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Getbig Main Boards => Politics and Political Issues Board => Topic started by: OzmO on August 02, 2010, 03:06:29 PM
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http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/smart-takes/four-reasons-why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories/762/ (http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/smart-takes/four-reasons-why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories/762/)
Four reasons why people believe in conspiracy theories
Did NASA really land on the moon?
Did the government cover-up involvement in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks?
Is Elvis still alive and kicking? What about Michael Jackson?
Was John F. Kennedy assassinated at the hands of multiple shooters?
Do the Freemasons control the United States?
A small but fervent group of people believe there was more than included in historical record about the aforementioned events. Conspiracies, they call them. And every generation has its own.
Some of them turn about to be true, after all: Pearl Harbor was a Japanese conspiracy and Nixon’s Watergate break-in was a coverup.
But with so few that turn out to be true, why do people believe in conspiracies?
A new article in Scientific American tries to figure that out. Michael Shermer outlines in his “Skeptic” column four traits of those who believe:
* patternicity, or a tendency to find meaningful patterns in random noise;
* agenticity, or the bent to believe the world is controlled by invisible intentional agent;
* confirmation bias, or the seeking and finding of confirmatory evidence for what we already believe;
* hindsight bias, or tailoring after-the-fact explanations to what we already know happened.
A conspiracy theory takes flight when all of these are concocted into a heady mix of conviction. It’s called “conspiratorial cognition,” and it’s the fuel driving belief in Bigfoot, Area 51’s UFOs and the paranormal.
But research has been thin on precisely why some have a conspiratorial dispensation.
Back in 2007, Patrick Leman wrote in the New Scientist that belief in conspiracy theories is on the rise thanks to the distribution power of the Internet.
Take the JFK conspiracy, for example: In 1968, two of every 10 Americans believed it to be true. In 1990, nine of 10 Americans believed it to be true.
Leman writes:
Conspiracy theories can have a valuable role in society. We need people to think “outside the box”, even if there is usually more sense to be found inside the box.
Take the Iran-Contra affair, a massive political scandal of the late 1980s. When claims first surfaced that the US government had sold arms to its enemy Iran to raise funds for pro-American rebel forces in Nicaragua and to help secure the release of US hostages taken by Iran, it certainly sounded like yet another convoluted conspiracy theory. Several question marks remain over the affair, but President Ronald Reagan admitted that his administration had indeed sold arms to Iran.
On the other hand, distrust contributed to an inflation of the East-West fears during the Cold War, as well as continued belief by some that HIV (which causes AIDS) was created in a lab and distributed by the U.S. government to limit the growth of the African-American population.
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http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/smart-takes/four-reasons-why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories/762/ (http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/smart-takes/four-reasons-why-people-believe-in-conspiracy-theories/762/)
Four reasons why people believe in conspiracy theories
Did NASA really land on the moon?
Did the government cover-up involvement in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks?
Is Elvis still alive and kicking? What about Michael Jackson?
Was John F. Kennedy assassinated at the hands of multiple shooters?
Do the Freemasons control the United States?
A small but fervent group of people believe there was more than included in historical record about the aforementioned events. Conspiracies, they call them. And every generation has its own.
Some of them turn about to be true, after all: Pearl Harbor was a Japanese conspiracy and Nixon’s Watergate break-in was a coverup.
But with so few that turn out to be true, why do people believe in conspiracies?
A new article in Scientific American tries to figure that out. Michael Shermer outlines in his “Skeptic” column four traits of those who believe:
* patternicity, or a tendency to find meaningful patterns in random noise;
* agenticity, or the bent to believe the world is controlled by invisible intentional agent;
* confirmation bias, or the seeking and finding of confirmatory evidence for what we already believe;
* hindsight bias, or tailoring after-the-fact explanations to what we already know happened.
A conspiracy theory takes flight when all of these are concocted into a heady mix of conviction. It’s called “conspiratorial cognition,” and it’s the fuel driving belief in Bigfoot, Area 51’s UFOs and the paranormal.
But research has been thin on precisely why some have a conspiratorial dispensation.
Back in 2007, Patrick Leman wrote in the New Scientist that belief in conspiracy theories is on the rise thanks to the distribution power of the Internet.
Take the JFK conspiracy, for example: In 1968, two of every 10 Americans believed it to be true. In 1990, nine of 10 Americans believed it to be true.
Leman writes:
Conspiracy theories can have a valuable role in society. We need people to think “outside the box”, even if there is usually more sense to be found inside the box.
Take the Iran-Contra affair, a massive political scandal of the late 1980s. When claims first surfaced that the US government had sold arms to its enemy Iran to raise funds for pro-American rebel forces in Nicaragua and to help secure the release of US hostages taken by Iran, it certainly sounded like yet another convoluted conspiracy theory. Several question marks remain over the affair, but President Ronald Reagan admitted that his administration had indeed sold arms to Iran.
On the other hand, distrust contributed to an inflation of the East-West fears during the Cold War, as well as continued belief by some that HIV (which causes AIDS) was created in a lab and distributed by the U.S. government to limit the growth of the African-American population.
ROLOTMOLMAO!!! LOL!!! LMAO !!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!! ::)
BTW- This thread is going nowhere.
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People will believe whatever is in line with their ideology. The closer to their ideology the more logic and truth they see in the theory, whereas something far from their ideology is just "looney" theory for them.
Whatever happened to reason, logic and objectivity?
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You'll often find that people who believe in one loony CT will believe in multiple loony CTs.
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Billy fucked guys when he was locked up?
....the hell?......
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some CTs actually end up being true. Not all, of course.
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some CTs actually end up being true. Not all, of course.
True there was one you talked about a few years ago involving a ship and how papers were found in the DOD or something proving it?
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True there was one you talked about a few years ago involving a ship and how papers were found in the DOD or something proving it?
gulf tonken = start of vietnam war = never happened. CTers said it for decades... and 40 years later, right on cue, we got the truth.
The second Tonkin Gulf incident, was originally claimed by the NSA to have occurred on August 4, 1964 as a naval battle, but instead may have involved the "Tonkin Ghosts"[6], and no actual NVN Torpedo Boat attacks. The outcome of this second incident was the passage by Congress of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which granted President Lyndon B. Johnson the authority to assist any Southeast Asian country whose government was considered to be jeopardized by "communist aggression". The resolution served as Johnson's legal justification for deploying US conventional forces and the commencement of open warfare against North Vietnam.
In 2005, an internal National Security Agency historical study was declassified; it concluded[7] that the Maddox had engaged the North Vietnamese Navy on August 2, but that there may not have been any North Vietnamese Naval vessels present during the engagement of August 4. The report stated:
t is not simply that there is a different story as to what happened; it is that no attack happened that night. [...] In truth, Hanoi's navy was engaged in nothing that night but the salvage of two of the boats damaged on August 2.[8]
A whole lotta people died over the next decade because of this middle mgmt "mistake".
Around 2040, you'll see a ton of 911 documents come out as well. It'll be ahistorical footnote by then. We old senile folks, crapping in diapers talking about the good old days when the internet was wide open, and we were free to debate it on forums - we'll remember it. To the new generation of kids, it'll be boring history.
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ROLOTMOLMAO!!! LOL!!! LMAO !!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!! ::)
BTW- This thread is going nowhere.
Kind of like you, fake soldier. 8)
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gulf tonken = start of vietnam war = never happened. CTers said it for decades... and 40 years later, right on cue, we got the truth.
Gulf of Tonkin! ;)
Yes wow Jesse Ventura opened my eyes on that incident. Ventura is a great Patriot if you ask me. Too bad there are not a few million more people like him!
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some CTs actually end up being true. Not all, of course.
the vast vast vast majority do not... ;)
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the vast vast vast majority do not... ;)
But some do.
So when some turd tells you "Cts are nonsense", they really mean "some of them are, and some of them are not".
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But some do.
So when some turd tells you "Cts are nonsense", they really mean "some of them are, and some of them are not".
99.999999999% of CTs are nonsense. The fact that 1 out of every so many thousands of idiotic theories happens to be true doesn't change that.
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and there are plenty where we'll never get the answer so we don't know if they are true or not
something stinks about 911 just like something stinks about the Kennedy assasination
most people know this but can't really be bothered to look at the information or they simply don't want to look at the information because it makes them uncomfortable and frankly who needs it. Most people are just trying to just deal with their own problems and have a little fun when they can and don't want to be bothered with shit like this
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But some do.
So when some turd tells you "Cts are nonsense", they really mean "some of them are, and some of them are not".
LOL not some 240 MOST...
you try to use verbage to make your CT's seem more credibel as though one out of a thousand or so gives credibility to your 9/11 theories...
fact is it only goes to make it seem more obscure and unlikely ;)
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and there are plenty where we'll never get the answer so we don't know if they are true or not
something stinks about 911 just like something stinks about the Kennedy assasination
most people know this but can't really be bothered to look at the information or they simply don't want to look at the information because it makes them uncomfortable and frankly who needs it. Most people are just trying to just deal with their own problems and have a little fun when they can and don't want to be bothered with shit like this
I think most ppl would admit that something seems funny about the official story that doesnt however give any credence to holograms, missles, explosives or any other CT...
problem is most ppl just see what they want to see, no objective opinion they set out with an idea in mind and only look at the info that supports that idea.
the very fact that the majority of ct's can be debunked with a 2 sec google search and that when you bring this up to ct'rs they have never heard of it is a prime example of that.
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I think most ppl would admit that something seems funny about the official story that doesnt however give any credence to holograms, missles, explosives or any other CT...
problem is most ppl just see what they want to see, no objective opinion they set out with an idea in mind and only look at the info that supports that idea.
the very fact that the majority of ct's can be debunked with a 2 sec google search and that when you bring this up to ct'rs they have never heard of it is a prime example of that.
I agree and in fact have said many times on this site that we don't have enough info about 911 to draw any conclusions.
I personally used to think that there is no way that the 757 that allegedly hit the Pentagon could have flown that low but from things I've read I think it might be possible (though highly unlikely). That still doesn'at answer any of the other anomolies about the Penatagon. That's is jsut one example where my thought is still evolving and I'm open to being new information
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99.999999999% of CTs are nonsense.
Link to your source?
LOL... besides, history was written by the winners. Do you think we'd know the Reichtag fire was an inside job, if GER had won WWII? ;)
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Link to your source?
LOL... besides, history was written by the winners. Do you think we'd know the Reichtag fire was an inside job, if GER had won WWII? ;)
What source? You constantly make claims along the same lines and don't source anything (Hi wanting to attach a percentage to Obama's stim bill). I think the proof is that people constantly mention the same two or three CTs every time someone argues that there have been CTs that turned out to be true. If they were as prevalent as one would claim, why do people constantly bring up the same events (i.e. Iran-Contra)?
You can't even hone in on a single 9/11 CT yet you expect to be taken seriously? Keep in mind you were even throwing a theory about holograms around at one point.
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Link to your source?
LOL... besides, history was written by the winners. Do you think we'd know the Reichtag fire was an inside job, if GER had won WWII? ;)
LMFAO your ct lunacy just doenst stop does it?
like oz or beach said those who are believe in one generally believe in many other ct's...
so now we dont know about the ct's b/c the ppl they are committed by the ppl who always win?
::) brilliant...
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LMFAO your ct lunacy just doenst stop does it?
like oz or beach said those who are believe in one generally believe in many other ct's...
so now we dont know about the ct's b/c the ppl they are committed by the ppl who always win?
::) brilliant...
I love how sweeping the generalizations that CT nutjobs make are.
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What source? You constantly make claims along the same lines and don't source anything (Hi wanting to attach a percentage to Obama's stim bill). I think the proof is that people constantly mention the same two or three CTs every time someone argues that there have been CTs that turned out to be true. If they were as prevalent as one would claim, why do people constantly bring up the same events (i.e. Iran-Contra)?
You can't even hone in on a single 9/11 CT yet you expect to be taken seriously? Keep in mind you were even throwing a theory about holograms around at one point.
You really are cute sometimes. I can just see you going Berzerk! in front of the keyboard!
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You really are cute sometimes. I can just see you going Berzerk! in front of the keyboard!
Nice rebuttal.
You seem to take offense at the fact that I don't fawn over the 25 different conspiracy and race-baiting threads you post every day. Sorry that you've reached Samson status on here. :-\
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Link to your source?
LOL... besides, history was written by the winners. Do you think we'd know the Reichtag fire was an inside job, if GER had won WWII? ;)
Good point. The "current winners" are writing history and to believe EVERYTHING they tell you is foolish.
The US media is controlled. Just like Hitler controlled his media. Look at the recent Oliver Stone incident. He makes a statement that the Jews control the Media. The Jewish media leaders immediately call for an apology from him and he retracts with "obviously the Jews do not control the media". They were not satisfied with the apology.
"Jewish media mogul Haim Saban told The Wrap.com that he has contacted CBS chief Les Moonves (Showtime is a CBS property) and asked him not to air “A Secret History of America” on Showtime. Saban also told the website that super agent Ari Emanuel, brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, had also called CBS, asking that the series be pulled."
How is THAT not controlling the MEDIA?? Their actions after his statement actually prove his statement! They are acting so guilty it is not even funny!
And you are going to believe what these guys tell you? They control the news! And they create the news!
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Let's face it.... 1 of the 4 major events of history to start major wars was BS - the gulf of tonken.
Even if 911 and pearl harbor and every other CT is false.... you gotta admit the vietnam war was started on a lie... and it was hidden for 40 years.
"But but but they wouldn't do that........."
Hey, surprise, they would. They started a war on a lie, and it lasted a decade with tens of thousands of deaths.... and it was all a lie... funny when people say it would never happen...
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Let's face it.... 1 of the 4 major events of history to start major wars was BS - the gulf of tonken.
Even if 911 and pearl harbor and every other CT is false.... you gotta admit the vietnam war was started on a lie... and it was hidden for 40 years.
"But but but they wouldn't do that........."
that in no way what so ever gives any credence to the idiocy of you or others... ;)
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What do Pearl Harbor or Vietnam have to do with 9/11? Did the same people carry out all three? If not then you can stop talking about them as if they're all tied together.
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What do Pearl Harbor or Vietnam have to do with 9/11? Did the same people carry out all three? If not then you can stop talking about them as if they're all tied together.
I'm referring to the major events which led to US involvement in major wars.
There are 5 of them in the last 100 years... and 1 of them (gulf of tonken) was a complete lie.
The people who say "we'd never do that" are ignorant.
The people who say "CTs are nonsense" are ignorant.
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I'm referring to the major events which led to US involvement in major wars.
There are 5 of them in the last 100 years... and 1 of them (gulf of tonken) was a complete lie.
The people who say "we'd never do that" are ignorant.
The people who say "CTs are nonsense" are ignorant.
the ppl who point to a one in a million occurance as if it gives credence to the idiocy the spew are also ignorant...
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the ppl who point to a one in a million occurance as if it gives credence to the idiocy the spew are also ignorant...
1 in a million?
I'm talking 1 in 5 here.
20% of the US wars of the last 100 years - built on a lie.
You want to lump 911 and Tonken in with nutjobs ranting about the govt stealing their newspaper.
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1 in a million?
I'm talking 1 in 5 here.
20% of the US wars of the last 100 years - built on a lie.
You want to lump 911 and Tonken in with nutjobs ranting about the govt stealing their newspaper.
LOL 1 in 5 by your count moron, there are countless ct's about wars, presidents, etc...
nice try brain child you can say the 20% of US wars line but not the 1 in 5 CT's about them b/c there were plenty more about them then only 5 ::)
at any rate it gives no credence to the idiocy of you or others in regards to 9/11... ::)
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LOL 1 in 5 by your count moron, there are countless ct's about wars, presidents, etc...
nice try brain child you can say the 20% of US wars line but not the 1 in 5 CT's about them b/c there were plenty more about them then only 5 ::)
at any rate it gives no credence to the idiocy of you or others in regards to 9/11... ::)
There were 6 major wars.
Five of them were started with major events/attacks.
One of these attacks was completely falsified.
now, maybe you want to keep track of "countless CTs". I do not. I care about those which have a huge national treasure.
So if you want to skew the numbers by including the guys who see faces in clouds or who believe people turn into lizards, go for it. When it comes to the big CTs that lead to war, well, 20% of them are some bhooool-sheeit.
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There were 6 major wars.
Five of them were started with major events/attacks.
One of these attacks was completely falsified.
now, maybe you want to keep track of "countless CTs". I do not. I care about those which have a huge national treasure.
So if you want to skew the numbers by including the guys who see faces in clouds or who believe people turn into lizards, go for it. When it comes to the big CTs that lead to war, well, 20% of them are some bhooool-sheeit.
LOL skew the numbers? hahahha LMFAO youre accusing me of skewing numbers saying that 20% of major CT's are correct?
are you fuking serious?
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LOL skew the numbers? hahahha LMFAO youre accusing me of skewing numbers saying that 20% of major CT's are correct?
are you fuking serious?
20% of those that lead to wars and have huge costs - yes.
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20% of those that lead to wars and have huge costs - yes.
the problem is you statistically deprived moron is that there are more than 5 cts about the causes of those wars...
so what makes you think you can pick and choose which ones to include in your stats?
those are the "serious" ct's? LMAO
you want to say that 1 out of 5 are correct but you leave out the countless ct's about the causes of those wars that were simply CT's...but im the one skewing the numbers ::)
dude youre drunk or tired and need to stop arguing...