What to say to a conspiracy theorist?

[iceprincess]

I have this friend who I think is really smart but he believes all kinds of conspiracies. One of the latest ones he's really buying into is during 9/11 there was a third tower. What can I say to make him think about how short sighted he's being? I'm struggling because I can't formulate an argument on why that isn't true. 

[Preety_India]

Tell him to believe in the mainstream media and that his theories are false. 

 

[Blackhawk]

1 hour ago, iceprincess said:

I have this friend who I think is really smart but he believes all kinds of conspiracies. One of the latest ones he's really buying into is during 9/11 there was a third tower. What can I say to make him think about how short sighted he's being? I'm struggling because I can't formulate an argument on why that isn't true. 

He's not smart.

[Opo]

6 hours ago, iceprincess said:

What can I say to make him think about how short sighted he's being? I'm struggling because I can't formulate an argument on why that isn't true. 

Ask for proof and don't forget that we live im 21st century and you can fact check anything he says is 30 sec. 

If you see that you have 0 effect on him and he is just mindlessly repeating stuff stop talking to him. I had to do that to a lot of people and I feel a lot better now. 

[PurpleTree]

7 hours ago, iceprincess said:

One of the latest ones he's really buying into is during 9/11 there was a third tower. 

world trade center 7? if so that's apparently correct

[Rilles]

Tell him to study epistemology.

[Carl-Richard]

"Maths study shows conspiracies 'prone to unravelling'" - https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35411684

[BornToBoil]

@iceprincess Why do you have to say anything to him? Let him believe whatever he wants to believe. In a healthy friendship people should respect each other's opinions, that means he shouldn't try to persuade you to believe in all those conspiracy theories like a madman and you shouldn't try to prove him wrong. 

You can have a normal discussion on any topic and share your points of view (even if they are opposite) without having to argue with one another.

 

[Striving for more]

I don't like the phrasing of this question. Being a conspiracy theorist has it's good sides and down sides. There's a lot of crazy stuff people believe, 

Some are just lunacy. Some conspiracies are actually drowning in hardcore evidence, or are just very very probable. 

9/11 was definitely an inside job for example. 

Satanism is a real religion/cult that has infiltrated the highest positions of authority such as law, Police, politics and is a big big threat to society and has been for a long time, If u will call me nuts and stupid for saying this statement, then you need to be open minded. Don't believe me blindly - go watch the long podcasts and victim reports that I have seen explaining the issue, and you will 100% know what I am talking about. 

^^ Notice how this is different to another conspiracy theorist might use the term satanism to fit their agenda. I accidentally found out about satanism by watching very very unbiased, long form podcasts and victim reports, whereas a trump supporter could say "Democrats worship the devil", so then the boy who cried wolf thing happens & people think Satanism doesn't exist, because the term is thrown around to loosely without evidence.  

Also, Why would you trust everything about the mainstream media? 

Edited December 9, 2020 by Striving for more

[Striving for more]

But it was only because "I am a conspiracy theorist type" that I became woke to the systemic global issue of satanic cults and there practices. Had I been closed off to conspiracies, I would never know of it's existence, and wouldn't be able to spread awareness 

[Striving for more]

@Opo But who is fact checking the fact checkers ? 

Who decides to do the fact checking ? 

Unless you check the whole thing through, then you are again trusting the fact check on blind faith (given this person may have had an agenda do fact check)

 

[Striving for more]

@iceprincess How about actually listen to his point of view thoroughly and then if you have a differencing opinion give it without condescension. Try to come to a mutual understanding and perhaps he will change his mind naturally through discourse, or perhaps even he will change your mind. 

Many conspiracies are true or have at least some validity to them. 

Many conspiracies are totally horseshit, some are even toxic and dangerous. 

I think questioning a conspiracy is equally as important as being open to them. I just think it's bad to go too far either way : not acknowledging it's potential validity vs instantly believing everything is conspiracy. 

[Blackhawk]

When it comes to crazy beliefs, you can't convince someone to stop believing in it. Even if you have the facts and evidence on your side.

For example try to convince this guy that his conspiracy theories are wrong. Good luck:

16 hours ago, Striving for more said:

9/11 was definitely an inside job for example. 

Satanism is a real religion/cult that has infiltrated the highest positions of authority such as law, Police, politics and is a big big threat to society and has been for a long time, If u will call me nuts and stupid for saying this statement, then you need to be open minded. Don't believe me blindly - go watch the long podcasts and victim reports that I have seen explaining the issue, and you will 100% know what I am talking about. 

^^ Notice how this is different to another conspiracy theorist might use the term satanism to fit their agenda. I accidentally found out about satanism by watching very very unbiased, long form podcasts and victim reports, whereas a trump supporter could say "Democrats worship the devil", so then the boy who cried wolf thing happens & people think Satanism doesn't exist, because the term is thrown around to loosely without evidence.  

 

[Village]

On 12/9/2020 at 5:06 AM, iceprincess said:

What can I say to make him think about how short sighted he's being? I'm struggling because I can't formulate an argument on why that isn't true. 

And he is being short-sighted...

[Striving for more]

@Blackhawk Have you even watched the podcasts ? 

Clearly you can't convince anyone they're wrong because all you did was instantly dismiss without any substance. 

Why don't you actually look at the exact same sources I did, then come back to me and tell me why I am wrong (what is not credible about the source) and I will genuinely consider what you have to say. 

Jesus like why can't people just actually look at the evidence and then decide. How deeply have you researched satanism? Not at all have you you're just being closed minded. 

But you clearly don't want to do that... you just want to gaslight people. 

[Striving for more]

@Blackhawk

The problem with you is that you think every single person on the planet who believes in any conspiracy at all is "stupid" because "people are so stupid".

I can see through your arrogance. Just be open minded. I don't believe in most conspiracies, I don't follow alex jones ect..  but when the evidence for something is overwhelming, what do you expect.

I'm going to have to find you the sources of all the victim reports and share them and you can watch them then tell me that try tell me that i'm full of shit. 

[Blackhawk]

53 minutes ago, Striving for more said:

@Blackhawk Have you even watched the podcasts ? 

Why don't you actually look at the exact same sources I did, then come back to me and tell me why I am wrong (what is not credible about the source) and I will genuinely consider what you have to say. 

Jesus like why can't people just actually look at the evidence and then decide. How deeply have you researched satanism? Not at all have you you're just being closed minded. 

 

41 minutes ago, Striving for more said:

 

I'm going to have to find you the sources of all the victim reports and share them and you can watch them then tell me that try tell me that i'm full of shit. 

Show me the sources/evidence then and I'll look at it.

[Striving for more]

 

 

 

 

[Mason Riggle]

@iceprincess Double down.. ask them if they're aware of the FOURTH tower.. 

[DocWatts]

On 12/9/2020 at 6:57 PM, Striving for more said:

@Opo But who is fact checking the fact checkers ? 

Who decides to do the fact checking ? 

Unless you check the whole thing through, then you are again trusting the fact check on blind faith (given this person may have had an agenda do fact check)

 

Good example here of what Ken Wilber calls 'Aperspectival Madness'.

From an epistemological perspective, no Information source is ever going to be %100 verifiable. The best we can do is pick the best, most reliable sources of information from the choices available to us at the time, and use that as a basis to make decisions.

And fact is that if multiple relatively neutral Fact Checking sources conflict with what your professed Conspiracy Theory, it's almost certainly wrong.

The problem is that those with a Conspiratorial Mindset never turn that skepticism inward, for example by scrutinizing Conspiratorial information sources with the same effort they use to try and discredit Fact Checking information sources.