Spectre
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2015
- Messages
- 3,735
- Reaction score
- 46
- Country
- Location
What is exactly a conspiracy theory and how does it differ from a normal theory or alternate explanations?
Let's take the most prevalent conspiracy theory of our times: 9/11 Attacks - Some claim that the collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 was actually caused by a controlled demolition orchestrated by the U.S. government. Some say it was the Jews in America who masterminded this and some lay the blame at the door of Israel.
We often tend to dismiss these folks as crazy but sometimes they do turn out right like in case of Govt Secret Surveillance.
So what draws the line b/w a 9/11 denier and someone who believes Govt lies to us about surveillance and invasion of privacy? After all the logic goes that if the same Govt can lie about secret surveillance then it can lie about 9/11 too and the whole Osama thing and so on and so on.
While there are no easy answers and neat boxes in which we can put the crazies and the merely inquisitive activists. There are still a couple of basic things we can do to form a reasonable conclusion about the narrative being put out by Govt and question it without sounding like conspiracy theorists
1. We have to check out biases out - These biases comes in all forms of shapes and sizes
a. Religious Bias: In current context most of Islamic World is going to aggressively question and deny facts emerging out western narrative be it 9/11, Osama neutralization, acts of terrorism conducted by Muslims elsewhere. This is because such narrative is not comfortable, it denounces them as a group and brings shame to their religion. Easier way out is to just dismiss this by making the West a villain in the whole piece. Once you have villain and are convinced nothing coming out from it can be trusted then you are comfortable in your bubble once again.
b. Class and Cultural Bias: We often hear stuff like Bankers are controlling everything. Anything goes wrong - Blame Goldman Sachs and by extension the rich. This bias is prevalent among young activists and hackers. Groups like anonymous aggressively try to forward this belief by trying to act "evil megacorps" or conventional politicians secure in their assumption that these landed folks are trying to screw the poor.
c. Geographical and Racial Bias - A Pakistani is likely to view anything coming out of India as bull manure and vice versa recent example we have seen with almost everyone saying that attacks on Uri Camp was a false flag while Indians believe every attack on it's soil has Pakistani fingerprints. Blacks in Americas similarly view whites with suspicion given their checkered history.
All these biases are not exclusive but feed off each other - Muslim in Pakistan which is a third world country is more likely distrust a White US President in US due to religious, cultural and geographical angle. While a Muslim in let's say America might be more believing of it's govt an India in America will believe him even more and a Rich White Irish American might never think to doubt it
It is neigh impossible to get rid of these biases but we can acknowledge them and check the narrative and conclusions to see if they are present. Let's do that
You hear a rumor out in the streets or social media saying that CIA Contractors are planning to take out Erdogan in Turkey. US Govt denies this. Whom You believe?
Let's take the most prevalent conspiracy theory of our times: 9/11 Attacks - Some claim that the collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 was actually caused by a controlled demolition orchestrated by the U.S. government. Some say it was the Jews in America who masterminded this and some lay the blame at the door of Israel.
We often tend to dismiss these folks as crazy but sometimes they do turn out right like in case of Govt Secret Surveillance.
So what draws the line b/w a 9/11 denier and someone who believes Govt lies to us about surveillance and invasion of privacy? After all the logic goes that if the same Govt can lie about secret surveillance then it can lie about 9/11 too and the whole Osama thing and so on and so on.
While there are no easy answers and neat boxes in which we can put the crazies and the merely inquisitive activists. There are still a couple of basic things we can do to form a reasonable conclusion about the narrative being put out by Govt and question it without sounding like conspiracy theorists
1. We have to check out biases out - These biases comes in all forms of shapes and sizes
a. Religious Bias: In current context most of Islamic World is going to aggressively question and deny facts emerging out western narrative be it 9/11, Osama neutralization, acts of terrorism conducted by Muslims elsewhere. This is because such narrative is not comfortable, it denounces them as a group and brings shame to their religion. Easier way out is to just dismiss this by making the West a villain in the whole piece. Once you have villain and are convinced nothing coming out from it can be trusted then you are comfortable in your bubble once again.
b. Class and Cultural Bias: We often hear stuff like Bankers are controlling everything. Anything goes wrong - Blame Goldman Sachs and by extension the rich. This bias is prevalent among young activists and hackers. Groups like anonymous aggressively try to forward this belief by trying to act "evil megacorps" or conventional politicians secure in their assumption that these landed folks are trying to screw the poor.
c. Geographical and Racial Bias - A Pakistani is likely to view anything coming out of India as bull manure and vice versa recent example we have seen with almost everyone saying that attacks on Uri Camp was a false flag while Indians believe every attack on it's soil has Pakistani fingerprints. Blacks in Americas similarly view whites with suspicion given their checkered history.
All these biases are not exclusive but feed off each other - Muslim in Pakistan which is a third world country is more likely distrust a White US President in US due to religious, cultural and geographical angle. While a Muslim in let's say America might be more believing of it's govt an India in America will believe him even more and a Rich White Irish American might never think to doubt it
It is neigh impossible to get rid of these biases but we can acknowledge them and check the narrative and conclusions to see if they are present. Let's do that
You hear a rumor out in the streets or social media saying that CIA Contractors are planning to take out Erdogan in Turkey. US Govt denies this. Whom You believe?
Last edited:
!!
! Remind me to stock up on tin-foil next time I go shopping.
