To ask why Americans seem fixated on conspiracy theories?

[movingonok]

I know other nations are too but not to the extent of Americans.

Is there a simple answer? Mistrust of authorities?

Not just today's guff but all the way back to alien abductions and assassination of JFK etc.

You should reads books by Sarah Churchwell who argues that there is a sort of cognitive dissonance in American culture because and the gap between what the American dream promises and the reality. She argues it leaves them open to conspiracy theories.

Ah, that's so interesting. I'll look it up.

Totally makes sense.

My American SIL and her DH keep talking about how they know the US Government is controlling the world's weather, and that now people are finally starting to talk about it.

It blows my mind.

I've always wondered at the cultural differences between Americans and the British. Baring in mind that America (at least the white population) is a nation primarily (and recently) descended from the brave and the foolish people who followed a crazy dream or felt disenfranchised by what they had in Europe and took a dangerous journey into the unknown.

You have to wonder if there is a significant variation in genetics as a result, maybe a higher degree of self belief over trusting authority or just a resistance to conformity or higher tolerance for risk. I've always wondered. Obviously its now 200-300 years since the gold rush and mass imegration. insignificant in genetic terms.

Also as a nation it's much easier in America to live a highly isolated life, that's would be difficult here just because of the population to land ratio. There are whole communities that cut themselves off there.

It's important to note that they may not in fact be more inclined to conspiracy, just more able/inclined to tell people about it online and so it comes across that way. I don't know if studies exist on either of these topics. Might go and have a look.

American media is shocking, have you seen their news programmes? Everything is over-sensationalised crap. I’m not surprised they don’t trust their authorities. Looks like they get lied to and manipulated even more so than other countries. I think this leaves a lot of people to reject what they read and hear through the mainstream media and makes them far more likely to believe conspiracy theories.

Found this interesting study from Cambridge university.

https://www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/research/publications/conspiracy-thinking-in-europe-and-america-a-comparative-study/

Rates of conspiracy theory appears to be similar or slightly lower in Europe so no much difference. But there is a link with the right wing and magical thinking etc. very interesting.

I agree with this and wonder why it never forms part of the debate.

Surely a self selecting group (European migrants to USA in 1850-1950) will have had some difference s to those who chose to stay at home?

Like what you said the go getting risk takers who didn't want government control left. They've 'inbred' into a different ethnic group from remaining Europeans.

Maybe it's the same Americans who believe in Yrumpy

There's also a difference in educational, there is little to no critical thinking throughout the educational system even at university level.

Trump..god knows where Yrumpy came from

Hahahah, sorry this really made me laugh 😂😂 Yrumpy

I’ve read that ADHD is more common in the USA as genetic, re: risk takers. Risking a perilous sea voyage, unless religious persecution or similar the driver, like signing up for a trip to colonise moon today.

That’s interesting.

I also think social media feeds this because the algorithms reinforce the news people choose to read by feeding only material which plays to your particular ideological leaning.

Anf mainstream politicians of both stripes lean into this. Trump and his MAGA followers seem to actively push some of the craziest theories when they engage his base. They have cynically used the QAnon stuff though they must know it’s completely nuts.

You actually know people who believe thos stuff 😬. I had convinced myself something was being misinterpreted 🤦🏾‍♀️.

Sounds interesting - going to check it out. Thank you 👍🏾

An incredible number of Brits believe in conspiracy theories. Think how many people over here think Covid was a lab escape for example. And measles vaccination rates are really poor in some areas here, worse than the US even though the media promotes American anti-vax voices. It's the UK that us vecoming a dangerous pool of measles infection for Europe. I'm not sure there's much of a difference.

I wonder though if the nature of the theories believed is a bit different, and whether Americans are more likely to do something about a conspiracy theory (eg vote differently or take a gun to the Capitol) whereas Brits would be more likely to sit on our arses and not do something (refuse to vote, not get a baby vaccinated). I'm only speculating...

Oh, good, another America-bashing post. It's been at least a few days since we've had one.

There are 350 million of us, and pretty much all of us are online. OF COURSE there will be some crack pots.

It is true that most Americans are descended from some pretty adventurous folks. My own family history is absolutely wild, and I've had my adventures too. America is a self-selected group of people who rejected the status quo in the rest of the world.

As for the American dream, I was raised what you would call working class and am now a multi-millionaire. Dh and I worked, saved, invested wisely and here we are. Our son, who is 30, is close to millionaire status, and he's doing it the same way we did. Our daughter is a medical doctor who earns over $300K a year. Not everyone can achieve that, but I would put the lifestyle of the average American up against that of the average BRIT any day.

So, to the ignorant xenophobes on this thread, take it from a proud, born and bred woman of the American south, with ALL due sincerity, "Bless your hearts!"

It’s all about the money with some US citizens isn’t . I think we are supposed to impressed by the sums earned when this thread is about the lack of critical thinking ….oh wait

As a Brit in the US, there is very little trust in the government here. People have no faith that the government can be trusted to protect them, or do the right thing. Neither Trump or Harris are going to better the lives of the middle class, they are just yet more lying politicians.

I personally believe in a few low level conspiracy theories, (Epstein and David Kelly were killed kinda thing) some people I guess are looking for additional reasons to hate the government, and take it to extremes.

Baring in mind that America (at least the white population) is a nation primarily (and recently) descended from the brave and the foolish people who followed a crazy dream or felt disenfranchised by what they had in Europe and took a dangerous journey into the unknown.

Weren't a lot of the early settlers of America Puritans who were driven out of England for their fringe beliefs abou purifying the Church of England?

In any case, conspiracy theories are much more prevalent with the right and, since America is a pretty right wing country, it would stand to reason they'd have a lot of conspiracy lovers within their ranks.

I spent a few decades living in the USA and there are many reasons for this kind of thing.

I personally think some of the seeds were sown in the 1980s when Reagan rolled back the "Fairness Doctrine" that existed to force tv networks to show contrasting views on topics (like OFCOM has impartiality rules). Reagan's adviser had astutely realised that if they did away with the Fairness Doctrine then they could send their message to the public unhindered and much less challenged. It worked and within a short time a man called Rupert Murdoch showed up and set up Fox tv, 40 years later here we are.

Fox tv has spouted extremely one-sided vitriol at liberal America for forty years and helped create a media echo-chamber that has polarised Americans politically and led to a break down in trust, not only of the government but of other Americans. Fox tv is just one example, talk radio stations are big on this as well and of course... the internet!

Whatever people may complain about regarding the BBC, we should be grateful that we still have a mainstream media that observes the impartiality rule. It's why I'm so angry that GB News, a Fox tv copycat is blatantly violating this rule and happily paying fine after fine to OFCOM because OFCOM apparently has no teeth.

Maybe it's because the American government has a history of doing dodgy stuff and lying about it. I wouldn't use JFK as an example of a 'conspiracy theory'.

I think I'll start a thread about the woeful ignorance of many British people on the subject of America and Americans.

Honestly, give your heads a wobble.

Or vote for Brexit...

Thank you for a very necessary corrective.

There is a massive dearth in critical thinking on the part of many British people on this thread - caused by a fatal combination of ignorance and prejudice, I'd hazard a guess.