Are all conspiracy theorists nutters?

Hello all,

I've been lurking on ATS and other similar sites for some time now, and it never ceases to amaze me at no matter what the topic - there is always a conspiracy theory behind it.

With this in mind, it did get me wondering - what is it about human nature that brings these things to life?

Is it because of a general untrust of those in power, a need to feel superior to others or maybe compensating for a lack of education we just make up our own version of events?!

I'm interested to know about you as an individual, how did you end up on ATS? Did a particular event spark your curiosity, or were to influenced by friends or family?

For me, it was music. From the age of about 15, I got really into punk rock and started to research many of the issues contained in the lyrics of my favourite bands.

some interesting stuff here to get you thinking..

'Psychology of conspiracy theorists' - Google Search

much love
Stu

You should remember that every event that has no clear cause or result, there is a theory presented by the mainstream. This is also a conspiracy theory. Many independent minded people simply seek to find alternative theories.

Conspiracy Theory is a term they have desperately tried to turn into a symbol of craziness. This line of thinking is essentially the same as saying that anyone who thinks independently is mental.

ATS is an epicenter of independent minds, those who don't follow the herd.

reply to post by discostu123


Not sure what you are asking Stu..
You came to ATS because of music?
That's a little odd..ATS is a conspiracy site, not a music site...

While there are those who exhibit a schizophrenic like symptom of injecting meaning into circumstances that is simply not there, history is full of conspiracy and a glance at the state of the world and those who run it yeild a picture that is deserving of suspicion.

reply to post by backinblack


no, it was music that got me curious about conspiracy theories and the unreported world...15 years later, here I am still interested, still curious and on many topics - still angry.

I am just interested to know the backgrounds on people who think in a similar way to myself - do we share a common personality trait? what particular event or set of circumstances drove you to think the way you do?

A lot of it is because there actually are conspiracies. The problem is that a lot of people see them absolutely everywhere, where they cannot be. I mean, simply probability-wise, it doesn't make sense that the sheer number of conspiracies would be all true. However, equally, some of them must be true by the same notion.

The problem that a lot of people encounter is simply a huge amount of personal bias. The awesome thing about bias is that if you are the bias one, you usually don't know it.

no... not all conspiracy theorists are nutters.. although as with any group of people some will be perceived that way.
most are generally people who are just searching for answers.. this will include people from various walks of life and many different professions. i have seen some very intelligent threads and posts on here that seem to be posted by level headed, profound thinkers.

Originally posted by discostu123
reply to post by backinblack

 

no, it was music that got me curious about conspiracy theories and the unreported world...15 years later, here I am still interested, still curious and on many topics - still angry.

I am just interested to know the backgrounds on people who think in a similar way to myself - do we share a common personality trait? what particular event or set of circumstances drove you to think the way you do?

Simple answer.?? FACTS...
Time and time again it has been proven that what we are told or led to believe are lies..
That's why we are here..
Questioning and seeking truth...

People call me a conspiracy theorist, I dont like the term, but hey... theres a small conspiracy in everything around you. almost everything set up in society is set up to benefit some, and not others.. for instance, you may take part in a conspiracy.. you and a friend want to goto the beach, and your friends little brother wants to go with you, and you convince them that what your going to be doing at the beach isnt fun, or convince him you arent going to the beach, so he'll forget about coming, and .. well, you just commited a conspiracy to be able to goto the beach with your friend, but not his brother...


enjoy

an extremely high percentage of all highly intelligent people are known to be very controversial in what they discuss because being so intelligent, there is a strive to see as many possibilities as you can, so that afterwards wisdom can tell you which possibilities happen because of their circumstance. one without the other is just half of the truth and i believe many people everywhere have half of the truth, here is no exception

many conspiracy theories are grounded in fact, even if it is only the fact that it could be in some way possible, but conspiracies like that should still be looked at as speculation. time and time again, humanity has never ceased to surprise me, but thats why its so good to see all of the possible things that the ptb could be leading up to, but the effort of trying to find those things, and wade through all of the incessant dribble can have a harmful affect and cause this paranoia, can cause them to see conspiracy everywhere

so maybe, op, you are trying to generalize conspiracy theorists, but that immediately makes it untrue. the news does it as much as possible, which just fans the flames as conspiracy theorists get more flak, usually go antisocial and begin a downward spiral

so in short, no. conspiracy theorists are people just like everyone around you, and some are just a bit confused, some have been taught some funny things, some will do evil in this world, some will do good. why not just let the conspiracy theorist determine your judgement of him, why would you immediately want a label that has such a stygma? in the end, even the lowliest person on this planet can blow your mind with knowledge about certain subjects so its never good to underestimate

but when u give them too much credit without proof, your brain might fall out and yo become like those paranoid guys

reply to post by GenerationXisMarching

so maybe, op, you are trying to generalize conspiracy theorists

no, not at all.

I am intrigued to know what - as an individual, has driven your interest in conspiracy theories, not to try and generalize.

What brought me to ATS: An alternative viewpoint from the neocon infested parochial attitudes prevalent in the rural Southwest. My initial interest in the site was sparked by 911 and the Iraq war buildup - I had noticed propaganda insertions in History Channel, Discovery, and NatGeo programming in 2002. I couldn't fathom (at the time) what people thought happened on 911 other than what I saw on live TV, so I came here looking to see what the "nutters" were saying - both as a curiosity and to evaluate the material on alternative explanations.

What keeps me coming back is the best, most timely and widely researched news clipping service on the net.
I drink from the firehose daily. ATS is my laboratory where I observe the results of many individual's thought processes (and communications skills) on a variety of topics. We read a lot of What people here think - my interests lie more in How people think - the individual's choice of subject material is an attribute in their thinking process in my view, rather than a commitment. Thoughts are free, beliefs require an investment.

ganjoa

reply to post by discostu123


Well for me it is THIS WORLD. Does this world seem right to you....? All the wars, people flying planes and dropping bombs on babies and adults. Do you accept this?
I notice you quote some 'psychology' explanation for 'conspiracy theories'--ie, implying that THEY are the experts for exposing mad people?? l9ol

Well I recommend you instead before you take their word for things look at THEIR history. For me much of psychology and psychiatry are like the 'priests' on this mechanstic paradigm whose job it is to 'fit you in' to accepting the 'real world'. Hence ANY questioning of possible corruption becomes da da DAAAAA 'conspiracy theory'---and that term -for some people-immediately gets all associations coming with it like 'tin foil hats' etc etc. And what THAT does it shames you from looking into things and QUESTIONING authority.

it is thinking for yourself. NOT being told by propaganda. Look at how the culture gets young people going to fight their wars? It is propaganda right? do YOU question that or do you join up or encourage your kids to----?

Do you say to your kids that they should believe everything told them on the TV?

In general, paranoid people suffer from an inability to tell when other people are lying to them. This reaches into the finer mechanics of human emotions. When watching television, even talking to people in general, they have trouble finding "who's side" they are on. I suffer from a similar condition, as I can't really spot the "true" meanings of what people say, I often feel outcast because very few people speak honestly and through the heart. The other problem is, is that sociopaths and paranoid people are on the opposite sides of a coin, sociopaths also lack the finer emotions, but they are experts at conveying a stable image to other people. That is why, the general public are swayed by those in charge, and the paranoid individuals instinctivley know that there is something untrustworthy about them. It could stem from an ancient war. Paranoid people are really on "our side" because in a way, by communicating thier mistrust they are attempting to inform and protect people against those that seek to manipulate the population. However, the general population is trained to ignore/supress paranoid "rantings", and even when things do fall apart, still fall into the arms of the next leader/oppressor. Its hard to explain, even the tone of voice is just off-putting to people in general, they cling to thier plastic world.

Are all children nutters because they ask WHY a thousand times a day?

No. Not all conspiracy theorists are nutters. They just like to look at different scenarios in different ways. Asking if something is plausible or not does not necessarily mean you fully believe in it. You just question it.

Some people NEED logical answers, even when there may be none handy. It is human nature to be curious.

Originally posted by discostu123
Hello all,

I've been lurking on ATS and other similar sites for some time now, and it never ceases to amaze me at no matter what the topic - there is always a conspiracy theory behind it.

With this in mind, it did get me wondering - what is it about human nature that brings these things to life?

Is it because of a general untrust of those in power, a need to feel superior to others or maybe compensating for a lack of education we just make up our own version of events?!

I'm interested to know about you as an individual, how did you end up on ATS? Did a particular event spark your curiosity, or were to influenced by friends or family?

For me, it was music. From the age of about 15, I got really into punk rock and started to research many of the issues contained in the lyrics of my favourite bands.

some interesting stuff here to get you thinking..

'Psychology of conspiracy theorists' - Google Search

much love
Stu

A psychoanalyst running statistics and measurements?

If you don't believe conspiracies look up the red 40 food dye, saccharin, and aspartimine. All toxic or carcinogens.

Look up sodium benzoate and what happens when it reacts with a weak organic acid(citric acid) in sodas.

Look up drugs and hormone in the nation's water supply.

Look up operation snowcone,operation northwoods and operation hightower.


They are all fact. Conspiracy fact.

lol where did i say i don't believe conspiracy theories?!

read my post, not my point at all

stu

Some of the more hateful theories are deliberatly spread by nuts.

Quite often it is Governments and their secret police that invent the worst of them, for evil political purposes. Hitler was a conspiracy theorist. I do understand that he actually did believe alot of what he said, and that just made him all the more crazy. [ Just look at some of his theories in that boring sack of garbage Mein Kampf].

The Okhrana [ Tsarist secret Police] spread the protocols of the Learned elders of Zion, knowing that this would help their disguting anti-Jewish cause, and also knowing that it was not actually Jews that wrote them originally.

A majority of theorists though are not nutters.

We might be a little nutty from time to time, we might get a little carried away, butt we're not crazy. Conspiracy theorists themselves are actually skeptics. They never buy the line of horses--t that that the powers that be serve out on a daily basis.

Actually it's everyone else who are "nutters".

They live orderly boring lives, carefully defined and compartmentalized. They spend their days worrying and talking about the least important things in life. They stay inside the boundaries dictated to them and fear those who dare step outside the box and take a look around. They never open the hood or kick the tires to see what lies underneath.

We spend our days learning about the world around us. They spend their days worrying about the latest fashions, watching celebrities living the lives they wish they had and dotting their I's and crossing their T's.

Nutters make the world go round while normal people watch the world go by.

reply to post by discostu123

to me it has to do with the distrust lies double speak and the flip flopping the DC does on a daily bases, the music does play a part of it , from the protest songs of the sixty's, and the music of today reflects a lot of that, and no not all "nutters" as you ask but ones that seek the truth, and some time we can not handle the truth nor see know it if it is right in front of you,them or us, we look for and some times ignore it for it makes to much sense.