I narrow it down to two factors

a) most people in general enjoy a good story and a comfortable narrative that fits and affirms their worldview​

b) some people get a legit psychological high off the idea they are one of the few who "know the REAL truth" that nobody else can see, especially if they can spin it into some persecution narrative​

Combine these two factors with the smorgasbord of mental illnesses and brain defects we here at the kiwifarms research centre are familiar with, and you have a hell of a lot of spergs, autists, tards, and schizos who are going to be actively looking for a conspiracy theory to latch on to or even to create from scratch themselves.

Now not everyone who believes in your archetypical conspiracy theory is necessarily working with a befeeble'd mind, nor are there zero conspiracy theories that might actually touch on some truth*, but in general people who proactively engage in unironic conspiracy theory talk are at the very least extremely spergy.

Oh yeah and there will be a hell of a lot of grifters and attention whores who dont believe in anything, and are just looking to get coin or coverage from associating with a major conspiracy theory.

Incidentally I personally consider the field of conspiracy theory to include crypto science shit like creationism and crypto zoology shit like bigfoot since the same basic structure of belief and advocacy exists in these fields.

*though in this category of "legit conspiracies" we are talking really minor level shit given how the bigger a conspiracy is, the more exponential the growth of people needing to be silenced/brought on board and the money and resources needed to forever cover it up and keep paying people off, which is why major conspiracies tend to get outed pretty damn quickly and before they can become a "conspiracy theory" in the public eye

 

[Pixy]

Reality is often much more mundane than the fantastical conspiracy theories that appeal to the imagination.

 

[Hollywood Hitler]

I can't stand the WuFlu/5G conspiracy theorists. I'm not defending 5G, because there has no independent research on it's effects on birds and bees, let alone if it does anything to humans. These conspiracy theorists take actual concerns, or legitimate questions and go comic book villain with it, which makes people turned off of investigating possible issues. Also, what's wrong with 4G? 4G is fine.

 

[Robert James]

1. They've lost faith in the government/authorities, when your normal reaction to a politicians promise is that their lying you'll start seeing ulterior motives every where.

2. Actuall conspiracies have happened. If you knew that our government Infected it's citizens to see the effect of a disease, The FBI had multiple programs on how to control/dumbdown/make citizens more malleable, that some of our politicians go to Spirit Cooking ritu.. ehm I mean performances (There's a reason I picked an article that calls it a conspiracy, we'll come back to that), and that the FBI occasionally starts up pedophile cults. Faking the moon landing or putting a president leakier than a siv down doesn't seem out of the realms of possibility.

3. The people debunking them either don't know how to prove it wrong or just don't bother. Let's talk about spirit cooking, long story short podesta knows the artist who performs spirit cooking and was invited to one of her dinners. Now if I showed you that one of the artist close to Clinton used literal satanic imagery for her "art" a sane person would go, yeah that's fucked up but it's not clinton going to them. What did the media do, well they called it a conspiracy theory and then did a great job defending the artist by saying she just uses those symbols, and cannibalistic recipes to provoke people, it's just a performance bro. People see the obvious coverup and because the defense was so poor you assume their is a conspiracy and the story has some credence. Also they still do this shit to this day https://www.winterwatch.net/2019/11/hollywood-degenerates-attend-moca-spirit-cooking-gala/, and if you point it out as creepy you'll get called a conspiracy theorist.

4. People are being shut down instead of disproving, when mentioning the race of the London grooming gangs or the name of a leaker who supported terrorist groups can get you taken off a youtube you see a cover up.

TLR Because there have been conspiracies and cover ups and the people that need to disprove them don't bother.

 

[King Daddy Telomerase]

Because humans lie, especially humans when they have any power.

 

[Shield Breaker]

Because of shit like Epstein, Obamagate, Snowden, etc.

 

[Lemmingwise]

I don't think this can really be fairly discussed because "conspiracy theory" has become a byword for "absurd and patently false tinfoil hat shit", a remarkably convenient and effective character assassination of opinions that may or may not actually be batshit insane.

Spoiler: obligatory xkcd from when xkcd was still good

View attachment 1318334

XKCD was never good.

Also, OP,people conspire pretty frequently, particularly if they're ambitious.

My question is: why has it become so much of a meme to trade theories about things where the official story doesn't make sense, so much that calling something a conspiracy theory is synonymous with being false?

 

[Bum Driller]

3. The people debunking them either don't know how to prove it wrong or just don't bother. Let's talk about spirit cooking, long story short podesta knows the artist who performs spirit cooking and was invited to one of her dinners. Now if I showed you that one of the artist close to Clinton used literal satanic imagery for her "art" a sane person would go, yeah that's fucked up but it's not clinton going to them. What did the media do, well they called it a conspiracy theory and then did a great job defending the artist by saying she just uses those symbols, and cannibalistic recipes to provoke people, it's just a performance bro. People see the obvious coverup and because the defense was so poor you assume their is a conspiracy and the story has some credence. Also they still do this shit to this day https://www.winterwatch.net/2019/11/hollywood-degenerates-attend-moca-spirit-cooking-gala/, and if you point it out as creepy you'll get called a conspiracy theorist.

I must say something to this. Considering how infamous Marina Abramovic has been for decades by doing some of the most attention-whoring shit imaginable to get name in the art world, it's just really low-IQ boomer hicks that can see something conpiratorial in that Spirit Cooking stuff. Like, that's really fucking lame compared to some of the other shows she's done, and it just underscores how fucking boor you're if you think that there is some real cannibalism or satanism or whatever going on.

Marina Abramovic deals in controversy and shock value, and is known for going to any lengths to achieve the desired effect. She has tortured herself in performances, masturbated for days in a row on public places and held an exhibit where the audience was permitted to do anything to her, including normal and sexual violence. Making cakes that look like humans is really tame compared to that, and is most likely intended to get exactly this effect: that the idiots and the uncivilized would reee in disgust, leading to "intelligentsia" applauding her once again for confirming their prejudices about the unwashed masses.

 

[Syaoran Li]

I must say something to this. Considering how infamous Marina Abramovic has been for decades by doing some of the most attention-whoring shit imaginable to get name in the art world, it's just really low-IQ boomer hicks that can see something conpiratorial in that Spirit Cooking stuff. Like, that's really fucking lame compared to some of the other shows she's done, and it just underscores how fucking boor you're if you think that there is some real cannibalism or satanism or whatever going on.

Marina Abramovic deals in controversy and shock value, and is known for going to any lengths to achieve the desired effect. She has tortured herself in performances, masturbated for days in a row on public places and held an exhibit where the audience was permitted to do anything to her, including normal and sexual violence. Making cakes that look like humans is really tame compared to that, and is most likely intended to get exactly this effect: that the idiots and the uncivilized would reee in disgust, leading to "intelligentsia" applauding her once again for confirming their prejudices about the unwashed masses.

Pretty much this.

Marina Abramovic is to the art world what GG Allin and the Norwegian black metal bands of the early 90's were to rock music.

She's a creep and an edgelord, but that's her schtick and I honestly doubt she's part of some grand nefarious Illuminati cabal in league with Satan or Moloch or whatever. That really is just some redneck Boomer traditionalist bullshit.

If Marina Abramovic is in league with Moloch because she's an edgy attention whore, then would that mean Mayhem and Burzum were in league with Odin or the Westboro Baptist Church was in league with Yahweh? Obviously, the answer is no.

That being said, I do think there are a lot of wealthy elites who are into some sick shit because they're so jaded and wealthy, hookers and blow simply don't cut it for them anymore. Epstein's downfall pretty much proved that.

Hell, the Marquis De Sade was proof of that. Only reason why he got locked up in the Bastille was because he was ballsy enough to say it out loud and didn't try to hide his degeneracy like the rest of the French aristocracy back then.

The Founders was proof that there was a lot of child abuse and pedo shit going on in the upper echelons of society, but I don't think it was quite the Satanic cult shit that the traditionalists like to claim it as.

Really, The Founders was likely a front for the CIA or some other glow-in-the-dark agency and they probably did all the pedophilia and sadism as a way to basically shatter the minds of the kids in the program and essentially indoctrinate them. The sadism and animal torture was likely meant to train them to be killers and desensitize them to violence.

It's both crude and unfathomably vile on so many levels, but it's within the realm of possibility considering the crazy shit we know the CIA and other intelligence agencies did or tried to do (MKULTRA, COINTELPRO, Operation Northwoods, etc.)

It's possible they may have cloaked the Founders program in Satanic or occult imagery for the purposes of fear and intimidation and to capitalize on the wider Satanic Panic hysteria of the time so they could cover their tracks.

 

[agility_]

Has anyone ever come forward to accurately explain how wtc 7 was destroyed, or should I keep believing the building fainted from the shock.

 

[Robert James]

I must say something to this. Considering how infamous Marina Abramovic has been for decades by doing some of the most attention-whoring shit imaginable to get name in the art world, it's just really low-IQ boomer hicks that can see something conpiratorial in that Spirit Cooking stuff. Like, that's really fucking lame compared to some of the other shows she's done, and it just underscores how fucking boor you're if you think that there is some real cannibalism or satanism or whatever going on.

Marina Abramovic deals in controversy and shock value, and is known for going to any lengths to achieve the desired effect. She has tortured herself in performances, masturbated for days in a row on public places and held an exhibit where the audience was permitted to do anything to her, including normal and sexual violence. Making cakes that look like humans is really tame compared to that, and is most likely intended to get exactly this effect: that the idiots and the uncivilized would reee in disgust, leading to "intelligentsia" applauding her once again for confirming their prejudices about the unwashed masses.

Like I brought up it's just art bro isn't a defense. If her art focused around rapping children and the pleasure she got from it would it be provocative? Sure but it piss the hell out of the masses. When the masses bring up how twisted her art is and the response they get from the elietes isn't the proper response of "Yeah no that's fucked" but "you guys don't get it she speaks about humanity through her art" Not only do you piss the average person off but you get them to think you like the subject matter. Combine this with shit like the temple on epsteins island or the border line pedophilic art owned by the eliete and it's less of a low IQ boomer moment and more having a fuction brain moment.

Yes, I get that art mean to provoke will go to some dark places on purpose but when the media starts backing it up and the elietes refer to it as genius and meaningful it starts to perk ears. You may not draw the conclusion that it's satanic neither do I but saying only dumb boomers is frankly retarded. She's using the imagery of the major religion of this countries devil to provoke them and the elietes are backing her up. At best she and the elietes are showing their open contempt for the people, at worse they actually believe this shit. Neither are good since both show a hatred for the people and when these are the people controlling not just the media but politics being concerned that they want to hurt you is logical. I'm not trying to argue that they are all satan worshipers I'm just pointing out how someone could reach that conclusion.

 

[Banditotron]

Reality is so fucking insane and awful that it can be hard to distinguish it from insane and awful fictions.

 

[JamusActimus]

Because of the relative lack of transparency and informations.

If most information were documented and shared by the state after 911 a lot less conspiracy theories would be here today about that case.


Same with Covid chan we don't have a lot of information about so it's quite a fertile ground for conspiracies.

Conspiracies love to fill the blanks with white noise

 

[BOONES]

Theres a fine line between stone cold truth and ambiguous mystery. You cant always assume what's in front of you is what you're really seeing. Back in the day there used to be people who would investigate deeply into these mysteries and report their findings with no bias or ill intent.

Now its who can create the biggest believable lie. The world needs someone reliable to depend on to find what's really true, why something happened, where it happened and most importantly how it happened.

The world needs a journalist with the classic mindset, a noir detective willing to challenge the cloud of mass lies and confusion but take no side in the process. A tough job to be honest.

 

[Bum Driller]

Like I brought up it's just art bro isn't a defense. If her art focused around rapping children and the pleasure she got from it would it be provocative? Sure but it piss the hell out of the masses. When the masses bring up how twisted her art is and the response they get from the elietes isn't the proper response of "Yeah no that's fucked" but "you guys don't get it she speaks about humanity through her art" Not only do you piss the average person off but you get them to think you like the subject matter. Combine this with shit like the temple on epsteins island or the border line pedophilic art owned by the eliete and it's less of a low IQ boomer moment and more having a fuction brain moment.

Yes, I get that art mean to provoke will go to some dark places on purpose but when the media starts backing it up and the elietes refer to it as genius and meaningful it starts to perk ears. You may not draw the conclusion that it's satanic neither do I but saying only dumb boomers is frankly exceptional. She's using the imagery of the major religion of this countries devil to provoke them and the elietes are backing her up. At best she and the elietes are showing their open contempt for the people, at worse they actually believe this shit. Neither are good since both show a hatred for the people and when these are the people controlling not just the media but politics being concerned that they want to hurt you is logical. I'm not trying to argue that they are all satan worshipers I'm just pointing out how someone could reach that conclusion.

You're making the huge assumption that all "normal", working and middle-class people, "the masses" would see that shit as somehow other than art. They're not. Only people reeing about that shit are stupid motherfuckers who are genuinely exceptional and/or ultra-conservative. Rest of the "masses" either like it or most likely don't care, as they aren't stupid enough to think that when some artist makes weird shit to get attention, devil-worship must be afoot. Majority of people at this point are well accustomed to the fact that artists do weird shit all the time, because it's their goddamn job.

 

[Xarpho]

Because of the relative lack of transparency and informations.

At its core, this. A lot of moon landing conspiracies revolve around the fact that the video footage is pretty shit even for late 1960s standards, for instance. Mandalay Bay's official story has a lot of holes (lack of video footage from the streets, etc). Epstein's testimony could have been huge and then under what was supposed to be high-profile watch, he ends up committing suicide. And of course, no one really knows what happened with Flight 370.

 

[Robert James]

You're making the huge assumption that all "normal", working and middle-class people, "the masses" would see that shit as somehow other than art. They're not. Only people reeing about that shit are stupid motherfuckers who are genuinely exceptional and/or ultra-conservative. Rest of the "masses" either like it or most likely don't care, as they aren't stupid enough to think that when some artist makes weird shit to get attention, devil-worship must be afoot. Majority of people at this point are well accustomed to the fact that artists do weird shit all the time, because it's their goddamn job.

1. Your making a lot of assumptions as well most of which aren't exactly backed up by the major religion being Christianity in the U.S.
2. Who do you live around that you know people who like her art?
3. My conclusion was at bare minimum the elites like and support someone because she provokes the masses, it's an act of contempt against the people and people would see it.
4. She uses literal satanic imagery. That be like talking to an atheist friend that has been tying to disprove evolution and you catch them wearing a cross. They may be wearing Ironically but initially your going to think something is going on.
4. An artist job is not to make weird or provocative shit, it's what we currently praise in the art world but that's how we go to the point where a solid white wall or a pair of glasses is now considered art.
5. Just because your an atheist doesn't mean everyone else is.

 

[soft kitty]

Because, at least some of them make sense and are plausible. But others..well..some people just believe what they want to believe to make themselves feel better. I mean look at flat earthers.

They were probably brainwashed and it's just hard for them to think critically like the rest of us.