How to respond to an anti Conspiracy Theorist

[General of Darkness]

For educational purposes.


How to respond to an anti Conspiracy Theorist
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"You sound like a conspiracy theorist."
RESPONSE: "Let me get this straight. Are you saying that men in high positions of power are not capable of criminal activity and telling lies to the general public? Are you really that naive? (Laugh as you say this.)"
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"I'm not saying that governments don't lie, but a conspiracy like that would have to involve 100's of people. You can't hide something like that."
RESPONSE: "You're absolutely right. I agree with you 100%. It is impossible to totally cover up a conspiracy so massive. That's why I know about it! What you must understand is that they don't have to cover it up totally. Even a bucket that has a few leaks can still do the job of carrying water from here to there! They only need to fool 80% of the public, which isn't hard to do when you control the major networks and newspapers. The 10-20% that do figure it out can be easily marginalized with the label "conspiracy theorist." The 80% + will never take the critical thinkers seriously because they want to be part of the majority. This is known as groupthink.
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"Not everything that happens in the world is a conspiracy!"
RESPONSE: "Not everything is a conspiracy, but nor is NOTHING a conspiracy either. Wouldn't you agree that we should evaluate each case independently and with an open mind? (Wait for response.)"

.R
"Governments are so incompetant that they can't even deliver the mail on time or balance a budget. They couldn't conspire their way out of a paper bag!".
RESPONSE: "Don't confuse your incompetant, dim witted Congressman or Senator with the shadow government. The dark covert elements who stage these events are very skilled at carrying out, and concealing, their plots. Take for example the Manhattan Project. Hundreds of the world's top scientists were holed up in a desert for months as they worked on the Atomic Bomb. This conspiracy was so secretive, that when FDR died and Vice President Truman became President, FDR's advisors had to inform him of the Project's existence! So you see, the shadowy intelligence element of the government is VERY capable!"
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"If this were true, the media would be all over it! It would be on the front page of every newspaper in America."
RESPONSE: "The media, the government, the International bankers, Hollywood, and academia are all part of the same incestuous complex. The media is part of the conspiracy, so why would you expect them to tell you the truth? (Wait for response.)"
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"You wouldn't be able to corrupt so many people. Every reporter and politician would have to be "in on it" in order to cover it up."
RESPONSE: "The corruption doesn't come from the outside-in. It comes from the top-down. If the ownership of a major media organization decides that a certain story is to be spiked, or if another story is to be hyped, then the rest of the organization follows. If a low level reporter decides to defy his bosses, he will lose his job and be blacklisted. Remember Helen Thomas? After 50 years as a White House Correspondent, she was dumped like a hot potato for publicly criticizing Israel. The same fearful top-down control works in government and academia as well.
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"This is crazy. I don't believe in conspiracy theories."
RESPONSE: "You don't believe it? Or You don't WANT to believe it? There's a big difference between the two. The human mind is filled with complexes, one of which is the desire to shield itself from unpleasant truths. You're afraid that if you look into this, you might see that it's true. And you're especially afraid that if you come to agree with me, you then become marginalized as a "conspiracy theorist. It is your FEAR that is causing you to close your mind and act like a sheep. Grow a pair and stop being so closed minded!"
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"Conspiracy theories appeal to uneducated people because they provide simplistic answers to complex events."
RESPONSE: "Exactly the OPPOSITE is true! The evaluation of conspiracy theories not only requires much time and study, but also applied logic and critical thinking. It is intellectually lazy people like you who choose to swallow and parrot what the TV feeds you. Do you ever question anything that the TV feeds you? (Wait for response.)"
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"Conspiracy theories appeal to people because they are comforting."
RESPONSE: "Exactly the OPPOSITE is true. It is far more comforting to believe that certain tragic events happen exactly as the TV says, than to believe in monstrous internal plots beyond our control. Take it from me, the life of a "conspiracy theorist" can actually be quite stressful at times!"
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"Don't believe everything you read on the Internet."
RESPONSE: "I don't believe everything that's on the Internet. But apparently you believe everything that's on the TV! I only believe those things which are verifiable, and consistent with my own sense of reasoning and logic. The beauty of the Internet is that, unlike the TV that you worship so much, all sides of an issue are presented on the Internet. It allows a critical thinker to figure out what the true story is. The TV doesn't give you that option. Do you really believe that the media presents the whole story? Are you that naive? (laugh) Remember the fairy tale of the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? The media shoved that lie down our throats. So why do you trust the media so blindly and not the Internet?"
(wait for response.)
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"Some conspiracy theorists still believe Elvis is still alive."
RESPONSE: "So, according to your twisted logic, because some theories are false, therefore ALL theories are false? I'm astonished that you could make such a stupid and offensive anology! Is that the best you got?" (wait for response.)
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"You don't have any respect or compassion for the family members of the dead."
RESPONSE: "I am honoring the dead by pursuing the truth as to who killed them! If someone in your family was killed, wouldn't you want to know who the true culprit was?" (wait for response.)


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[gunDriller]

today i was sitting in the hot tub at the Y, and like i normally do i pick the brains of people about gardening and composting.

this one older lady (like about 75) made some comments about chemtrails destroying the soil.

then she made a comment about the experiment in New Zealand - the military experiment where they used Millions of kilograms of explosives to try & create a tsunami.

she knew about HAARP, and Chemtrails - and 9-11.

absolutely the most aware older person i have ever met.


anyway, getting back to the subject of the rhetorical term "Conspiracy Theory" - i think one of the tricks is making people admit/realize that it is a linguistic trick used to control thought, and to denigrate people for DARING to suggest that the US or Israeli government would ever do something nefarious.


FOR EXAMPLE - who thinks that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a random incident ? Did the Japanese pilots just drink too much sake the evening before the attack, and, without the knowledge of their bosses, go on a joy-ride to Hawaii ?

well, obviously, it was PLANNED.

so, once you can get someone to admit that Pearl Harbor was planned, and meets the definition of a conspiracy, then you can say,

"Oh, so you DO believe in Conspiracy Fact."


Then you're HALFWAY THERE - at least. You can bring up any of a few hundred incidents from American history, for example the historical detail that the FBI vans that left the office to investigate the crash of Paul Wellstone's airplane left the office before the airplane left the ground.

Pick a Conspiracy Fact, any conspiracy fact. Get them to CALL YOU a Conspiracy Theorist.

Then you can SLAM them with the observation - "so you see how you use the term conspiracy theorist to attempt to control the conversation ?"


Short Version -
1. Get them to admit to some Conspiracy Fact.
2. Demonstrate to them, possibly using their own idiotic behavior, that they use the term "Conspiracy Theory" to make fun of people who Cite Historical Details involving Malfeasance on the part of the US government.

They may not "Fess Up" to Part 2 - but the point will be made.

[Twisted Titan]

Beware of being too rational in the Country of The Insane, The Fully intergrated person is not made a King or Queen.

THEY GET LYNCHED.

A. Huxley

[vacuum]

This is good stuff, but I don't think point-by-point debate is useful or desirable. Doing so is going into their world, and there they make the rules. The OP is pretty accurate because they'll simply come up with never ending reasons to rationalize their position, and when they can't do that they'll simply get really really pissed.

[Uncle Salty]

Great points...but I just keep stacking gold, silver, guns, beans, and bullets and wait for the madness. I have given up trying to convince anyone about anything anymore. I just see it all as absurd theater and try to laugh.

[midnight rambler]

I'm not so interested in conspiracy theories, I want conspiracy TRUTH.

[midnight rambler]

This is good stuff, but I don't think point-by-point debate is useful or desirable. Doing so is going into their world, and there they make the rules. The OP is pretty accurate because they'll simply come up with never ending reasons to rationalize their position, and when they can't do that they'll simply get really really pissed.

Some people you're just never gonna reach, it's a failure to communicate (on their part) which is the way they want it. You know, cherished delusions, casting one's pearls before swine and all that.


Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fuDDqU6n4o

[madfranks]

Rational discussion is wasted on these people. Most people like to think of themselves as reasonable and logical, but at the core they stick like glue to their emotional conclusions. "It's simply impossible that the US Gov't would ever be capable of doing something like that", and no facts can penetrate that belief.

[Santa]

How about just tossing them in a dark closet naked for a couple weeks to de-program them? :D

[Norweger]

Throw them in concentration camps.

[hoarder]

There are reasons not to try to convince people of conspiracies and reasons to try to convince them. I think the latter almost always trumps the former.

[gunny highway]

Rational discussion is wasted on these people. Most people like to think of themselves as reasonable and logical, but at the core they stick like glue to their emotional conclusions. "It's simply impossible that the US Gov't would ever be capable of doing something like that", and no facts can penetrate that belief.

this is exactly why i don't willfully engage anyone to talk about "conspiracies" anymore. even my friends. they get really pissed off, especially when they realize i actually believe what i'm trying to tell them. the conversation usually ends with them calling me or my theories crazy or outrageous. this is the common thread in the responses i get. well, i tell them, it makes more sense than what the mouthpieces on TV are telling me. i've spent enough years dealing with the cognitive dissonance that comes with believing the reality we are told exists (via the MSM) and reconciling that with what my own senses and brain are telling me is true. Once i started trusting myself (rather than the mass media) to tell me what is true and what isn't, and more importantly where to find the info, i sleep better at night.

[joboo]

Everyone has an opinion, and basically feels "informed". The real question is how much has someone researched something, and from what sources. Knowledge or the illusion of knowledge.

This happens on both sides. No single source of information is completely unbiased or bulletproof.

This is where every argument needs to focus around to reach a point of understanding.

Those that can stick that approach without trailing off into personality indifferences learn the most.

[gunDriller]

this is exactly why i don't willfully engage anyone to talk about "conspiracies" anymore. even my friends. they get really pissed off, especially when they realize i actually believe what i'm trying to tell them. the conversation usually ends with them calling me or my theories crazy or outrageous.

after numerous unenjoyable conversations, many of them with friends & relatives, i have learned that part of the trick is to 'quit while you're ahead.'

they ARE curious about 9-11. but they also have an idea of where the "inside job" theme goes - some of the ugliest truths imagine-able.

for example, i covered 3 points with my brother, back in September (pre-event warnings not to fly to Willie Brown & Salman Rushdie, + WTC 7.)

this is exactly why i don't willfully engage anyone to talk about "conspiracies" anymore. even my friends. they get really pissed off, especially when they realize i actually believe what i'm trying to tell them. the conversation usually ends with them calling me or my theories crazy or outrageous.

after numerous unenjoyable conversations, many of them with friends & relatives, i have learned that part of the trick is to 'quit while you're ahead.'

they ARE curious about 9-11. but they also have an idea of where the "inside job" theme goes - some of the ugliest truths imagine-able.

for example, i covered 3 points with my brother, back in September (pre-event warnings not to fly to Willie Brown & Salman Rushdie, + WTC 7.)


i think if i had approached it more skillfully, i would have stopped with Willie Brown & the mention of WTC7 - before my brother got REALLY uncomfortable.


then to close with something like, "look, this makes you uncomfortable. it makes me uncomfortable. why talk about it ? i have pointed out 2 holes in the official conspiracy theory. there are more holes in the official conspiracy theory than in a ton of Swiss Cheese. We could spend weeks, studying the history of 9-11 8 hours a day, and we wouldn't cover all the inconsistencies.

but let's not."

that would leave him curious, uncomfortable, and it would make the point clearly that I am dealing with conspiracy fact.