For the Conspiracy theorists...
Conspiracy theories are baked into human nature, they do not only affect the fringes. All people naturally seek patterns to make sense of the world’s randomness and develop in-group, out-group prejudices that make them vulnerable to all kinds of propaganda, paranoia and extremism. People are often led by intuitions and overestimate their ability to understand complex subjects, that, coupled with the natural tendencies to seek truth, meaning, and belonging, can make even the most well-intentioned and intelligent people vulnerable to conspiracy theories. Research shows that social conditions and personal traits can make some more vulnerable to conspiratorial thinking, such as lower analytical thinking, lower education, schizotypy, being distrustful, narcissistic, powerless, alienated, anxious, or prone to projection. It is important to understand the potential factors that make people extra vulnerable to conspiracy theories, but just as important to recognise that everyone is vulnerable to some degree. Studies and polls repeatedly show millions of people believe in them in some form or another.There’s a difference between ‘conspiracies’ which are covert plots that can be uncovered through reasoning and evidence, versus ‘conspiracy theories’ which are metaphysical narratives based on prejudices, sensationalism, and flawed assumptions made outside of material reality. There is no universal way to bring people back from conspiracy theories, some take months, some take years, others stay gone. Some need relationships, some need isolation, and some need an ‘aha’ moment. Some prefer debate, some conversation, and others need to find their own way.Be kind and stay skeptical, but don’t get lost down the endless brain-breaking rabbit holes that separate people from reality. The world is crazy and has enough problems in its observable form.* Here are sources on the psychology of conspiracy theorists for anyone interested:https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0963721417718261https://sites.psu.edu/aspsy/2014/04/13/our-need-to-belong/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/pops.12568https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010027714001632https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13546783.2015.1051586?journalCode=ptar20&https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/mobile/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199351800.001.0001/acprof-9780199351800-chapter-6
Kayte Martin ● 2229d14 Comments