What Makes Some People So Closed-Minded to Conspiracies?

I have a couple of friends like that, and I think the cause is different depending on their own background. I'll try and sum up why I think they think the way they do.

Subject 1: 35, Female, Micro-biologist.
This lovely lady was raised in a very religious household, and broke free to become a scientist and atheist. This I think is was a rebellion of sorts, but she just switched the christian dogma for the science dogma and had never actually developed her own critical thinking skills. Very inteligent, but VERY naive.

Subject 2: 40, Male, Java programmer.
This guy has sometimes made me question if he is working for "them", but I know thats totally unsubstantiated by facts. He suffers from ADHD (Attention deficet hyperactivity disorder) and I think his need to cling to the OS's is his fear of being labelled "mentally unstable". He knows about a lot of the conspiracies, but thinks they are all bunk.

Subject 3: 36, Male, IT professional and Freemason.
I knew this guy before he joined the masons, and he always had his own crazy ideas that made David Icke look like a sane rational human being. After he joined a lodge, he didnt gain any more sanity, he did however develop an "Official Story" paradigm toward most conspiracy ideas. I think the egg board must have got to him too. That said, he has ADHD as well as other mental health issues so it may be a reason similar to Subject 2??.

Subject 4: 37, Male, Environmental scientist.
This guy comes from a rich family and will never have to worry about the things most of us folk do, he is part of the status quo. This is why I think he rejects conspiracies--because they destabilise his position. What we see as nepotism, he would just see as "doing the right thing". I think money (and always having it) has blinded him to the realities of the world.

The friends I have that are conspiracy minded (agenda aware) all come from poor or working class backgrounds like myself. They have all had to struggle, they have all been marginalised by the government, they have all lived in "live or die" world. Those subjects above mentioned are all from middle to upper class backgrounds and their view of the real world--well we all look like ants from up there. Credibility seems to be only part of the issue, and when you are poor, people tend to take you as less credible--so there is less rist to your credibility when you embrace truth.

That or all the people I know are on the CIA payroll????????

a reply to: WeRpeons

I remember your hope and optimism. It is 14 years on and still not sorted, the longer it is left the harder it gets. There have been a lot of good investigations, enough to put the Bush administration in the witness box if the legal system can find the impartially required. Generally such proceeding are left for the losers of war.

On a personal level, trying to come to terms with the nature and purpose of deception has helped. While the future is uncertain and anything can happen, seeing 9/11 remaining is the same unresolved hole as JFK and others has become an expectation. The occupy wall street movement did help a bit, but not enough. The election campaign is the time the president gets asked the hard questions.

But unless something big did happen like a currency collapse and a change of guard takes place, it is not in the United States Government interest to address these conspiracies.

originally posted by: ItVibrates
I have a couple of friends like that, and I think the cause is different depending on their own background. I'll try and sum up why I think they think the way they do.

Subject 1: 35, Female, Micro-biologist.
This lovely lady was raised in a very religious household, and broke free to become a scientist and atheist. This I think is was a rebellion of sorts, but she just switched the christian dogma for the science dogma and had never actually developed her own critical thinking skills. Very inteligent, but VERY naive.

Subject 2: 40, Male, Java programmer.
This guy has sometimes made me question if he is working for "them", but I know thats totally unsubstantiated by facts. He suffers from ADHD (Attention deficet hyperactivity disorder) and I think his need to cling to the OS's is his fear of being labelled "mentally unstable". He knows about a lot of the conspiracies, but thinks they are all bunk.

Subject 3: 36, Male, IT professional and Freemason.
I knew this guy before he joined the masons, and he always had his own crazy ideas that made David Icke look like a sane rational human being. After he joined a lodge, he didnt gain any more sanity, he did however develop an "Official Story" paradigm toward most conspiracy ideas. I think the egg board must have got to him too. That said, he has ADHD as well as other mental health issues so it may be a reason similar to Subject 2??.

Subject 4: 37, Male, Environmental scientist.
This guy comes from a rich family and will never have to worry about the things most of us folk do, he is part of the status quo. This is why I think he rejects conspiracies--because they destabilise his position. What we see as nepotism, he would just see as "doing the right thing". I think money (and always having it) has blinded him to the realities of the world.

The friends I have that are conspiracy minded (agenda aware) all come from poor or working class backgrounds like myself. They have all had to struggle, they have all been marginalised by the government, they have all lived in "live or die" world. Those subjects above mentioned are all from middle to upper class backgrounds and their view of the real world--well we all look like ants from up there. Credibility seems to be only part of the issue, and when you are poor, people tend to take you as less credible--so there is less rist to your credibility when you embrace truth.

That or all the people I know are on the CIA payroll????????

Love this analysis. I could read posts like this all day. Great job!

a reply to: Moresby

Ignorance isn't always something that happens unintentionally. Some people prefer it because they are lazy thinkers and don't want to go beyond the spoon fed simplistic points of view.

Personally, I don't take ignorant people seriously unless they are willing to consider thinking outside the box.

a reply to: Moresby

To many the (main stream media) is their news bible...and anything else is a lie to them...I have nick-named these kind of people part of (The Borg) collective.

It is unfortunate in my opinion that they don't question things...and look deeper for the truth.

I think maybe some of these types of people are afraid of the truth...afraid to find out what may challenge their way of thinking.

a reply to: Moresby

This might come off as harsh, but it's not intended as such.

I think most people accept the "official story" more often as opposed to doing deeper and more intensive research into alleged conspiracies is because most of us have work, bills, home, family and so forth to take care of at the end of the day and we're just too damn tired to care. After a certain point in one's life, these thing tend to take precedence over sitting in a cloud of smoke in a college dormitory and pondering the great "what if's".

My mother will not hear of the 9/11 conspiracy. I think she feels if she accepts 9/11 was an inside job the world becomes a whole lot scarier.

It's funny, because she's not a close minded person. She believes in Aliens, that we're lied to constantly.. It's just when I mention 9/11. She won't have it.

We're not even American.

Not sure what makes people so close minded. The easiest options I can think are

1) If many are true (which some are) then, like I said previously, it makes you question the world. And you won't like the answers.

2) Anyone who believes in conspiracies, regardless of evidence, are deemed crazy. Who wants to be crazy?

a reply to: caladonea

It is unfortunate in my opinion that they don't question things...and look deeper for the truth.

Have you found the truth looking deeper...No ?

Why should they waste their time seeking a truth that can not be found ?

I have never seen more close minded people in the southern states than anywhere else in my travels. Get them past highschool football, and American idol in a conversation and you've scored big. Get them to talk about conspiracies with intellect is like finding Bigfoot in your house!

a reply to: Moresby

In your example it could simply be that this has no bearing on his existence and he wasn't willing to pander. Why should he show an interest in your theory if it has no bearing at all on his life? I wouldn't waste that time either, unless I had an interest in the story for some reason.

You're claiming this is about him denying "the truth", when it seems you're just angry that he's not interested in your theories.

One of the biggest problems I find with most "conspiracies" presented here is that they're based on nothing, no evidence at all. People claim all kinds of "documentaries" as evidence, when these are not evidence, they are opinions, myth, hearsay, rumor...

This is a media and generational problem I see in a lot of things today, gone are notions of physical proof, now all it takes is someone to express their belief in a particular way and people are lazy enough to just accept it. This happens across all mainstream media too, from the news to entertainment.

Perfect example; paranormal shows, where so-called "investigators" skip proving anything and go straight to repeating the rumors and hearsay as though it's fact and evidence. I give that example because it's a good representation of this mentality, manifest in modern media.

Critical thinking is at an all-time low. People seem to be lazy, accepting what they're told in some YouTube video and never bothering to look for an alternative explanation or the truth to a story - because most of the time they don't want to be shown that their conspiracy is nonsense.

They'll actively refuse to investigate the most plausible, and reach for the most implausible, because they WANT so DESPERATELY for there to be mystery.

originally posted by: MrConspiracy
My mother will not hear of the 9/11 conspiracy. I think she feels if she accepts 9/11 was an inside job the world becomes a whole lot scarier.

See, this is what gets me.
There is NO EVIDENCE of any conspiracy, none.
Why is it that you demand you are absolutely right, while offering no evidence at all to prove a conspiracy?

Again, generational problem.
What you call "evidence" you mother would probably call bull*hit (although she probably wouldn't say that of course lol).

a reply to: Mianeye

Yes at times I have looked deeper and found the real truth.

I see that you may be part of (The Borg)...on this statement I am jesting!

originally posted by: Rocker2013
a reply to: Moresby

In your example it could simply be that this has no bearing on his existence and he wasn't willing to pander. Why should he show an interest in your theory if it has no bearing at all on his life? I wouldn't waste that time either, unless I had an interest in the story for some reason.

You're claiming this is about him denying "the truth", when it seems you're just angry that he's not interested in your theories.

My example is largely irrelevant. But, in fact, he was very well-versed in the official story. He also lived in the area and claimed to have participated in recovery efforts. It was only alternate theories that disinterested him.

a reply to: caladonea

Ah..yes at times I have looked deeper and found the real truth.

That's cool, anything important ?

I see that you may be part of (The Borg).

That is very contradicting, you say you want people to question things, i then question you, as i do with everything looking at every angle possible, not just the conspiracy side or mainstream, and i am now part of (The Borg)

That i find funny, thank you for making me smile

But no, i am not part of (The Borg), i am very much aware of everything that is going on in this world, and know how to see things from more than one side, i love information no matter the subject or side and know how to process it.

a reply to: Mianeye

You left out the last half of my statement...that I was jesting with you...(joking).

Also. (seriously)...I think you make some very good points...food for thought...I think you may be one of my teachers in life right now.

Sanity.

But really, we all know actual conspiracies exist. But the term "conspiracy theory" has been discredited by conspiracy theorists. You know, lizard people, hollow earth, Barack is the anti-christ, 9/11 false flag, fake moon landing, etc. Crazy stuff.

originally posted by: hellobruce

A much better question is "why do some people believe every silly conspiracy theory that comes along, refusing to look at the facts just blindly believing a silly conspiracy theory"!

Sure, there are a lot of crazy conspiracy theories out there. But I don't get upset when some whack-job says that jet fuel burns hot enough to melt steel, or thinks the Federal Reserve is a government institution, or tries to tell me there is a difference between Republicans and Democrats. I just smile politely and listen to what they have to say.

But, to be honest, there is one conspiracy theory that does make my blood boil. When some moron tries to tell me that Obamacare has given anyone health care, I really have trouble believing anyone that stupid can actually function in today's society. It's not like I want to hit them, though. I figure at some point in their life they will walk in front of a bus or something anyway. Natural Selection is one of those conspiracy theories I believe in.

a reply to: Moresby
They are psychologically weaker. They are much, much more afraid of their preconcieved world view being threatened.

a reply to: Moresby

It is my belief that these people either are afraid to even entertain a different theory other than the one given to them by the people they believe to be their protectors/providers/etc. Or they really just don't care cuz they would rather know what celebs are doing, who won that football game, or watch that funny cat video their friend posted on facebook. Or maybe even both. (my personal experience when talking to my boyfriend about such things.)

originally posted by: Moresby
It got me thinking. What makes some people so wedded to official stories? And so unable (even in a casual conversation with a friend to even briefly entertain the possibility of alternate explanations?

Well the fact that every event has 100s of conspiracies.... This means that either 99 or 100 percent conspiracies are wrong...what do we do flip a coin?