Study debunks conspiracy theorist stereotypes

[UM-Bot]

A new study has concluded that there is nothing out of the ordinary about believing in conspiracies theories.

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/332662/study-debunks-conspiracy-theorist-stereotypes

[Dark_Grey]

To be a good "conspiracy theorist", you need to have a lot of historical knowledge and a sharp memory.

To be a "tinfoil hat conspiracy nut", you need to watch Youtube videos with less than 20,000 views and take them at face value.. 

There is a difference - don't confuse the two.

[Seti42]

"A new study has concluded that there is nothing out of the ordinary about believing in conspiracies theories."

That's what they want you to think.

 

Also, that typo? ('conspiracies' instead of 'conspiracy') That's part of it.

Edited December 3, 2019 by Seti42

[spartan max2]

This article does not go into much detail about the study.

But I have always assumed there is a correlation with beliefs in conspiracy theories between age and intellgence.

Basically the more intellgence and the younger you are, both together, correlate with a higher belief in conspiracy theories.

Intellegent people question everything, even more so at a young age, when you are questioning the world for the first time.

Dumb people don't question anything. 

Then as people get older they believe in conspiracy theories less, regardless of intellegence.

 

[AstralHorus]

Wasnt it the media and govt that made conspiracy theorist out as loons? I mean JFK, water gate, MLK etc are all conspiracies...

[+Noteverythingisaconspiracy]

1 hour ago, Seti42 said:

"A new study has concluded that there is nothing out of the ordinary about believing in conspiracies theories."

That's what they want you to think.

 

Also, that typo? ('conspiracies' instead of 'conspiracy') That's part of it.

Its a clear example of the Mandela effect. 

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Mandela_effect

[freetoroam]

Quote

The research, which was conducted by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU), involved looking through and analyzing over two billion comments posted on Reddit over 8 years. 


Most conspiracy theorists are ordinary people living ordinary lives.

Two billion comments by how people and what were the subjects?  

Some conspiracy theorists are normal,  but the level of normalness will vary according to the subject.

You can not compare a Silkwood C.P to a moon landing C.P.. 

[Piney]

1 hour ago, spartan max2 said:

Then as people get older they believe in conspiracy theories less, regardless of intellegence.

I have a retired H.S. principle next door who's a psychological genius with problem kids and she believes all the Edgar Cayce trash and that I was hiding things at the Smithsonian.

Then I know a late middle age brilliant engineer who's a Young Earth Creationist.

There's more to it. I just haven't figured it out.

[AstralHorus]

9 minutes ago, Piney said:

I have a retired H.S. principle next door who's a psychological genius with problem kids and she believes all the Edgar Cayce trash and that I was hiding things at the Smithsonian.

Then I know a late middle age brilliant engineer who's a Young Earth Creationist.

There's more to it. I just haven't figured it out.

I trust u wouldn’t hide things from us piney, but your bosses though...

[Piney]

Just now, AstralHorus said:

 but your bosses though...

Take it up with @Swede  

[Great Old Man]

Conspiracist always finds some possibility of real world.

we shouldn't blame them all.

[Farmer77]

Gotta be honest. Considering the news cycle lately my inner conspiracy theorist finds the timing of this "study" somewhat questionable.

[Brok]

Well, duh. People who have unorthodox views always get mocked and picked on by the masses. Of course people made those stereotypes up as part of their mocking based on how they view them.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Brok

[jaylemurph]

On 12/3/2019 at 11:50 AM, Dark_Grey said:

To be a good "conspiracy theorist", you need to have a lot of historical knowledge and a sharp memory.

I’ve been to a lot of history department faculty meetings and have yet to run across a conspiridiot in one...

—Jaylemurph 

[+DieChecker]

On 12/3/2019 at 1:32 PM, freetoroam said:

Two billion comments by how people and what were the subjects?  

This got me thinking... I'm not big on Reddit, but are not a lot of people pretty much posting anonymously?

So then are they simply taking those poster's word they are "normal"?

[AstralHorus]

On 12/5/2019 at 1:36 AM, DieChecker said:

This got me thinking... I'm not big on Reddit, but are not a lot of people pretty much posting anonymously?

So then are they simply taking those poster's word they are "normal"?

Ya, and people are always chasing karma so they feel like their opinion matters than other people. So that could sway stories 

[GlitterRose]

It's  not new that there are people into conspiracy theories. 

What's new is how fast they can spread and to how many people with avenues like FB and 4Chan, purveyors like Alex Jones, etc. 

There's just so much more that people are inundated, even if they're not seeking it out. They're gonna hear about every fringe wacko idea. 

[Big Jim]

A conspiracy theory is just an alternate explanation for observed phenomena.  It's how science and mankind in general has advanced.  It's only the coining of the term and the derisive use of it that has changed.  The people we now revere as great scientists and social movers have all, at one time, challenged the status quo with what were seen at the time as wild theories, imagination and even heresy.  Until there is proof, every explanation is a theory, some more plausible than others or more widely accepted, but technically equal in terms of proof.  The title of Conspiracy Theorist is often used to belittle or avoid debating with people who dare to go against the mainstream explanations.

[jaylemurph]

16 hours ago, Big Jim said:

A conspiracy theory is just an alternate explanation for observed phenomena.  It's how science and mankind in general has advanced.  It's only the coining of the term and the derisive use of it that has changed.  The people we now revere as great scientists and social movers have all, at one time, challenged the status quo with what were seen at the time as wild theories, imagination and even heresy.  Until there is proof, every explanation is a theory, some more plausible than others or more widely accepted, but technically equal in terms of proof.  The title of Conspiracy Theorist is often used to belittle or avoid debating with people who dare to go against the mainstream explanations.

That’s an eloquent defense of people who think Jews are space aliens trying to take over the world. 

—Jaylemurph 

[Big Jim]

3 hours ago, jaylemurph said:

That’s an eloquent defense of people who think Jews are space aliens trying to take over the world. 

—Jaylemurph 

You mean they're not?

Honestly,

I never heard of that one, so no defense intended.

[jaylemurph]

13 minutes ago, Big Jim said:

You mean they're not?

Honestly,

I never heard of that one, so no defense intended.

It’s a real one, all right: David Icke’s trash. 

—Jaylemurph 

[skliss]

On 12/3/2019 at 3:05 PM, spartan max2 said:

Then as people get older they believe in conspiracy theories less, regardless of intellegence

I think as they are disproven over and over again during a lifetime has something to do with it. Experience!