Why do people believe baseless conspiracy theorists?

[chrisa]

It's a legitimate question. Why do people watch and obsessively rehash garbage from these types (like Alex Jones) that is obviously fake?

Other examples include Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck, chemtrailers, Sandy Hook truthers, etc. Have they lost touch with reality? Do they want to believe that it's true, so they cherrypick for evidence of their theories?

It's hard to pick the dumbest of the bunch, but as far as CTs go, the chemtrail and Sandy Hook CTs are pretty stupid. It shows how people will even believe theories that have no real evidence for them.

I have to believe that people who follow this junk either have mental issues, or are just ignorant. Even thinking about the Sandy Hook conspiracy theories a little bit would call into question their validity. Plus, the evidence for this conspiracy is stupid - evidence of the family members smiling on video? Supposed links to paid actors and actresses? How can anyone buy this crap?

[Arkansas Granny]

1. Because it reinforces what they already believe or what they wish ws true.

[mike_c]

2. confirmation bias....

I think confirmation bias is one of the most insidious destroyers of rationality.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. i think a lot of irrational conspiracy theories come from a lack of understanding science

(things like vaccines lead to autism for instance)

Other conspiracy theories have other reasons people feel attracted to them:

1. i think it comes from a desire to feel smarter than other people (esp, when you are not).

2. cognitive dissonance

3. confirmation bias

4. undiagnosed psychological disorders

5. meaning making

[okaawhatever]

8. +100 nt

[RKP5637]

21. Definitely! +++ 1,000 +++ n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Because they are simple, internally consistent,

explanations of the world. They all have a grain of truth somewhere, but they are easy. And by the way, not only they do it. We have plenty of that crap all over, and on all political sides. Again, it is easy. The world, as in the real world, is complex and full of nuance. SO it is easier to ascribe evil motives to the other side, or the illuminati, or the IMF, or the US Government...

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Like religion, it gives meaning and purpose to chaos.

While there are certainly real conspiracies out there, some have an overwhelming need to find 'meaning' and be able to 'assign blame' for things which happen out of one's control or happen to be bad/traumatic. Some have favorite, "go to" scapegoats, those are the truly unhinged.

[chrisa]

9. +1. CTers are obsessed with finding meaning in meaningless things.

Everything has / had a purpose to them - nothing can be random.

[Behind the Aegis]

10. Pretty much.

Some can find Jesus in a piece of toast and some CT'ers can find a "dirty Jew's fingerprint" because someone involved once ate a pastrami on rye!

[LanternWaste]

12. We certainly do tend to focus on imaginary things which we further allow to control our decisions...

Religion, national borders, politics, money....

We certainly do tend to focus on imaginary things which we further allow to control our decisions and lives. Although I'm the first to admit, we often allow much more credibility to one imaginary thing at the expense of others.

[Warren DeMontague]

19. We?

Who's "we"?

[RKP5637]

22. Yep, it gives to them a delineated path and someone to blame, and generally in simplest of terms.

Many can not deal with chaos in life, so, this gives to them focus and blame. And often to those providing the CT lots of $$$$$!

[quinnox]

6. Good question, I also wonder why some will only believe official conspiracy theories

It's like, whatever the government says, it must be the god honest truth!

[chrisa]

13. I find it ironic that CTers will call people sheep, but everything Alex Jones says is 100% true.

It's not like he would lie or anything...

[quinnox]

16. Exactly, just as we know the government would never lie either

history proves the government never lies to the people...

[chrisa]

17. Agreed. The government is not a trustworthy source.

[jberryhill]

7. Overactive paranoia

[CJCRANE]

11. The thing I find interesting is

that conspiracy theories were taboo in the Bush era but now they're mainstream.

In the Bush era the conspiracy theories came from the LW and RW fringe trying to figure things out for themselves.

In the Obama era FOX/KOCHS/GOP et al spoon-fed conspiracy theories to the Repub base.

So now the waters are completely muddied between people trying to think for themselves and the gullible who are spoon-fed corporate-sponsored misinformation.

[chrisa]

15. Most CTs from both times are utter garbage.

Bush and Obama were supposedly going to declare martial law and cancel the elections. Obama was going to confiscate guns. Rove was going to hack the election and allow Romney to win (which is hilarious considering what a bumbling dumbass he is. He really was "Bush's brain" - we can all tell).

[Warren DeMontague]

14. Because the world is only understandable if there is one singular source of oppression and evil

plus it's fun for people- particularly those not, naturally, all that intelligent- to imagine that somehow they "know better" than the unwashed masses, that they're clued into some profound universal truth that the rest of us would only get if we would listen to their insistent bargle.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. yup

about the need for unintelligent people to believe they know some great truth, that the rest of us don't

[Warren DeMontague]

32. I'd imagine it's tempting to blame lifes' difficulties on robots or jews or mystic cabals or

(insert group here) ...

[RKP5637]

26. This, sums it all up quite well IMO. PS: And send them money to keep their babble going. n/t

[NuclearDem]

23. Several reasons.

1) Some people want to be the smartest people in the room.

2) Simple answers to very complex questions. Much easier to blame complex situations on a Them than acknowledge the world is complex.

3) Everyone loves an underdog.

4) Confirmation bias.

[spin]

24. Many Americans have little or no trust in their government. (n/t)

[AngryAmish]

25. I have listened to Alex Jones on and off since the Clinton Administration

He believes what he says. He really thinks Janet Reno is the Butcher of Waco. He believes 9/11 was an inside job. He believes the Globalists are out to enslave mankind.

[RKP5637]

27. Yes, I do think that is quite true. In fact, sometimes he makes a little sense, but then he jumps

way off the deep end.

[NuclearDem]

29. ...

Like how does our biggest defense building get hit by ANYTHING with 40 minutes notice?

1) NORAD didn't track domestic traffic pre-9/11.

2) Supersonic flight by military aircraft is illegal over the US.

3) The Pentagon isn't surrounded by SAMs or anti-aircraft hardware.

Plenty of answers to that and all the other questions in your post.

[Jenoch]

30. What do you believe happened on September 11, 2001?

[chrisa]

33. Because the government is much more incompetent than you think it is.

A couple of terrorists hijacked a plane under their nose despite being told that a terrorist attack was going to happen over and over again and crashed it into the chief military building in the country. The government really does not have as much control as people think it does.

[karadax]

31. To be clear, you're singling out certain CT types ?

At some level were all guilty of engaging in the practice. I believe there is life on other planets but have no proof.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

34. that's not a conspiracy though. that's just an unproven hypothesis.

[Demo_Chris]

35. Chemtrails are no more ludicrous than believing in Jesus or any other religion. Nt

[MrMickeysMom]

36. I guess the same reasons they read things like the daily horoscope...

They don't really believe it… really, if you ask me.

The ones you mentioned are pretty obviously baseless. I always wonder why some people say the moon landing was faked. However, I'm a constant questioner, which mixes me in the "theorist". The books I've read on the assassinations I lived through in the 60's have given me solid basis to think they happened for real and the real question is "why?". IOW, there are forensic scientists out there with congressional panels who admit as much in Kennedy's death.

So, my voice sometimes gets labeled for "believing" it, when in fact, I follow with good reason the forensic science, since I loved what was beginning to happen in the 1960s. I happen to be a politico, experienced in local government over the last 5 years. Believe me, people will do and lie their way into many injustices and they intimidate and bully and even kill people in support the structure they get caught up into. So, who are we kidding that institutions who have much to gain would not remove a powerful political figure because of what his leadership portended for the MIC?

The problem is getting the crap mixed up with seeking the truth and never forgetting how there have been others why TRIED to make a difference in this world. They were and still are a threat to those institutions who have something to gain.