Why do we believe in conspiracy theories ?

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13 Jul 2022, 8:11 am

Many conspiracy theories in their day turned out to be true. During WW2 the German people assumed that rumours of the death camps were not true. The few who knew about them were under a vow of silence and the German people assumed they were being taken to places that were good for them.

Recently a similar situation took place in Australia during covid and we only have people word for it that their covid related concentration camps were what they say they were so is this a conspiracy theory and there were no camps or was it true?

When one of the islands of Hawaii happened to have volcanic issues people were said to have been taken on board ships with many containers designed for living in were supposedly used for accomodation for their safety. After seriously concerned fishermen watched containers onboard being pushed overboard into the sea, a large exclusion zone was set up so no one was allowed to sail anywhere near this ship, and the fishermans account of what they had seen was labelled as a conspiracy theory. Was it a conspiracy theory or was it true?

We can probably all list a great number of such accounts here, but at the end of the day it all comes down to two possible sources. False accounts or true accounts that governments and others want to hide, and unfortunately throughout history the latter is often the case so we must learn to examine each subject for ourselves and never make others feel reduculed if they are exploring something for themselves. Yes, give advice on what we may think itnis but never riducle or become annoyed about someone else if they do not come to the same conclusion as ones own as we may find out that one day when we have a better picture, they may well be right!

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13 Jul 2022, 8:14 am

Quote:

Why do we people believe in conspiracy theories?

1. Conspiracy theories claim to explain what institutional analysis cannot. They appear to make sense out of a world that is otherwise confusing.

2. They do so in an appealingly simple way, by dividing the world sharply between the forces of 'good', and the forces of 'evil'. Then they trace all evil back to one single source: the alleged conspirators and their alleged agents.

3. Conspiracy theories are often presented as special, secret knowledge unknown or unappreciated by others. For conspiracy theorists, the masses are a brainwashed herd, while the conspiracy theorists who claim to be "in the know" can congratulate themselves on penetrating the alleged plotters' deceptions.

Note that belief in conspiracy theories is associated with biases in reasoning, and is generally based not on the faith of the believer, and not on valid empirical evidence. Also note that when a conspiracy theory turns out to be true (i.e., Nixon's Watergate scandal), it is no longer a "theory", just a conspiracy.

Believing a false conspiracy theory is true gives the believer a sense of security in a threatening world, and control over the apparent chaos in their lives.

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Fnord
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13 Jul 2022, 8:26 am

Mountain Goat wrote:

Many conspiracy theories in their day turned out to be true. During WW2 the German people assumed that rumors of the death camps were not true. The few who knew about them were under a vow of silence and the German people assumed they were being taken to places that were good for them.

That is a myth. German citizens who worked at the camps knew what was going on. The would go to work, do their jobs, and go home with the full knowledge of what their jobs entailed.

Mountain Goat wrote:

Recently a similar situation took place in Australia during covid and we only have people word for it that their covid related concentration camps were what they say they were so is this a conspiracy theory and there were no camps or was it true?

You tell us. Otherwise, what you are employing is a common tactic among conspiracy theorists: Raise more questions than anyone can answer in the hope of being seen as both wise and knowledgeable.

Mountain Goat wrote:

When one of the islands of Hawaii happened to have volcanic issues people were said to have been taken on board ships with many containers designed for living in were supposedly used for accomodation for their safety. After seriously concerned fishermen watched containers onboard being pushed overboard into the sea, a large exclusion zone was set up so no one was allowed to sail anywhere near this ship, and the fishermans account of what they had seen was labelled as a conspiracy theory. Was it a conspiracy theory or was it true?

You tell us (see why above).

Mountain Goat wrote:

We can probably all list a great number of such accounts here, but at the end of the day it all comes down to two possible sources. False accounts or true accounts that governments and others want to hide, and unfortunately throughout history the latter is often the case so we must learn to examine each subject for ourselves and never make others feel reduculed if they are exploring something for themselves. Yes, give advice on what we may think itnis but never riducle or become annoyed about someone else if they do not come to the same conclusion as ones own as we may find out that one day when we have a better picture, they may well be right!

(Check your spelling: The operative words are "ridicule", "ridiculed", and "ridiculous".)

A goal of conspiracy theorists is not so much to prove their false assertions, but to spread doubt against the truth. Why? Again, it makes them seem both wise and knowledgeable, when in actuality they are only expressing their own gullibility and ignorance.

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13 Jul 2022, 8:30 am

I think there are a variety of reasons why people believe in them, including (but not limited to):

Some people are poorly educated and do not know what is or isn’t valid evidence and/or cannot understand the factual reasons regarding a given topic.

Some people think they are fun.

Some people have mental illnesses which give them a warped view of reality.

Some people were raised in households where conspiracy theories were presented as normal, also leading to a warped view of reality.

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Last edited by TwilightPrincess on 13 Jul 2022, 8:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

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13 Jul 2022, 8:35 am

traven wrote:

because it's true,
like extraverts attract more extraverts, they don't con-spire but unconcious anyway,
the law of attraction, the law of communicating vessels, etc gravity even, mass attracting mass, how conspiring

You should never let a YouTube video do your thinking for you.

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13 Jul 2022, 8:40 am

Mountain Goat wrote:

Well said. I'll admit that when it comes to politically related conspiracy theories, I do get very annoyed by hycoriticy. Like one side insists that there is a major conspiracy whenever they lose but refuse to consider the very idea one may be real when their side wins & the other side insists that there is a major conspiracy. I wish people tried to keep a more objective & balanced approach when analyzing things.

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13 Jul 2022, 7:34 pm

Because some are probably true.

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13 Jul 2022, 8:25 pm

Fnord wrote:

Mountain Goat wrote:

You tell us. Otherwise, what you are employing is a common tactic among conspiracy theorists: Raise more questions than anyone can answer in the hope of being seen as both wise and knowledgeable.

I am neither MG nor a conspiracy theorist nor Australian, but this did cross my path, and I found more, so lets take a a look at what the mainstream news reported reality is, & and a couple State Government web pages too ...

Howard Springs quarantine facility — Australia's COVID-19 'port' — now in stand-by mode
By Steve Vivian
Posted Wed 29 Jun 2022 at 6:46pm
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-30/ ... /101194130

Quote:

In December 2019, the Manigurr-ma Village on the outskirts of Darwin was a dormant workers' camp that the Northern Territory government did not know what to do with.

Only weeks later, the vacant village would find its calling — and, ultimately, end up as Australia's premier quarantine facility during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.

Today, after quarantining more than 64,000 people in the past two years, the facility governments called the "Centre For National Resilience" is closing, with the Northern Territory government saying "dedicated isolation and quarantine facilities are no longer required".

and

Inside the Darwin quarantine camp, where life is 'like a holiday' for people escaping lockdown
By Kate Ashton
Posted Thu 10 Sep 2020 at 8:13pm
Thursday 10 Sep 2020 at 8:13pm
, updated Thu 10 Sep 2020 at 10:45pm
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-11/ ... y/12648762

Quote:

But the family soon became aware of another option.

While travellers from COVID-19 hotspot areas such as Victoria and Sydney face restrictions on interstate travel, they can travel to Darwin.

Once there, they have to quarantine at a facility in the city's rural area for two weeks, at a cost of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for a family.

Unlike hotel quarantine for international arrivals — where travellers forfeit fresh air and the freedom to exercise — residents at the Howard Springs facility are able to walk around the facility, enjoy Top End sunsets and even go for a swim.

The facility is a disused workers camp about 25 kilometres south of the Darwin CBD.

It has been owned by the NT Government since 2019 and had been sitting vacant, costing the government millions of dollars in annual maintenance.

At the start of the pandemic, in February, it was used to house Australians who had been evacuated from Wuhan.

"Once we had found out about that, then we seriously considered it," Ms Rubenstein said.

"We then told our families, packed up our house, and within about three days we left.

and

Howard Springs: Australia police arrest quarantine escapees
Published 1 December 2021
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-59486285

Quote:

Australian police have arrested three people who broke out of a Covid quarantine compound in the middle of the night.

The Howard Springs centre near Darwin in the Northern Territory is one of Australia's main quarantine facilities for people returning to the country.

Police said the trio scaled a fence to break out of the facility.

Officers found them after a manhunt on Wednesday. All had tested negative to Covid the day before.

Officials did not state whether the escapees were returning travellers or locals in quarantine.

In recent days, the centre has also housed people infected from a Covid outbreak in Katherine, a town 300km (185 miles) away.

Police had set up checkpoints around the compound on Wednesday and inspected cars moving through the area.

Last Friday, a 27-year-old man jumped the centre's fences and fled in a waiting car to Darwin's town centre. He was later arrested and tested negative for Covid-19.

Woman sets fire to Australia quarantine hotel

Up to 2,000 people can be held at the Howard Springs site. It is an old mining camp that was turned into a quarantine centre by the Australian government last August.

and from the Victoria State Government, which is the state where the city of Melbourne is,

Victorian quarantine hub
Protecting the community from COVID-19 with a purpose-built quarantine facility.
https://www.vic.gov.au/victorian-quarantine-hub

Quote:

Project summary

With quarantine continuing to be a critical part of the Australian response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Victorian and Australian Governments have committed to building a purpose-built quarantine accommodation hub outside Melbourne’s CBD, to combat and protect the community from the highly infectious COVID-19 virus.

This commitment followed the development of a business case by the Victorian Government, which was submitted to the Australian Government for approval. A project summary of this business case can be found here:
Alternative quarantine accommodation hub - project summary - April 2021
pdf 4.69 MB

The business case identified a preferred site at Donnybrook Road, Mickleham – at the site of the existing animal quarantine facility, owned by the Australian Department of Agriculture. On 24 June 2021, the Australian Government confirmed that this will be the site of the new facility.

COVID-19 quarantine is an important feature of our public health response to COVID-19, and this new purpose-built hub will be designed and built with the primary purpose of ensuring the safety of our community.

The design of the new hub is fully informed by experts in public health and infection control and is based on the existing standalone facility currently operating at Howard Springs. With its cabin-style outdoor accommodation, Howard Springs has been widely acknowledged as the safest and most functional design for quarantine in Australia.

The master plan for the new hub includes dedicated onsite services, including catering that is tailored to be delivered alongside strong infection control and prevention measures. The first stage of the hub will provide 500 beds, with a second stage doubling capacity a short time later. It is also designed with the ability to increase to up to 3000 beds as part of a scalable build if a larger facility is determined to be required at any point.

The new hub will also be designed with relocatable cabins so that it can be utilised for alternative and future needs, including ongoing quarantine arrangements, crisis accommodation and other emergencies.

and also from the Victoria State Government, which is the state where Melbourne is.

About the Victorian Quarantine Hub
Learn about the Victorian Quarantine Hub (VQH) located at Mickleham
https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/about-the-vqh

Quote:

Learn about the Victorian Quarantine Hub (VQH) located at Mickleham The Victorian Quarantine Hub (VQH) is located on Donnybrook Road in Mickleham. The facility is situated 40kms north of Melbourne’s CBD and 18kms from Melbourne Airport. The VQH is a purpose-built quarantine facility designed by experts in public health and infection control.

With its cabin-style outdoor accommodation, the facility is a safe and functional way of quarantining in Victoria. Residents will complete their isolation in ‘villages’ which can house up to 250 residents. The entire site will have four villages in total. Each village will comprise of cabins capable of accommodating singles, doubles and families. Every cabin will have a small external deck where residents can access fresh air, relax, read a book or have a coffee.

The Victorian Government is funding the overall cost for community members staying at the VQH, including accommodation, security, transport, logistics, as well as essential items and services such as meals and medical care. The primary purpose of the VQH is for quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic, however its design will enable the facility to be used for alternative and future needs including crisis accommodation during bushfires, floods and other emergencies.

Reviewed 02 June 2022

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14 Jul 2022, 8:19 am

So there really IS a quarantine facility. This eliminates the "Theory" part.

And it is apparently well-known, at least locally. This eliminates the "Conspiracy" part.

Nothing more to see here . . . move along . . . move along . . .

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14 Jul 2022, 3:44 pm

Fnord wrote:

Some people would probably still believe that it's a conspiracy theory thou. Lots of people these days insist things are conspiracy theories that should be obviously real to anyone with half a brain cell. The earth is flat is a conspiracy theory, the earth is round is a conspiracy theory, creationism is a conspiracy theory, evolution is a conspiracy theory. Trump cheating to steal the 2016 election is a conspiracy theory, Biden cheating to steal the 2020 election is a conspiracy theory. Seems like everything is a conspiracy theory these days & no matter what I believe or not believe, I am supporting a conspiracy theory. I believe in conspiracy theories because it seems impossible for me to believe in anything that no body else would consider to be a conspiracy theory :wall:

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14 Jul 2022, 4:07 pm

nick007 wrote:

Fnord wrote:

Calm down.

A Conspiracy Theory is an alleged conspiracy that has not been proven to be true.
A real conspiracy is one that has been proven to be true.

Mere belief proves nothing.

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18 Jul 2022, 4:20 am

It's not exactly that we believe in them but it's fun to talk about that sort of rubbish even if it's obviously untrue. It's like reading horror stories. I love reading horror stories but I know it's actually rubbish.

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18 Jul 2022, 6:01 pm

Fnord wrote:

:shameonyou: Calm down.

A Conspiracy Theory is an alleged conspiracy that has not been proven to be true.
A real conspiracy is one that has been proven to be true.

Mere belief proves nothing.

People who do not believe the conspiracy theory will insist that it has not been proven to be true. & people who do believe a conspiracy theory will insist that it has been proven true. Weather it is a conspiracy theory or a real actual conspiracy is determined by your own opinion. The term Conspiracy Theory is a relative term.

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18 Jul 2022, 6:27 pm

nick007 wrote:

Fnord wrote:

People shouldn't believe in anything without valid evidence. Conspiracy theories don't have valid evidence.

That's just how it is.

I will start believing in a conspiracy theory after it's already been proven and is no longer a conspiracy theory.

The main problem is that people who believe in them are not scientific about it. They don't have a hypothesis and test that hypothesis to see if it MIGHT be true. They start with the assumption that it IS true. It's not a rational or critical approach, and it leads to all sorts of problems that could have been avoided with proper research using sound resources, critical thinking, and an open but skeptical mind.

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18 Jul 2022, 6:41 pm

Twilightprincess wrote:

People shouldn't believe in anything without valid evidence. Conspiracy theories don't have valid evidence.

Valid Evidence is another phrase that seems to be very relative & vary by personal opinions. Look at how f#cked-up the legal system is :roll:

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18 Jul 2022, 7:01 pm

nick007 wrote:

Twilightprincess wrote:

People shouldn't believe in anything without valid evidence. Conspiracy theories don't have valid evidence.

Valid Evidence is another phrase that seems to be very relative & vary by personal opinions. Look at how f#cked-up the legal system is :roll:

It depends on the type of conspiracy theory. There are specific standards, though, including but not limited to:

Accuracy. Can this data be validated by independent sources? [Peer-reviewed research is good.] Are there other cues that suggest the data might be inaccurate, such as errors in the document, the degree of precision of the data or the source of the information? [Is it a blurry photo or video that could have been doctored?]

Precision. “Good precision is appropriately precise” (p. 24). Low precision is often indicated by terms such as “high growth”, “high probability” or “the market is growing”. Sometimes precision is used as a proxy for accuracy, for exam the mean consumer spending on Christmas gifts is $454.93. But you can be too precise. For example, while the mean reported consumer spending is $454.93, if the spending is based on consumer recall, this number, while precise, might be highly inaccurate, as we tend to under-report our spending habits.

Sufficiency. The evidence provided must be enough to support the claim you are making. Usually this requires more than one piece of evidence. The level of sufficiency required depends on the nature of the decision. [Sometimes the evidence could be indicative of something else. Sometimes it's not strong enough to prove a claim and additional research will be required.]

Representativeness. The evidence must be representative of the population to which the claim is related. If the claim is about Canadians, the evidence must be representative of Canadians.

Authority. What is the credibility and authority of the individual making the claim? Are they scholars? Experienced business people? Is their experience related to the claim they are making? Is a claim being made based on popular opinion?

Clarity of Expression. Is the author explaining the importance or significance of the data being presented. What does the information mean? What are the implications of this information for the situation at hand?

https://colleensharen.wordpress.com/201 ... -evidence/

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Last edited by TwilightPrincess on 18 Jul 2022, 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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