People who are into conspiracy theories

The psychology of conspiracy theories is fascinating. I think it's unlikely the Queen was a lizard, because she probably had lizard skin handbags, so that would be weird.

Seriously though, with the advent of technology and media and the ability to fake things, we are in dangerous territory - the whole AI induced psychosis in people using various types of AI therapist is a real thing, worthy of urgent examination, and coupled with the relentless drive to pursue wealth at all costs and by any means, especially via manipulating people means it's incredibly difficult to be 100% sure of many things these days.

Someone upthread mentioned the WEF in the context of conspiracy theory. While I don't believe they're hoofing adrenochrome at their meetings, it is a fact that state leaders, politicians and corporate leaders do "conspire" to exert influence on how the world is shaped moving forward. It is their stated goal to have representatives in every world government. Which woyld all be fine, if some of these influential and obscenely wealthy people stuck to genuine problem solving for the benefit of humanity. However, some of them embrace dubious ideologies, such as pronatalism, which is effectively neo-eugenics. I don't think keeping a weather eye on their shenanigans is a bad thing. And in terms of conspiracy theory, Klaus Schwabb rocking up in an outfit reminiscent of Emperor Ming was like catnip to those with extreme views.

Strange and interesting times we live in.

Where’s your source for this? The studies I’ve read on this subject have suggested quite the opposite, and so has my own anecdotal experience to be quite honest.

Interestingly, people who believe in CT have been found to have a higher IQ. Something to do with needing excellent reasoning skills to convince themselves that something is true.

I agree. It’s probably been branded a conspiracy theory by conspiracy theorists for their own ends.

The last (I believe it was the last) smallpox death in Britain was from a lab leak. There’s nothing conspiratorial about system failure.

I find people who are absolutely set on their views and unable to hear or comprehend an alternative viewpoint are the problem. It doesn’t matter if it’s about flat earth, Covid, gender issues or generally conservative views. If all people had the same brain there would be no progress, no exploration, no art or breakthroughs. Sometimes you need to question what’s considered ‘normal’.

Yeah, everyone’s wise after the event. No one is willing to own up to calling people conspiracy theorists who were making perfectly valid points at the time. An now ‘oh these are not conspiracy theories’. The ‘progressives’, sorry brainless gullible idiots, certainly called these conspiracy theories

As far as I was aware, the lab leak explanation was never a conspiracy theory, it was widely speculated to be a possible cause of the outbreak, along with the Wuhan wet market theory, from the beginning when the WHO were trying to figure out the source.

I always thought the conspiracy theorists made out it was called a conspiracy theory to prove their points with a bit of ‘whataboutery’. ‘What about when they said the lab leak was fake?’ Well, no one did? Unless the CT’s were trying to claim it was a deliberate act of chemical warfare, then they did.

Covid originating in a lab was a good one, until it became largely accepted as probable. I'm more open minded now.

I never understood why the Covid lab leak was ever thought of as a conspiracy theory. It’s as plausible as any other explanation. It may be right, it may be wrong, but it’s not a theory about shady collaboration.

It's like a spaceship

Those are not conspiracies though. The world and his wife knew Iraq had no WMD.
The Biden family were in denial about Joe. It happens.
COVID . Who knows . Not seeing any conspiracy there either. Conspiracy by China to fuck over their own country. Anything possible I suppose....

Yes, undoubtedly, some are for entertainment purposes, but it’s questionable whether people actually truly believe those ones, and of course some come from a genuine place of fear.

In the main though, they serve a psychological need to feel relevant and are followed by people who feel powerless and have low self esteem needing something to latch onto.

Flat earthers/covid CTs/ anti vaxxers are nearly always also far right because they’re the same faction of society that has fallen by the wayside and try to bolster their self esteem by punching down on minorities (i.e immigrants) so they get to feel superior to them as well as trying to discredit experts and anybody they see as different to them or they are threatened by.

It’s so sad really. I do feel they have increased a lot in the internet age because fewer actually socialise anymore and they’re lonely.

Isn't it a hologram?

Suckers. They believe in moon🙄

You say that but Abba are supposedly appearing on stage every night in London. I know for a fact that some nights they’re all still in Sweden. I smell a conspiracy.

Yes most of the new wave of conspiracies are driven by a sense of not fitting in (disadvantaged within society in some way, money, health, education etc). The online new world order/MAGA type stuff gives people a place and a separate society where they feel like they belong. It’s not even conspiracy as such, more like comfort for many.

Some of the old school/silly ones remain different tho. I’ve always enjoyed Avril Lavigne’s clone who is apparently touring in her place after the real one died 10 years ago.

Tbf in regards to fines leaving the area, in Cyprus during covid if you wanted to go out you had to text for permission. Hard to imagine people would comply but they did. And even when some restrictions were lifted, they still needed a ‘safe pass’ to go supermarket shopping. Again people complied.

This is really just about terminology. If you look at it in the round LTNs, filtering etc and 15-minute cities are expressions of the same thing. But if you want to divide the subject into strictly defined meanings you’ll disagree.

The term ‘15-minute city’ fell out of use after the few conspiracy nutters got hold of it. If that hadn’t happened it would be more widely used.

Personally, I think it was always a grandiose name used to promote the aim of urban improvement (good) and to obscure revenue generation from traffic schemes (bad).

These two links make the point. Neither is anti-restriction:

https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/london-assembly-work/london-assembly-publications/planning-15-minute-city-opinion-piece

https://www.drive-electric.co.uk/news/what-15-minute-cities-mean-for-uk-drivers/

@EllieQ @SilenceOfTheTimTams
My 'source' tells me that at the moment its not coordinated. Individual councils have been ordered to start putting the infrastructure in place. Ie cycle lanes, building restrictions etc. Once enough is in place the government will put mass restrictions in place. Covid restrictions were to test the water. 😉

Someone I know believes the moon landings were faked. What's interesting is how absolutely they believe this and the arguments they use to support this belief. They are really nasty to about anyone who doesn't agree with them, which is obviously everyone in their rapidly decreasing social circle. Are they unwell, possibly, but to me it's more like a hyper focus which means they don't have to think about their rather, no fault of their own, awful life.

They're great fun OP. Just don't take them too seriously. I recommend Voodoo Histories by David Aaronovitch. Even though he exploded some of my favourite theories!

I suspect we do agree on some points, but can you direct me to those councils that are bringing in restrictions on car use to specifically enforce ‘15 minute cities’?

I know that some councils, like Oxford, are proposing restrictions on driving into the city centre/ using particular routes (with the proposal that residents world get ‘passes’ to use the routes so many times per year before they start getting fined, if I recall rightly). And I’m aware that many councils say they want to encourage the 15-minute city ideals of amenities within easy walking distance, such as not approving a large new housing development unless there are shops/ a park/ a school nearby that the residents could easily access.

But I’m not aware of any councils that have said they’ll use traffic restrictions to enforce the 15 minute city idea, or councils that say 15 minute cities will require traffic controls of some kind. Though many will say something along the lines of ‘encouraging use of active travel and public transport/ encouraging use of local amenities’ as part of their argument for traffic restrictions. I’d be really interested to find out if any council has been that specific.

The two actions are really quite separate, in transport planning terms - traffic controls are usually to address high levels of traffic causing congestion, and potentially ‘make space’ for bus lanes or cycle lanes, while the 15 minute city idea is more to do with planning controls and improving amenities for residents.

I think we agree on some of this but not on the conclusion.

All 15-minute city plans include restrictions on car use. That’s the point of them. And a very worthy point it is too. That can be done in many ways but usually requires enforcement.

Objectors who say the government is trying to stop free movement and wants to monitor people are indeed conspiracy theorists. That’s who’s “bonkers”.

But people who don’t want to be penalised for keeping and driving a car - virtually all of the objectors - are just normal folk who disagree with planners.

@LakieLady
I know one of those. I've showed her images of paintings by Constable and earlier artists, and asked her to explain how these cloud formations were manipulated hundreds of years ago, when technology was so limited. She just shrugs.

On our local FB post the response to that was that obviously Constable was just painting a moment in time and the chem trails (which they do think were produced by planes on the government orders btw) were earlier in the day.

It's a great example of you can't argue with stupid.

Ahh, apparently private car ownership will be banned or controlled through chips in electric cars. Fines for leaving the area without government permission. 😉