The proliferation of conspiracy theories

............. such ideas as underpinning a “paranoid style” of political thinking, replete with “heated exaggeration, suspiciousness, and conspiratorial fantasy”.............

............... they are means of “explaining events or phenomena in a way that is unwarranted, implausible, or even dangerous, invoking ever and deeper conspiracies and discounting all contradictory evidence”. ............

............ Research tells us that any evidence presented to the contrary, no matter how compelling, is unlikely to be accepted, and indeed, might even be taken as evidence in favour of the conspiracy theory. More importantly, following these beliefs necessarily means adopting a distrustful orientation towards public institutions and scientific evidence. ..........

https://theconversation.com/conspiracy-theories-why-are-they-thriving-in-the-pandemic-153657

Ephing idiot...source

However, in contrast to past crises, recent conspiracy theories have been driven by the rapid change in how we communicate with each other. Of particular importance is the emergence of social media sites, which enable the rapid spread of information based on (superficially, at least) plausible information produced by what appear to be reliable sources. This context matters, in part because it allows a great degree of individual agency in the dissemination of conspiracy theories.

Fundamentally, conspiracy theories of this kind are powerful because they are participatory. They engage people directly in the development and amplification of political ideas, however outlandish they might seem. In an environment when trust and confidence in political institutions are declining and engagement in democracy is highly unequal, this form of participation provides an easily-accessible and engaging alternative to mainstream forms of political participation.

Fact is there ARE a lot of conspiracy theories out there spread by social media and questionable sites.

There are lots of hoaxes and conspiracy theories out there The Trump "pee pee" hoax and "Russia, Russia, Russia conspiracy theories come to mind.

Red Lily wrote:

However, in contrast to past crises, recent conspiracy theories have been driven by the rapid change in how we communicate with each other. Of particular importance is the emergence of social media sites, which enable the rapid spread of information based on (superficially, at least) plausible information produced by what appear to be reliable sources. This context matters, in part because it allows a great degree of individual agency in the dissemination of conspiracy theories.

Fundamentally, conspiracy theories of this kind are powerful because they are participatory. They engage people directly in the development and amplification of political ideas, however outlandish they might seem. In an environment when trust and confidence in political institutions are declining and engagement in democracy is highly unequal, this form of participation provides an easily-accessible and engaging alternative to mainstream forms of political participation.

Fact is there ARE a lot of conspiracy theories out there spread by social media and questionable sites.

And politicians!

Truths that can't he hidden forever.

Just long enough to fool the masses and effect change.

It all depends on the particular 'conspiracy' being discussed and how your mind works.

There is a lot of BS out there and whilst I somewhat agree that "truths can't be hidden forever" it's equally true that some people will see a conspiracy in anything and everything and that then muddies the waters of balance all round whereby real issues that should be scutinized more thoroughly, aren't, because people just tune out to it.

HawkTheSlayer wrote:Truths that can't he hidden forever.

Just long enough to fool the masses and effect change.

I'm not so sure they can't be hidden forever.

Look at the New Deal hoax. The New (Raw) Deal PROLONGED the Grate Depression - by keeping productive people off balance; not knowing what would suddenly be declared illegal, and what would suddenly be embraced. A Command-And-Control economy does that, because in the end it's controlled by the fickle diktats of the Elites. No one can plan for that.

So people did the minimum possible, to entail minimum risk. PERFECT recipe for keeping the economy stalled. The 1929 stock market crash would have been the same as dozens of other market plunges and bank panics; over in months. That market crash was just speculative mania correcting itself. Roosevelt made it the experience of an entire generation; and it led to a crazed dictator in Germany and world war.

Schools teach nothing of that, and now schools have so indoctrinated their subjects, they're looking FORWARD to Marxism. Can't wait for the shock and horror when they realize that Marxism and Fascism are almost the exact same.

Only trouble is, I'll have to live through that, also.

But...yeah. I'd say some truths are buried, nearly completely, nearly forever.

Casey Jones wrote:

HawkTheSlayer wrote:Truths that can't he hidden forever.

Just long enough to fool the masses and effect change.

I'm not so sure they can't be hidden forever.

Look at the New Deal hoax.  The New (Raw) Deal PROLONGED the Grate Depression - by keeping productive people off balance; not knowing what would suddenly be declared illegal, and what would suddenly be embraced.  A Command-And-Control economy does that, because in  the end it's controlled by the fickle diktats of the Elites.  No one can plan for that.

So people did the minimum possible, to entail minimum risk.  PERFECT recipe for keeping the economy stalled.  The 1929 stock market crash would have been the same as dozens of other market plunges and bank panics; over in months.  That market crash was just speculative mania correcting itself.  Roosevelt made it the experience of an entire generation; and it led to a crazed dictator in Germany and world war.

Schools teach nothing of that, and now schools have so indoctrinated their subjects, they're looking FORWARD to Marxism.  Can't wait for the shock and horror when they realize that Marxism and Fascism are almost the exact same.

Only trouble is, I'll have to live through that, also.

But...yeah.  I'd say some truths are buried, nearly completely, nearly forever.

Congratulations.
That is one of the most illogical, irrelevant, disjoint conspiracy hinting rants I have read.
9/10

Really, very good.

Red Lily wrote:

However, in contrast to past crises, recent conspiracy theories have been driven by the rapid change in how we communicate with each other. Of particular importance is the emergence of social media sites, which enable the rapid spread of information based on (superficially, at least) plausible information produced by what appear to be reliable sources. This context matters, in part because it allows a great degree of individual agency in the dissemination of conspiracy theories.

Fundamentally, conspiracy theories of this kind are powerful because they are participatory. They engage people directly in the development and amplification of political ideas, however outlandish they might seem. In an environment when trust and confidence in political institutions are declining and engagement in democracy is highly unequal, this form of participation provides an easily-accessible and engaging alternative to mainstream forms of political participation.

Fact is there ARE a lot of conspiracy theories out there spread by social media and questionable sites.

and a remarkable amount have proven to be true.