My dad is a massive conspiracy theorist and it's so frustrating

"elite group of people who just want to make sure we are controlled"

When have us "plebs" not been controlled?

Whether by the lord of the manor, the church, the need to earn money to pay taxes. Always controlled to some degree.

100% THIS! With bells on.

At the height of lockdown, I had the most explosive argument with a very pro-vax family member after she boldly declared she fully supported the unvaxxed being barred from public places.

Fast forward to now and this very same person - in response to two young, fit relatives developing 'heart issues' - has openly declared she's having 'no more boosters'. If this relative can start questioning things, anyone can.

You didn't see any of the early footage from China and Italy then?

The fear was the government were controlling people's movements, stopping us seeing family and not allowing us to make decisions for ourselves. In Canada people's bank accounts were frozen for protesting! In the US Biden told people they were killing their grandma for not taking a vaccine! The fact is people were bullied into having a vaccine they didn't need. People still get it and it still spreads between people and we were told in the beginning the chances of contracting it after getting the vaccines was minimal. The narrative kept changing. No wonder people began to question things. Politicians having parties while telling us not to see family so they couldn't be that worried about the virus could they? People have become more distrustful and I don't blame anyone. The way covid was handled was terrible and the government has itself to blame for causing more so called conspiracys theorists and vaccine scepticism. It's really not rocket science to realise it's going to cause a lot of people to question motives, agendas and then rightly or wrongly start questioning everything. Its funny how people talk about women's right to chose but when it came to someone's right to chose having a vaccine, perfectly healthy people with no co morbiditys were treated like shit for choosing not to have a vaccine that they did not need. I think time has proven them to be correct in not having it and us rather gullible for believing it was the right thing to do. I think a lot of people are hypocrites when it comes to these issues. Pretend they are high and mighty and good people but in reality they are selfish and judgement arse holes.

I would put money on them all watching GB News!

Gingeraut
Most of the 'agitators' after the dreadful Southport

What utter nonsense.

he’s not as bad as her, I can usually make him see that there is no reason to her crazy thoughts. Her latest two weird theories are:

1. the northern lights were caused by government manipulation
2. that viruses can’t be caught or transmitted , they are already in your body and occasionally they come out symptomatic

husband is very ‘open minded’ and is respectful of his crazy Ma. Fortunately he has me to correct her

I had an ex like this. To the extent of actually believing in lizard people.
It was endless talk talk talk, and so much anger / negativity. I would tell him if he really believes then either DO something about it - or just STFU! Like, go live in the mountains somewhere away from everyone if you really really believe it all that. There are whole communities they'd fit right into..!

I think all of these conspiracies vastly overestimate the competency of governments. They can barely run countries, let alone the world lol

This with bells on!!
What are people actually worried about? Would it make any difference to my life in the Earth was flat? Well no - clearly we can still live on the Earth and travel places so who cares? More to the point - where is the edge???

Yes most of them avoided having the Covid vaccine, declaring it crap and that "we don't know what's in it!" Whilst shovelling junk food in and happily walking round shops/taking public transportation etc and enjoying the herd immunity that the rest of us have provided them with by taking the bloody vaccine!

So your DH is a conspiracy theorist too then, if he believes it

Problem is, they get all worked up about it, and don't really do anything useful, while everyone else is just getting on with their lives. Meanwhile alienating their friends and families, and often spending all their free time online instead getting out in the fresh air and living life.

My ex best friend was like this and it’s been awful. She directed all of her anger and negativity at me as well

Have you ever considered there might be a small nugget of truth in what he's saying? I mean, it's not completely beyond the realms of possibility. Particularly when it comes to corruption in govt, business and big pharma.

What I find really frustrating is when people dismiss such concerns as outright nonsense just because they disagree.

Remember you can't talk to stupid.
Nod and say "quite" is a good tactic. Don't engage with them. It's just a waste of breath.

I know some Pentecostalists @gladrefrain . One of them was in the US when Trump won. He was gushing about the wonderful Christian inauguration ceremony. Nice Welsh lad , I've never pressed him on the incongruity to be honest. Because I expect the explanation would depend upon God's plan and Armageddon etc?

Are you American? The British evangelical Christians I know are not like this.

Channel 4, 10pm tonight.

I’ve lost a relative to this. She smokes masses of weed and can’t string a sentence together without ranting. I’m so sad to have lost her but she literally wouldn’t talk about anything else.

Here in solidarity. My dad has disappeared down conspiracy rabbit holes. It is just like losing someone to a cult. He's living on a completely different planet to the rest of us, and it is really difficult to make a connection with him. I deal with it by changing the subject ASAP if he starts to go on one of his rants.

I mean Jacob Rees-Mogg claims to be a Catholic but clearly hates refugees and the poor. I've heard it say he would really hate Jesus, a refugee who could walk on water. 😀

Sounds like he is not swallowing whatever the bbc are feeding the public - good for him.

Alternative media is needed.

Because they don’t believe it. They think it’s all lies made up by the Democrats. They believe Democrats want to destroy America and are actively working towards that goal. Many believe God saved Trump’s life re: the assignation attempt because he is God’s chosen one to lead America. It was ‘providential’ when the bullet missed his head and hit his ear instead. He turned his head at exactly the right moment, because God intervened to save him.

Do Jewish people never fall for these conspiracy theories then? I wonder if the antisemitism exposes them as rubbish before they get sucked in? What about people of other races? I only know white conspiracy theorists. Were the Jan 6th mob all white?