CT Believers, Russia vs. the U.S.

i read this article the other day. 45% of russians believe that a shadow government runs the world, and they point the finger at the same culprits as western ct'ers (u.s. gov, masons, jews). about what you'd expect, right?

but something real weird jumped out at me.

The research center also revealed that individuals with higher levels of education and enviable salaries were more likely to embrace such theories than their less-educated, lower-earning counterparts.

that surprised the # out of me, because here in the west, the opposite holds true, at least as of 2007. north american ct'ers are way more likely to hold a grade 12 or less and make under 25k.

popular opinion states that the poor and uneducated gravitate to conspiracy theories to explain their disenfranchisement? personally, i look at the world and all i see is a senseless #show no one in particular is running, but then i barely graduated hs and went straight to vocational school.

i have a highly educated, wealthy friend i ran this by. this is pretty much what he said.

"there's definitely some well-connected, monied groups out there who THINK they're some kind of illuminati. you know the type, they believe they can make any problem go away if they throw enough cash at it. they are risk takers and drunks, in love with the vision of themselves as sneaky and all-powerful. it's something to be aware of and concerned about, not because they actually have control but rather because they suffer under the delusion of having control."

anyway, what do you guys think accounts for the difference between russia and the u.s. here? it'd be awesome to hear from our russian members.

No. Many people here who believe there is something behind the scenes running things are the ones with higher educations. They just don't talk about it publicly as much. Now the ones with less education have conspiracy theories but this particular theory is not higher in that education class of people.

This could be because this is a conversation amongst people going college

a reply to: ATODASO
CT? What is CT? When I read CT as an acronym I read counter terrorism ... obviously not what it is here.

ETA: Conspiracy Theory, got it, duh. Thought it was something more specific.

a reply to: rickymouse

maybe that's true, but it's a hard thing to verify. the data i've found doesn't back it up anyway, and i'm not comfortable operating from anecdotal evidence alone.

but assuming for this post that it is true, it's STILL a weird difference. why do wealthy, well educated russians feel free to disclose their opinions where their western counterparts do not? is it more culturally condoned, or do they know something we don't lol?

originally posted by: rickymouse
No. Many people here who believe there is something behind the scenes running things are the ones with higher educations. They just don't talk about it publicly as much. Now the ones with less education have conspiracy theories but this particular theory is not higher in that education class of people.

This could be because this is a conversation amongst people going college

It depends what you mean by "conspiracy theory." Better educated people are well aware of "old boy networks" and "revolving doors" from their own personal experience. This gives them a realistic perspective on "back room" politics and corporate skulduggery. This is very different from wild eyed speculations about alien overlords or centuries old Master Plans for World Domination by (pick one) Jews, Catholics, Freemasons, Satanists....

In Russia, the better educated classes feel their disenfranchisement more strongly than the less educated classes. Working in a factory is a round of labor and recuperation without much time for political or economic analysis. The better educated are aware of difference between what corporations and governments say and the way the world actually appears to work.

originally posted by: ATODASO
that surprised the # out of me, because here in the west, the opposite holds true, at least as of 2007. north american ct'ers are way more likely to hold a grade 12 or less and make under 25k.

popular opinion states that the poor and uneducated gravitate to conspiracy theories to explain their disenfranchisement? personally, i look at the world and all i see is a senseless #show no one in particular is running, but then i barely graduated hs and went straight to vocational school.

Your source questions previous literature that says less educated people are more prone to conspiracy theories ...

While the demographic data presented here are by no means exhaustive, we’re hesitant to endorse what much of the literature concludes – that the young and less educated are more prone to conspiratorial instincts.

a reply to: ATODASO

The majority of those with high school educations want to just get a job and survive and enjoy living. After a few years reality sets in and they start to look at why it isn't working this way. Now you do have some that just want to have fun and not work, also you have a few that want the government to support them and have an easy life. But the majority just want to find a job, leave home and get their own place, and hang out with friends. They are not more apt to believe this theory than the educated ones. Now conspiracy theories about Pharma companies trying to mess up people may be higher. The less educated ones also believe our government is a mess. I guess everyone sort of believes that, I have never talked to anyone who was not in a predominant government job that believed the government was not messed up. In fact, the senators and congressmen I knew verified the state of things to me.

I believe there is someone behind the scenes who controls things. Who is it? I don't know. Can't say I care either although I would like to talk to them and discuss where they are messing up. I hate when people with that much power do stupid things and mess things up.

a reply to: ATODASO

Only 6% of the 1600 people polled said they thought the US was running this shadow government..Quite a surprising figure.

Also, it would be nice to know how they carried out this survey, if it was an online survey, then that could explain the "less-educated, lower-earning" anomaly, as many poor Russians may not have access to the net. (Willing to be corrected on that).

a reply to: ATODASO

Of course CT believers are present amongst highly-educated people. Conspiracy is a felony, and many judiciary systems have to investigate conspiracies before they result in actual crime - in a sense, private investigators, detectives, etc. are themselves conspiracy theories investigators.

originally posted by: AlphaHawk
a reply to: ATODASO
Also, it would be nice to know how they carried out this survey, if it was an online survey, then that could explain the "less-educated, lower-earning" anomaly, as many poor Russians may not have access to the net. (Willing to be corrected on that).

As of May of last year ...

More than halfof all Russians now use the internet at least once a week. To American ears that might not sound like much, we crossed the 50% barrier more than a decade ago, but as recently as 2006 fewer than ten percent of Russians used the internet with any frequency.

We´re living amongst good, decent people who in large crowds can instantly turn into a stampeding horde of mindless creatures
that will murder, rape, torture and destroy
anyone and anything that comes to it´s path,
while rotating at the speed of around 1000 mph
and at the same time flying
through the most hostile enviroment known to man
at the speed of around 67,000 mph,
and people actually think someone´s in control?

Ummm... No.

CONTROL and ORDER are nothing but illusions that
most people gladly believe in,
because then they don´t have to face their absolute
insignifigance and irrelevance.

a reply to: AllSourceIntel

I'm guessing that confirms my suspicions then..

I suspect the very numbers being discussed here are a conspiracy to make conspiracy theory less desirable to intelligent sorts. A meta-conspiracy, if you will. By showing that the uneducated in North America are less likely to be conspiracy theorists, you get the educated saying "I shall avoid the stigma!" and simply refusing to take part.

So... maybe in Russia they just aren't as effectively playing that game yet.

Very interesting theory. Majority of individuals I know in the state that believe in "CT's" typically lack higher education levels and are lower middle class and below. Similar to the accepted and proven concept that most self made millionaires are atheists.

I've attributed this to the belief that these self made millionaires accept responsibility for their life and actions while those that trend to be lower class focus on the religion side as to ccompensate if you will for their lack of physical possessions. Similarly to most extreme conspiracy theorists, if their life situation is lacking...they tend to need to place blame elsewhere.

originally posted by: ATODASO


anyway, what do you guys think accounts for the difference between russia and the u.s. here? it'd be awesome to hear from our russian members.

My friend........WHO......told you that the less economiclly advantaged and less educated people were the ones in NA who believe in Conspiracys??? Ha ha ha ha ha, The Powers That Be.


Everyone has online media acess these days, MSM is losing its grip fast.

No one believes their BS,ha ha ha, EVERYONE knows about the Global Cabal and that MOST Conspiracies are based in truth,but MORE IMPORTANTLY...they are NOT AFRAID to say so.

that surprised the # out of me, because here in the west, the opposite holds true, at least as of 2007. north american ct'ers are way more likely to hold a grade 12 or less and make under 25k.

If you wanna compare CTs from all over the world / their internet use-age, such as CT sites and leaning sites:
According to an ATS site wide poll a few years ago, members(while not all are CTs) were pretty educated.

that
and Syria, is a Russian Protectorite.

and America is dropping bombs on
a Russian protected/backed by Treaty country.

Syria.

Russia vs. the U.S

and then there is the Ukrainian thing.,,thats two battle fronts,,not wise.

originally posted by: BobAthome
that
and Syria, is a Russian Protectorite.

and America is dropping bombs on
a Russian protected/backed by Treaty country.

Syria.

Russia vs. the U.S

and then there is the Ukrainian thing.,,thats two battle fronts,,not wise.

You just read the title of the thread, not the actual OP, didn't you?