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Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

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11–20 of 94 posts

Re: Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

#11
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea that those two concepts would be even functionally related is a massive struggle for me. Like what? “Nonsense conspiracy theory makes sense because ‘NPR has an agenda’”. Like genuinely, huh? If you don’t believe NPR, you don’t have to pick the stupidest possible alternative.

Both groups trust that their chosen authority is the ultimate provider of truth, and generally prefer not to question that authority even when it leads to cognitive dissonance.

I have never met anyone who considers NPR "the ultimate provider of truth," and neither have you.

Re: Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

#12

Many people are presented with 2 alternatives: Alternative A) You are an ordinary person with an ordinary job and ordinary pasttimes. You fulfill your role in society like everyone else. Alternative B) You have an important mission that will change the course of history, to spread the influence of . If you are bored, tired of living a repetitive life and have no purpose in life, Alternative B) sounds fantastic. Now y…

Scientific knowledge is something we mostly take on trust, not through first principle.

It is largely impossible for us to operate any other way, no matter how true our knowledge is.

Re: Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

#14

Am I the only one who thinks that this is largely the fault of the social media giants?

Yeah, this feels like the outcome of echo chambers. The whole idea of "repeating a lie often enough makes it true" is happening constantly on a personalized micro scale.

In the past you had one nutter yelling on the street corner about the pedophiles in the pizza shops, and everyone kinda walked on by, thinking man, that guy's nutters. Now he's in your house, 6 hours a day. And eventually, you're like, man, those pizza shops, we've gotta do something about.

Re: Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

#15
The Russian collusion conspiracy theory lasted for years, was broadcast on all the MSM news channels, and included many sitting congress members, without any evidence that it was true. Millions of wasted dollars later, and Mueller came up with nothing. The Russian collusion conspiracy theory was the most prevalent conspiracy theory of the last 4 years.

Re: Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

#17
post #11
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Both groups trust that their chosen authority is the ultimate provider of truth, and generally prefer not to question that authority even when it leads to cognitive dissonance.

I have never met anyone who considers NPR "the ultimate provider of truth," and neither have you.

In the same sense, you have never met anyone who believes Q is the “ultimate provider of truth” and not just some secret spy cell or whatever. I used hyperbole to illustrate a point.

Re: Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

#18
This is a direct result of the degradation of journalism.

When you notice that mass media has a political agenda, you stop trusting them. You look for information somewhere else. If you are not very educated and don't have time to do serious research, you fall for conspiracy theories, since they are the complete opposite of mass media.

Re: Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

#19
post #15

The Russian collusion conspiracy theory lasted for years, was broadcast on all the MSM news channels, and included many sitting congress members, without any evidence that it was true. Millions of wasted dollars later, and Mueller came up with nothing. The Russian collusion conspiracy theory was the most prevalent conspiracy theory of the last 4 years.

I strongly suggest you read the Mueller report. It's not what you've been led to believe.

"Mueller and his team of prosecutors have now indicted 34 individuals and three Russian businesses on charges ranging from computer hacking to conspiracy and financial crimes."

"Those indictments have led to seven guilty pleas and five people sentenced to prison."

If this doesn't line up with what you've heard, don't believe me, read the actual report. [2]

[1] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/breakdown-indictments-cases-...

[2] https://www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf

Re: Even If It's 'Bonkers,' Poll Finds Many Believe QAnon, Other Conspiracy Theories

#20
post #12

Many people are presented with 2 alternatives: Alternative A) You are an ordinary person with an ordinary job and ordinary pasttimes. You fulfill your role in society like everyone else. Alternative B) You have an important mission that will change the course of history, to spread the influence of . If you are bored, tired of living a repetitive life and have no purpose in life, Alternative B) sounds fantastic. Now y…

Scientific knowledge is something we mostly take on trust, not through first principle. It is largely impossible for us to operate any other way, no matter how true our knowledge is.

Yeah it’s an endeavor formed around trust. We have to trust each other.
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