How can you help people who believe in conspiracy theories?

[Carl-Richard]

58 minutes ago, Gesundheit2 said:

I don't know why this would be the case. If there's no objective measure of awareness levels, how can we assert such a claim?

You could probably make the case that believing in conspiracy theories correlate negatively with things like education.

 

58 minutes ago, Gesundheit2 said:

I don't like that post-modernist way of thinking.

You won't get very far into meta-awareness or understanding self-deception and self-bias without visiting post-modernism.

[Gesundheit2]

6 minutes ago, Carl-Richard said:

You could probably make the case that believing in conspiracy theories correlate negatively with things like education.

And I could also make the case that most education is low consciousness.

[Carl-Richard]

1 minute ago, Gesundheit2 said:

And I could also make the case that most education is low consciousness.

Lower consciousness than no education?

[Carl-Richard]

43 minutes ago, HypnoticMagician said:

Your doctors may not be so willing to try to find root cause of your illness instead of just suppressing the symptoms. 

Are you up-to-date with the latest health legislation? At least in Norway where I live, it's almost all about systemic approaches to preventive healthcare (primary, secondary, tertiary), health promotion (salutogenesis), better coordination between health services, and patient participation.

[Gesundheit2]

1 hour ago, Carl-Richard said:

Lower consciousness than no education?

I don't remember where I read it, but some wise dude said half-knowledge can be worse than ignorance.

[Roy]

The most helpful thing I've found is to have a conversation where you indulge them, pretend you are agreeing with them (or at least don't fight them on it), and get to a point where you feel you've both come to some conclusion about X conspiracy. From there ask questions like;

"Alright maybe it's true, now what do we do about this?"

"Can we see why these people might behave this way?"

"Is this really as dangerous as it seems?"

"Does it even affect you personally?"

"Does it change anything about the world even if it's true?"

Basically from a non-hostile place make them question the utility of their beliefs, and slowly realize how these thoughts and convictions aren't important and kind of just a waste of their time. It erodes the toxicity and potential violence they might be feeling inside.

I remember practicing this method with a very low consciousness person at work last year, and I could feel him actually get calmer as he started to answer my questions and doubt himself. I feel sad for him because most people would assume he's just crazy or something, but I don't think he was a bad guy since I could tell his heart was in the right place. He just isn't very intelligent and fell into the trap of blaming certain people (politicians, etc.) for why the world is the way it is.

[BadHippie]

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge

Basically says it all, better to know about a conspiracy-theory and understand why people actually believe in them (most people who believe in "crazy"-sounding stuff, actually have pretty logical reasons for it).

Just because you don't get them with your logic, doesn't mean you are right or wrong. Basically it's just a different reality. 

Most people believe that the world is "physical", which isn't "true" for me. Do I go around and tell everyone they are wrong/stupid for believing in a material world? No. Even though it's fucking annoying and "bad" for them and for me from my POV. 

IMO calling someone else a conspiracy-theorist, is actually just lazy ego-talk projecting a "label" on somebody else, so you don't have to actually talk to them and understand them. 

I talked to some of them and actually learned a lot. (Germanies "high-quality" piped Water is actually shit, even though everyone else thinks it's good, etc.) 

Most so-called "conspiracies" are actually out in the open. People are just to comfortable to care about issues that are so fucked-up. 

[Philipp]

A lot of my friends believe in many conspiracy theories ( plandemic, deep state, 9/11, giants, aliens, pyramids, etc. ) 

I developed a practical way of interacting /helping them. 

In my opinion, conspiracy theories are huge beliefs. They involve so many institutions, people, science, history, etc. You cannot convince them at ones to let go all of it.

So what the solution

You build up little wedges in their belief system over time. You do this by argueing about small but key issues in their belief system. Don't be agressive, they must feel comfortable and they probably will, if you keep your discussion quite focused. 

You cannot win the war, but can win battles and if you keep it focused they won't feel threatened to let go of the belief. 

It is important to show and display them quality information and reasoning and with time they might see the worthiness of your world view. 

One problem I encounter is that I usually don't even engage in many conspiracy theories (giants, etc), because you can intuitivly see the bullshit already. If you want to convince others, you will probably have to engage to a certain degree with their theories. 

If you feel a division is being created between you and the other over the topic, it is also good to do things you have in common and talk about things where you can relate with each other. The key in my opinion is time. Big, powerful beliefs take time to change.  

Edited January 31, 2022 by Philipp

[PurpleTree]

even saturday there was a guy breakdancing on the street

then i told him nice dance dude

he was happy and then he started talking to me about "conspiracy theories" 

but i just said stuff along the lines of "yea who knows man"

which is the closest to the truth imo

[Timothy]

i think its pretty arrogant to conclude that anyone who believes a conspiracy is a deluded quack and has no validity to what they think and needs to be changed, i swear this personal development s*** creates some of the most know it all/ entitlted people ive ever encountered, please try and have an open mind

[Nahm]

On 1/30/2022 at 0:03 PM, Luca001 said:

Hello everyone, the questions I have for you are,How do you deal with people who believe in conspiracy theories?And what's the most effective way to help them to break free from them?

I'm in fact a little bit worried for my mom, she has always showed interest in esoteric and non-mainstream information,and I would say she is in stage green,but damn, since the start of the pandemic she begun to fall more and more into conspiracy theories.She is constantly bombarded with this type of news by her friends and can't be critic about what she reads in untrustworthy websites and articles.She is so caught up into it that she won't hear logic and all she says is "that's what they want you to believe" ecc. ecc.It all started to go even more downhill when she got really sick after a Covid vaccine shot that reinforced what she red.

So,what approach should I use to lead her to better select the information that she reads? I'm honestly worried for her future.

Thanks

Conspiracy is when two or more people collude and break a law(s). So just ask mum who and what law. It doesn’t have anything to do with beliefs. Quite the opposite. 

[Terell Kirby]

You can gently guide them towards Truth, but it is not easy .. and can be dangerous to your health and safety.

[PurpleTree]

14 minutes ago, Terell Kirby said:

You can gently guide them towards Truth, but it is not easy .. and can be dangerous to your health and safety.

what is truth?

[Terell Kirby]

1 minute ago, PurpleTree said:

what is truth?

To really understand the answer is the key to life and enlightenment :-).

But for the sake of this convo, conspiracy theorist need to understand that their minds are actually constructing the things they demonize.

The threat is not anything outside their own perception and toxic interpretations of reality.

[PurpleTree]

3 minutes ago, Terell Kirby said:

To really understand the answer is the key to life and enlightenment :-).

But for the sake of this convo, conspiracy theorist need to understand that their minds are actually constructing the things they demonize.

The threat is not anything outside their own perception and toxic interpretations of reality.

what is a "conspiracy theorist"?

someone who might think certain agencies or people from the government had something to do with the jfk assassination?

is that already a "toxic interpretation of reality"?

[Terell Kirby]

3 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

what is a "conspiracy theorist"?

Fundamentally, they are constructions of the mind .. as well

3 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

someone who might think certain agencies or people from the government had something to do with the jfk assassination?

is that already a "toxic interpretation of reality"?

It only turns toxic when the theories and counter-theories are demonized out of fear. All perspectives have partial truths to them, even the most whacky (relatively speaking).

Edited January 31, 2022 by Terell Kirby

[Belial]

There are always lies and exaggerations on both ends of the spectrum.

But, there are also some truths on both ends of the spectrum again.

As always, this is not black and white only.

Discernment is the key to see through the BS.

[PurpleTree]

11 minutes ago, Terell Kirby said:

All perspectives have partial truths to them

OK but if all perspectives have truths to them, how can you guide "them" towards truth?

Also what makes you think the truth that you guide them towards is truer than their truth?

And as long nobody is demonised it's not toxic and fine? Lately i've often seen "anti-vaxxers" (horrible term btw.) demonised, which many think is perfectly fine as it's kind of "mainstream"

Edited January 31, 2022 by PurpleTree

[Terell Kirby]

4 minutes ago, PurpleTree said:

OK but if all perspectives have truths to them, how can you guide "them" towards truth?

Truth is at the baseline of every perspective, but there are lower and higher forms.

The lower forms are based in fear, the higher forms are based in love.

Guiding someone from a fear-based perspective, to a love based perspective is one of the most challenging things you'll ever do. It requires loads compassion .. which most people are not able to give (we are too judgemental).

[Vincent S]

25 minutes ago, Terell Kirby said:

Truth is at the baseline of every perspective, but there are lower and higher forms.

The lower forms are based in fear, the higher forms are based in love.

Guiding someone from a fear-based perspective, to a love based perspective is one of the most challenging things you'll ever do. It requires loads compassion .. which most people are not able to give (we are too judgemental).

I definately agree. But guiding itself isnt that what is causing harm to yourself? You are challenging yourself (them) which is a part of you. So you are taking them on your own shoulders and carrying "their" burden.
I mean if everything and everyone is guided by their experiences, reflections, call it inner compass. Then what is the point of pushing someone that is not ready for it? I know its Love, to point people out of their misery. But isnt that causing more misery for them? If all they have is misery. Then surely everything, including the help (guidance), is seen as precisely that: Misery. (For them)

So, maybe their own "Misery" gets to a point where they accept something else, just to make a shift out of the situation they have gotten themselves in.
So whether they are guided or not. The willingness to take the step/break free, is always within and by them. And this can be done with or without guiding/help from "others". Their first step is to accept that they have been decieving themselves, and the situation they have gotten themselves in, was a perspective they took as "themselves". And they identified themselves with that perspective.
And that doesnt really matter if the conspiracy theory is true or not. And which side of the fence they have chosen to stand on. Whatever side is taken, its still being stuck with the conspiracy. Lets say vaxx and anti-vaxx. Its the same thing.

Edited January 31, 2022 by Vincent S