What do you think makes people vulnerable to conspiracy theories and how can they break free?

[Kendodd]

I don't think they can be dismissed as just stupid, they're not, some are very intelligent and well educated. What makes the susceptible to this nonsense though? Do you know anyone who believed the bullshit and then saw it for what it was? Realised the earth is not flat etc. How did that happen?

[Letsallscreamatthesistene]

Oh and ive no idea how he'd 'break free'? I dont think he needs too. Aside from being really, really hard work to be around he isnt harming anyone.

[wanderings]

Politicians like Tony Blair, with his massive lie about weapons of mass destruction, and his self-serving ethos, his nanny state and constant spin, are one reason of many that people believe conspiracy theories. I haven’t believed anything government says since he was prime minister, and I’m only just believing in Covid. Unscrupulous politicians invite conspiracy theories.

[thecatfromjapan]

People with a need for order, a low tolerance for disorder and uncertainty but - at the same time - a need to assert themselves as individual and unwillingness to recognise authority. Probably add 'fearful of life/the world' in there, too.

If they were averse to disorder but not averse to being part of a group/recognising authority, they'd probably just join in with a slightly socially/politically -Conservative group.

If they were not averse to disorder and anti-authority, they'd probably join up with social libertarian types.

But that combination of fearfulness, anti-authority, need to assert themselves as individuals ---> conspiracy theories.

[Freshprincess]

The internet plays its part here. In times gone by, the crazy man would be in the high street with a sandwich board, shouting that the end is nigh. Most people would see his and dismiss it straight away.

Now they’re on FB, They’ve got links to 25 YT videos with people saying the same things.

I can’t get my head around Bill Gates going to geeky entrepreneur to Lex Luther.

[thecatfromjapan]

There's research on de-programming, though, isn't there?

I seem to remember that it seemed to hinge on building trust-relationships and communication.

That hints that there are issues about trauma and belonging.

Another trait that comes up a lot is a desire for power and assertion tied closely to a sense of the self being under extreme threat.

[SilverBirchWithout]

It seems to me certain personality types are attracted to conspiracy theories.
Firstly many are quite anxious people by nature who like to feel that bad things can be explained by a sinister plan - rather than random chaos. It’s almost like a religious belief to explain the way the world works. Believing something happens for a reason rather than random chance is more comforting. With Covid they clutch on to the fact people are dying because they have underlying health problems ie dying with Covid rather than because of Covid - makes them feel safer.

Other Conspiracy Theorists somehow perceive themselves as more intelligent or informed than others and belonging to an exclusive club of ‘people who know better’. They call everyone else things like ‘Sheeple’. They are hooked on feeling superior and it feels like they have almost a fervent religious belief in what they know to be true. They cannot be persuaded otherwise because their belief is based on feelings rather than facts.
Other people are a bit like anarchists - they like causing dissent and turmoil by not agreeing with the general consensus of opinion. Typical internet troll type of person.
For others it’s driven by politics or religion - this is driving an agenda behind their belief or desire to fuel confusion or non-adherence to rules.

What I personally find really confusing is how people become so enmeshed in specific conspiracies when there is so much else going on in the world that is more important to be angry or concerned about. If I have a personal conspiracy theory - it’s a sense that some people maybe actually be behind the spread of disinformation because it helps distract from the real concerns we should be discussing. For example on twitter thousands of fake accounts have been created (Bots) which interfere in elections and spread other misinformation.

[LunaHeather]

Prigramming, deprogramming, all the same

Until I read this thread, I didn't know that Gates and Musk were seen differently. I'd have thought if you dislike one, you'd dislike the other.

[SilverBirchWithout]

I think part of the reason behind conspiracy theories around Gates is his philanthropy.
People who cannot understand why people selfishly do things for others, can only explain it be presuming there is a reason behind his actions.
For many years I volunteered and then did paid work for a charity. I’ve lost count of the times people have said or presumed people volunteering are doing it for personal gain in some way - for example getting charity shop stuff free, cheaply or snapping up bargains, or being paid expenses.
If you are selfish yourself, you presume others must be.
For me I see Bill Gates as a man who amassed obscene amounts of wealth who wants to feel he is using his influence and money for a good - give something back. His personal payback will be a sense of altruism and living a worthwhile life, money in itself does not make you happy.

Elon Musk in a similar way is trying to achieve something ‘worthwhile’ in his own mind - in his rocket development - fame and technical development that will last longer than his business achievements.

[bearandowl]

The average age of those who have died from coronavirus in England and Wales since the start of the pandemic is 82.4 years old.
www.thetimes.co.uk/article/average-age-of-coronavirus-fatalities-is-82-pcwqrzdzz

This IS higher than average life expectancy

[Letsallscreamatthesistene]

combination of fearfulness, anti-authority, need to assert themselves as individuals ---> conspiracy theories.

Describes my FIL entirely

[BilboBercow]

@bear the approach to the pandemic was never about saving 90 year olds. It's about stopping the nhs becoming overwhelmed. Most hospital admissions from Covid19 are in the 40-60 age range

[exexpat]

www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/talking-about-trauma/202102/the-psychology-conspiracy-theories-during-covid-19

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/adventures-in-cognition/202009/the-psychology-conspiracy-theories

A couple of interesting articles on what drives that kind of thinking, particularly at the moment.

[exexpat]

I sometimes wonder if the decline in organised religion has contributed to the rise in conspiracy theories, belief in pseudoscience and so on - people who previously might have found meaning in life through religious dogma are now looking for it and finding it in more varied places.

The internet and social media, along with the fragmentation of traditional (fact-checked, responsible) news media, also have a lot to do with it.

[Lahlahlah]

On my Facebook newsfeed, I have 4 people who constantly post conspiracy theories. One was a very good friend until she became radicalised with this crap and decided to break ties with anyone who questioned her narrative.

All of these people are from different backgrounds, do different jobs and have different levels of education. One thing they all have in common is that they smoke a lot of weed. I would say they are all quite emotionally vulnerable too and are looking for validation.

[LunaHeather]

@exexpat

I sometimes wonder if the decline in organised religion has contributed to the rise in conspiracy theories, belief in pseudoscience and so on - people who previously might have found meaning in life through religious dogma are now looking for it and finding it in more varied places.

The internet and social media, along with the fragmentation of traditional (fact-checked, responsible) news media, also have a lot to do with it.

The pseudoscience thing is complex

There are posters here who will argue, with science, that some people are "eating too few calories to lose weight" and "body has gone into starvation mode" when said poster has been, apparently, eating too little for quite some time.

Religion - some might say that is a conspiracy itself.

[Gingernaut]

www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/scenario.html

There are many of these 'what if' events, dry run exercises to 'test' a government's or organisation's preparedness for a pandemic, a catastrophic fire, flooding or some such.

Emergency dry runs and exercises are performed on a regular basis by police, fire and ambulance crews across the country.

I don't understand how this particular one became a 'thing'. 🤔🤨

[LunaHeather]

@Lahlahlah

On my Facebook newsfeed, I have 4 people who constantly post conspiracy theories. One was a very good friend until she became radicalised with this crap and decided to break ties with anyone who questioned her narrative.

All of these people are from different backgrounds, do different jobs and have different levels of education. One thing they all have in common is that they smoke a lot of weed. I would say they are all quite emotionally vulnerable too and are looking for validation.

What does "radicalised" mean in this context please?

[pinkearedcow]

For example on twitter thousands of fake accounts have been created (Bots) which interfere in elections and spread other misinformation

I'd bet my last chocolate hob nob there are quite a few bots on MN too and every other SM platform.

[dividedwefall]

Weed keeps coming up. I agree it makes you think more deeply about things. I wonder if people more likely to smoke weed are more likely to believe in conspiracies, or whether weed itself causes people to believe more unorthodox things?

I know a few people who have developed acute psychosis from excessive cannabis use. I am talking hospitalisation for months, preceded by months of paranoia. I myself have experienced a state of detachment from it, so I expect the drug itself contributes in some cases to a belief in conspiracies rather than just personality type.

[SilverBirchWithout]

@exexpat

www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/talking-about-trauma/202102/the-psychology-conspiracy-theories-during-covid-19

www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/adventures-in-cognition/202009/the-psychology-conspiracy-theories

A couple of interesting articles on what drives that kind of thinking, particularly at the moment.

Very interesting articles. Thanks.

[dividedwefall]

@Gingernaut

www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/scenario.html

There are many of these 'what if' events, dry run exercises to 'test' a government's or organisation's preparedness for a pandemic, a catastrophic fire, flooding or some such.

Emergency dry runs and exercises are performed on a regular basis by police, fire and ambulance crews across the country.

I don't understand how this particular one became a 'thing'. 🤔🤨

Because Gates organised it, along with the World Economic Forum, a mere couple of months before a real pandemic happened! Then he denied having been part of a simulation in April 2020. Nobody is saying he part of any conspiracy, but he doesn't half attract attention with his coincidental involvement in these things. ID2020 digital health certificate is another one of his babies too.

For people looking for meaning behind COVID19, the Great Reset, GAVI, ID2020 and Event 201 appear to be connected by one man, Bill Gates. This is why he has become a bogeyman. He is also the biggest funder of the World Health Organisation, which again feeds into the belief that this one man is literally behind the whole thing! It obviously is preposterous, but that's where it comes from.

[EmergencyHydrangea]

@bearandowl

It depends what you mean by a conspiracy theory. Some would say that the current so called "pandemic" is a conspiracy theory - the average age of those dying from covid is higher than the average life expectancy.

Whether something causes a pandemic or not has nothing to do with it's fatality rate.

[SilverBirchWithout]

@pinkearedcow

For example on twitter thousands of fake accounts have been created (Bots) which interfere in elections and spread other misinformation

I'd bet my last chocolate hob nob there are quite a few bots on MN too and every other SM platform.

Yes I have certainly seen a few around election and referendum time - not bots as such but people who are here just to post on a specific political point of view.
Without going into the whole Brexit debacle- there were/are so many falsehoods spouted and spread deliberately, I believe we have actually lost our democracy because of the power of social media to spread disinformation.

[dividedwefall]

That's mad. Mumsnet and other platforms where overwhelmingly pro-remain. This lie that people were deceived into voting to leave the EU due to Russian bots is ridiculous now, four years after the event. Project fear had its tentacles everywhere and if it wasn't for the big money behind the remain campaign the leave vote would have been significantly higher.

[LunaHeather]

I was wondering if ginger was being sarcastic.