The Class Ridden Psychology of the Conspiracy Theory Debunker

Quit with the personal comments, folks.

Darlughda

Shallow generalisations?
I think not, rather correct observations after a long period of time researching this before coming to these conclusions.

Just because my observations do not appeal to you or others does not make them shallow generalisations.

Brown Bomber

Shallow Generalistation 1

Darlughda wrote: »

Hey OP,

Not sure if the conspiracy theorist profile is class defined or not, but it certainly seems to be religious.

Yeah that could work if you completely ignore the hordes of CTers (and I use this term for simplicfication) who view all organised religion as one of the greatest conspiracy theories of all.
Shallow Generalistation 3

Darlughda wrote: »

There also seems to be a militant anti-authoritarian tendency in some folk susceptible to these kind of ideas.

Shallow Generalistation 4

Darlughda wrote: »

Denied a place in society,

Shallow Generalistation 5

Darlughda wrote: »

feeling disenfranchised,

Shallow Generalistation 6

Darlughda wrote: »

inherently suspicious of any kind of big government.

Shallow Generalistation 7

Darlughda wrote: »

Within both these 'types' the militant and the religious/right wing is the notion of proselytising : they must get out the 'word' or 'reality' to their fellow citizens and humankind in general before it is too late.....

Darlughda wrote: »

Having said all that, I, like most people don't feel good about the way the world is and big government/bankers/ mainstream media and advertising, however its just doesn't feel right that there is such simplistic satanic and evil mwhaa haa haa characters behind it all.

All I can see from is that the world is corrupt but that there are no corrupt people to expose.

Shallow Generalistation 8

Darlughda wrote: »

It is also disturbing that many people who suffer from mental illness are directly affected by the fears that lead to paranoia in many conspiracy theories.

Darlughda wrote: »

Finally, I have never encountered any CTers who have a shred of genuine spirituality- its all resistance/fighting da powah with proseltizing.

...And therefore they don't exist??? Must be great having the inside track on everthing.

Darlughda wrote: »

A great pity, because there is corruption and vile things in the world and most of us are tired of how sh1t things are and the cters or 'truth' seekers just do not help at all.

So what have you done?

Darlughda

Religious as in believing in a god or gods. You can disagree with organised religions and still believe in god as obviously so many CTers do with the satanism theories.

So you have listed what you consider to be shallow generalisations but offered no reasons as to why you consider any of these to be 'shallow generalisations'. Just you getting offended because I have obviously hit a nerve or two.

Truthrevolution

Darlughda wrote: »

Truthrevolution

a wolf in sheeps clothing.
Interesting comparison TR, I have great respect for the wolf due to family history. indeed, I think the wolf may well be an emblem of some of the more militia minded CTers. However, now you bring up these analogies, may I suggest you come across as nothing more than a sad bleating lamb looking for a mammy to follow?

What B****xoligy are you spouting about me? Nothing sad about it my message is clear - i just dont trust you or your comments.

Want this thread closed?

If you do, continue to make personal statements about people. This is a general, unspecific discussion, if you make it about an individual, specific person in this forum, then not only will this thread be closed, you'll be infracted.

Brown Bomber

Darlughda wrote: »

Religious as in believing in a god or gods. You can disagree with organised religions and still believe in god as obviously so many CTers do with the satanism theories.

So you have listed what you consider to be shallow generalisations but offered no reasons as to why you consider any of these to be 'shallow generalisations'. Just you getting offended because I have obviously hit a nerve or two.

I am not offended, just pointing out that I think you are wrong specifically in painting a group of people (which you connect together) with such broad brushstrokes, personally I find that ignorant but not offensive.

I can only answer for myself as I don't even know anyone else's name here.

"religious."
Yes, but I don't see the connection the way you do.

"anti-authoritarian tendency "
I fail to see how you can be religous and anti-authoritan. I don't consider myself anti-authoritarian at all. Pro personal freedoms? Yes, but hopefully you can see the difference.

"Denied a place in society,"
Absolutely not. I've a beautiful, loving wife, a wonderful home which I own. I live in a country where the quality of living is many times higher imo than Ireland, good job/family/friends/education. My father-in-law is literally the richest man in town, so I'll never want as long as I live. Most importantly though I consider myself a good person and am comfortable in my own skin.

"feeling disenfranchised,"
Nope. I've been lucky my whole life. So thats 1/4 so far...

"inherently suspicious of any kind of big government."
No again. Legitimately suspicious of government with a track record of corruption. This is natural and healthy imo.

"the notion of proselytising "

Big-time no for me on this. I'm have an interest in looking into conspiracies not an interest in changing the world. So your 1/6 from me, must try harder. And I am sure you will find different scores across the board, unfortunately it would surprise you to find out the group of people you try to label aren't infact a group but individuals.

Darlughda

Well thanks for that post Brown Bomber, maybe I am falling to the lure of stereotypes. I appreciate you taking the time to to give me another perspective.:)

Although I had nothing personal against any individual on this forum with my post, I was surprised at the response I got. I expected more replies like yours just now, rather than defensive tit for tat.

mcmoustache

There may be some sense to the OP if you are talking about the types who think that there can be no conspiracies but I'm pretty sure they are in the minority. I would think that most people who come across as sceptics here would actually come across as CTers in the real world. Speaking for myself, I love conspiracy theorys when they involve a conspiracy and a cover-up. However, some theorys that get posted here don't stand up to scrutiny and so I come across as a debunker.

I don't trust press releases by governments or corporations. I know we get lied to all the time. I know lots of people remain blissfully ignorant of what really goes on in the corridors of power. However, I also know that scientific theories are constantly attacked by other scientists and the established ones have withstood those attacks. A scientific theory can be falsified by one reproducible experiment. Because of this, I am very sceptical of theories involving lizard people, afterlives and any other new-age stuff. It's not that I feel a need to prop up established authority or anything, it's just that a lot of the new conspiracy theories just defy logic and the common sense that I've built up by being cynical over the years. I might not trust the so-called mainstream but I am equally distrustful of people who become millionaires by peddling half-baked theories.

Darlughda

Great post, mcmoustache, really identify with that for the most part. (allthought I do believe that there is an afterlife as in life is eternal, although I am an atheist. Which I am shocked to find is akin to devil worshipping round these here parts!)

I find this all or nothing polarity thing a bit too much and as I said before I am alarmed by the right wing/god vibe from the CT websites.

I am sick to the back teeth of corruption, being lied to by governments and the general dumbing down of society and the persistance of war etc. It is very hard to seperate the wheat from the chaff in all these theories.

studiorat

The appeal of conspiracism is threefold. First, conspiracy theories claim to explain what others can't. They appear to make sense out of a world that is otherwise confusing. Second, they do so in an appealingly simple way, by dividing the world sharply between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. They trace all evil back to a single source, the conspirators and their agents. Finally, conspiracy theories are often presented as special, secret knowledge unknown or unappreciated by others. For conspiracists, the masses are a brainwashed herd, while the conspiracists in the know can congratulate themselves on penetrating the plotters' deceptions.

"Prior to the early 1990s, New World Order conspiracism was limited to two subcultures, primarily the militantly antigovernment right, and secondarily Christian fundamentalists concerned with end-time emergence of the Antichrist."

A Culture of Conspiracy:
Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America
Michael Barkun
University of California Press, 2003

Darlughda

studiorat wrote: »

A Culture of Conspiracy:
Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America
Michael Barkun
University of California Press, 2003

Thanks ratty, this looks like just the sort of read I've been looking for.

Torakx

well that makes me probably a metro-sexual in the conspiracy world of things teehee.
I wont say which is the gay side :P

Truthrevolution

This debunking video had me rolling around the place laughing yet it was sadly very true.A MUST WATCH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXWoXfyi9y8&feature=player_embedded

RGDATA!

Truthrevolution wrote: »

This debunking video had me rolling around the place laughing yet it was sadly very true.A MUST WATCH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXWoXfyi9y8&feature=player_embedded

stopped watching after the second line that "debunkers operate from the position that the official version of 9/11 is the ONLY possible version"
rubbish, as blatant as any "mainstream" propaganda.
so, sadly it's not very true.

Truthrevolution

RGDATA! wrote: »

stopped watching after the second line that "debunkers operate from the position that the official version of 9/11 is the ONLY possible version"
rubbish, as blatant as any "mainstream" propaganda.
so, sadly it's not very true.

So your basing your opinion on about 5 seconds of the video?? Its a sattirical piece, your not meant to take it so seriously

drkpower

Truthrevolution wrote: »

So your basing your opinion on about 5 seconds of the video?? Its a sattirical piece, your not meant to take it so seriously

Thank god for that!

My favourite bit was when they said that a common debunker tactic was to suggest that any weakness in the conspiracy theory meant that the whole theory must be wrong...... sounds familiar alright:rolleyes:

Truthrevolution

drkpower wrote: »

Thank god for that!

My favourite bit was when they said that a common debunker tactic was to suggest that any weakness in the conspiracy theory meant that the whole theory must be wrong...... sounds familiar alright:rolleyes:

I think you have got it slightly wrong, what they are talking about is looking for a weak point in somebodys argument and using it to undermine the claims, its called the "strawman argument".Check out oceanclub and Robtri doing it in the Jim Corr thread for an example of this.....

studiorat

drkpower wrote: »

Thank god for that!

My favourite bit was when they said that a common debunker tactic was to suggest that any weakness in the conspiracy theory meant that the whole theory must be wrong...... sounds familiar alright:rolleyes:

Depends on where the weakness lies. If it's central to the theory and it usually is, well then it is true. Look at how the Elders of Zion was bandied about until someone pointed out it was plagirased from a novel.

Regarding 911 I'm still open but haven't been convinced by either side.

drkpower

Truthrevolution wrote: »

I think you have got it slightly wrong, what they are talking about is looking for a weak point in somebodys argument and using it to undermine the claims, its called the "strawman argument".

Yep; that sounds familiar too:rolleyes: