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Another article from Scientific American about conspiracy theorists, this time focusing on psychological attributes they appear to share in common:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-drawn-to-conspiracy-theories-share-a-cluster-of-psychological-features/
I'll just quote the first two paragraphs:
Stephan Lewandowsky was deep in denial. Nearly 10 years ago the cognitive scientist threw himself into a study of why some people refuse to accept the overwhelming evidence that the planet is warming and humans are responsible. As he delved into this climate change denialism, Lewandowsky, then at the University of Western Australia, discovered that many of the naysayers also believed in outlandish plots, such as the idea that the Apollo moon landing was a hoax created by the American government. “A lot of the discourse these people were engaging in on the Internet was totally conspiratorial,” he recalls.
Lewandowsky’s findings, published in 2013 in Psychological Science, brought these conspiracy theorists out of the woodwork. Offended by his claims, they criticized his integrity online and demanded that he be fired. (He was not, although he has since moved to the University of Bristol in England.) But as Lewandowsky waded through one irate post after another, he discovered that his critics—in response to his assertions about their conspiratorial tendencies—were actually spreading new conspiracy theories about him. These people accused him and his colleagues of faking survey responses and of conducting the research without ethical approval. When his personal website crashed, one blogger accused him of intentionally blocking critics from seeing it. None of it was true.
The last part that I boldfaced is spot on. I've experienced something like that situation personally on this forum many times. One bonehead in particular was convinced I was lying when I denied subscribing to a certain set of beliefs. He was absolutely convinced I was lying (I certainly was not), and there was no changing this belief. As far as he was concerned he knew more about the goings-on in my own mind than I did. After all, I am an "expert" on the subject of my own mind, and conspiracy theorists generally reject all accredited experts and prefer to seek out the cranks who quack to their own tune. If no such crank is immediately on hand, then the conspiracy theorist will anoint himself an expert, and make sweeping pronouncements about things (such as asserting that I'm lying) without a shred of evidence.
@shavixmir saidYeah, it's a kind of "everything happens for a reason" mode of thinking. Which, of course, is very much akin to religious thinking: if there is a god, then surely everything happens "for a reason."
The conspiratal mindset comes about, generally, by a combination of two situations:
- loneliness (less social interaction on a personal level)
- disbelief that life and situations are not clear cut, messy and never 100% coherent.
Basically, it’s a need to control the narrative, to compensate a void.
@soothfast saidI think, indeed, that it’s roughly the same thing.
Yeah, it's a kind of "everything happens for a reason" mode of thinking. Which, of course, is very much akin to religious thinking: if there is a god, then surely everything happens "for a reason."
I would imagine, although I’ve not witnessed a study on it, that conspiratal mindset happens less in religious communities and atheist communities, and more frequently in the agnostic communities.
Religious people not needing conspiracy theories to make everything add up.
Atheists generally wanting proof.
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@shavixmir saidLord knows, there's probably a study out there somewhere.
I think, indeed, that it’s roughly the same thing.
I would imagine, although I’ve not witnessed a study on it, that conspiratal mindset happens less in religious communities and atheist communities, and more frequently in the agnostic communities.
Religious people not needing conspiracy theories to make everything add up.
Atheists generally wanting proof.
So, yeah, not everyone who believes in a god is necessarily going to eat up conspiracy theories, but humans are kind of hardwired to seek patterns in pretty much everything, as well as order and reason.
In my opinion the god concept itself originally spawned from just such a need for order in the universe. "The volcano erupted and wiped out our village. There's got to be a reason for it. The volcano must have been angry about something. Should we maybe toss the occasional virgin into it and see if that calms things down?"
Ironically, then, many people (atheist or theist or in between) will go so far as to cast all reason aside in the search for a reason for everything. It's a big commitment of one's ego and sense of self-worth, and therefore hard to give up.
This is where the so-called sunk cost fallacy comes into play. Though originally all to do with business and economics, it can be extended to social and psychological settings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost
@soothfast saidMakes quite a bit of sense, when you think about it!
Lord knows, there's probably a study out there somewhere.
So, yeah, not everyone who believes in a god is necessarily going to eat up conspiracy theories, but humans are kind of hardwired to seek patterns in pretty much everything. And order and reason.
Ironically, then, many people (atheist or theist or in between) will go so far as to cast all reason aside in t ...[text shortened]... it can be extended to social and psychological settings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost
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@shavixmir saidI tweaked my post, meanwhile. I'm not really gunning to offend the theists here. I've run into plenty of damned stupid atheists over the years. We all crave order, and we all try to find it where we can.
Makes quite a bit of sense, when you think about it!
But believing the moon landing was faked? That's as dumb as a box of rocks.
@soothfast saidMy point about the religious being less conspiratal is because they have a God.
I tweaked my post, meanwhile. I'm not really gunning to offend the theists here. I've run into plenty of damned stupid atheists over the years. We all crave order, and we all try to find it where we can.
But believing the moon landing was faked? That's as dumb as a box of rocks.
Everything already makes perfect sense: “God’s will.”
@shavixmir saidYep, I get it. Something tells me you're on to something. It sounds like something I've heard somewhere.
My point about the religious being less conspiratal is because they have a God.
Everything already makes perfect sense: “God’s will.”
@soothfast saidI hardly imagine I’m the first person to think it.
Yep, I get it. Something tells me you're on to something. It sounds like something I've heard somewhere.
Just like my frankenveggies (basically veggies boiled in beef stock and then mashed with garlic and cream and finally drowned in beef gravy).
I thought I’d come up with a cunning plan to make cauliflower edible… alas… it’s all been said and done before.
I’m about as original as a frankenfurter.
@Soothfast
Everyone is a conspiracy theorist. The problem is that conspiracy theorists like you are in denial that your conspiracy theories cannot be proven. In other words, you think your conspiracy theories are facts and all those other conspiracy theories are silly.
@soothfast saidPeople that believe the Russian collusion conspiracy theory are as dumb as a box of rocks. Right?
I tweaked my post, meanwhile. I'm not really gunning to offend the theists here. I've run into plenty of damned stupid atheists over the years. We all crave order, and we all try to find it where we can.
But believing the moon landing was faked? That's as dumb as a box of rocks.
@shavixmir saidI'm fine with most vegetables except two: eggplant and okra. Now, I can stomach eggplant if I have to, but okra is positively vile.
I hardly imagine I’m the first person to think it.
Just like my frankenveggies (basically veggies boiled in beef stock and then mashed with garlic and cream and finally drowned in beef gravy).
I thought I’d come up with a cunning plan to make cauliflower edible… alas… it’s all been said and done before.
I’m about as original as a frankenfurter.
As for cauliflower, it's probably in my Top 5. What the hell is wrong here? How could cauliflower be so polarizing? There must be a reason!
@shavixmir saidI see I got my nibble, so I can now go to bed happy.
I hardly imagine I’m the first person to think it.
Just like my frankenveggies (basically veggies boiled in beef stock and then mashed with garlic and cream and finally drowned in beef gravy).
I thought I’d come up with a cunning plan to make cauliflower edible… alas… it’s all been said and done before.
I’m about as original as a frankenfurter.