NationStates Jolt Archive

I've had to deal with a few loopies on issues like alien abductions etc...but by far the most disturbing group are the anti-Semites. The ones who believe in things like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion...who really, truly believe that Jews and Zionists control the world, and that those of us who scoff, are lost, and blind.

I've met some bizarre anti-Semites on the left, and in the aboriginal community. I won't even go back to a certain aboriginal forum because one of the members I used to respect has such a figurative hard-on for 'Zionists'.

But what if, say, you had a loved one, or a good friend, who started getting caught up in stupid conspiracy theories? What do you do to reach someone like that? It's such an insidious thing. How does one combat it, when facts are all assumed to be lies?

I laugh and pay them no mind after the laughing is done.

I've had to deal with a few loopies on issues like alien abductions etc...but by far the most disturbing group are the anti-Semites. The ones who believe in things like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion...who really, truly believe that Jews and Zionists control the world, and that those of us who scoff, are lost, and blind.

I've met some bizarre anti-Semites on the left, and in the aboriginal community. I won't even go back to a certain aboriginal forum because one of the members I used to respect has such a figurative hard-on for 'Zionists'.

But what if, say, you had a loved one, or a good friend, who started getting caught up in stupid conspiracy theories? What do you do to reach someone like that? It's such an insidious thing. How does one combat it, when facts are all assumed to be lies?
We do.

We do.

I didn't know you were Jewish/Zionist.

I want to have sex with you now.

No...wait, I wanted to shag you before I knew that. Nevermind.

no no, we really are out to get you.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I try to keep an open mind so I listen. Then I ask myself, "Well what if it is true?". Then I'll think about it for a bit, and then I'll go do something else.

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.

no no, we really are out to get you.

*eyes suspiciously*

But like...in what sense?

I didn't know you were Jewish/Zionist.

I want to have sex with you now.

No...wait, I wanted to shag you before I knew that. Nevermind.

I'm very much Jew-ish.
Had my bar mitzvah, then abandoned organized religion. But still make self-deprecating jokes. And have a strange urge to become a doctor or lawyer. *shrug*

How do I deal with them? With laughter. If not with them, then at them. :)

I play along a little bit to see if they are planning something serious or not. If they are are they capable of pulling it off aka they have and are collecting guns etc.

If they don't pose a danger to anyone, I just laugh and ignore. If they do I call the authorities.

I'm very much Jew-ish.
Had my bar mitzvah, then abandoned organized religion. But still make self-deprecating jokes. And have a strange urge to become a doctor or lawyer. *shrug*

Ahh...lawyer hmmm?

Further supports my Mel Brooks-based belief that we are the lost tribe.

Mud pies. .. . simple really

Ahh...lawyer hmmm?

Further supports my Mel Brooks-based belief that we are the lost tribe.

Verdicts still out. We can teach you the handshake, but can't fully elaborate on the plot for global domination.


....Narf.

Verdicts still out. We can teach you the handshake, but can't fully elaborate on the plot for global domination.


....Narf.

You're SUCH a geek.

God that's hot.

The one I usually get to hear is "there once was this guy who invented a car that could run on water..."

You probably know the rest. I smile politely and ignore it, because any attempts to point out the flaws in the supposed conspiracy are countered with "no, I read it on the internet".

no no, we really are out to get you.

Indeed.


Neesika, I just figure I should tell you, it gets cold in your closet at nigt.

Verdicts still out. We can teach you the handshake, but can't fully elaborate on the plot for global domination.


....Narf.

Poit!

The tin-hatter's are quite amusing.

It depends on both the subject or nature of the conspiracy theory, and how deeply it effects or defines my friend's life and interactions with me.

Theories like you're talking about are deal breakers for me. I could not really be friends with someone who held a racist, intolerant and sickening belief like anti-Semitism.

As for the alien abduction, healing with crystals, the government tried to kill off gay people with AIDS theories... although not supported by evidence, I don't find them personally offensive, and usually just indicate that I feel differently and am not very interested in talking about it. If these theories became one of the major foci of my friend's life, however, and s/he insisted on discussing it with me and was unwilling to listen to reason, I imagine we'd see much less of one another.

It's not very often you can change a zealot. It's not very often that you can change anyone except yourself, and I prefer to spend time with people who are as open to change as I try to be.

"When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews. You are talking anti-Semitism."

I know a guy who honestly believed there would be some sort of race/civil war in 1996, so he moved to the country and stockpiled guns and food in preparation. He's still quite disappointed it never happened. I laugh at him and pick on him about it.

The one I usually get to hear is "there once was this guy who invented a car that could run on water..."

You probably know the rest. I smile politely and ignore it, because any attempts to point out the flaws in the supposed conspiracy are countered with "no, I read it on the internet".

During my student teaching I was observing a special day class, a class at a normal elementary school designed for students with mild to moderate special needs, and the teacher actually used that as an example for math. It wasn't the "runs on water" one, it was the one that ran for like 500 miles on a gallon of gas. I hadn't heard of it before, so I looked it up when I got home and was just so embarrassed for the guy.

My best friend thinks Obama is the Anti-Christ, and will bring about the end of the world. Her evidence is the following.

Has a book that has the title "Obama Nation"
Calls his private aircraft "Obama One"
Had the American flag removed from something....I forgot where.
Talk trash about America overseas.
Is Charismatic
and apparently because some people call him "The Messiah"

Usually I just let her say her piece and then move on. It may surprise you that I'm not my usual dickish self around my family and best friend.

I dunno, it may prove that Obama is conceited, but wouldn't the Anti-Christ bring about the New World Order?

Also, isn't one of the last sign of the impending Apocalypse is that Solomon's Temple is rebuilt?

It depends on both the subject or nature of the conspiracy theory, and how deeply it effects or defines my friend's life and interactions with me.

Theories like you're talking about are deal breakers for me. I could not really be friends with someone who held a racist, intolerant and sickening belief like anti-Semitism.

As for the alien abduction, healing with crystals, the government tried to kill off gay people with AIDS theories... although not supported by evidence, I don't find them personally offensive, and usually just indicate that I feel differently and am not very interested in talking about it. If these theories became one of the major foci of my friend's life, however, and s/he insisted on discussing it with me and was unwilling to listen to reason, I imagine we'd see much less of one another.

It's not very often you can change a zealot. It's not very often that you can change anyone except yourself, and I prefer to spend time with people who are as open to change as I try to be.

"When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews. You are talking anti-Semitism."


Its cold in your closet too.

I know a guy who honestly believed there would be some sort of race/civil war in 1996, so he moved to the country and stockpiled guns and food in preparation. He's still quite disappointed it never happened. I laugh at him and pick on him about it.

Being your typical self-obsessed US American, I was really puzzled by this--I kept trying to figure out how many "sides" such a war would have.

I know a guy who honestly believed there would be some sort of race/civil war in 1996, so he moved to the country and stockpiled guns and food in preparation. He's still quite disappointed it never happened. I laugh at him and pick on him about it.

Let me guess....John Titor?

First, I listen to what they have to say. Then, I weigh their evidence. Then, I either agree with it or debunk it based on the merrits of said evidence.

In short, I try to treat conspirasy theories on the basis of the evidence, just like any other theories.

Its cold in your closet too.

I fucking knew I hadn't just "lost" my camera. You guys spy AND steal.

I fucking knew I hadn't just "lost" my camera. You guys spy AND steal.

And watch you change *nod*

"When people criticize Zionism, they mean Jews. You are talking anti-Semitism."

I may be wrong, but I thought that Zionism was a particular ideology, not a synonym for Jews or Judaism.

I'd say "Oy, do I have theory for you." then I'd explain to them all about my theory that the government is encouraging conspiracy theories, the loonier the better, in order to keep our minds of the really important stuff, like who's in charge and what the Hell he/she is doing.

I'd say "Oy, do I have theory for you." then I'd explain to them all about my theory that the government is encouraging conspiracy theories, the loonier the better, in order to keep our minds of the really important stuff, like who's in charge and what the Hell he/she is doing.

Well right now, the Illuminati, N.W.O, the Zionist, and the Aliens from Roswell are in an all out war that is being done in the shadows. They're fighting over who will control Earth.

I'd say "Oy, do I have theory for you." then I'd explain to them all about my theory that the government is encouraging conspiracy theories, the loonier the better, in order to keep our minds of the really important stuff, like who's in charge and what the Hell he/she is doing.

the old "anything you can do, I can do better" method. I like. Zort.

Conspiracy theory-ism is a mental disorder that cannot be combatted. It can only be used for one's own advantage and/or amusement.

Me -- I like to feed plausible-sounding additional details into their conspiracies, the kind of things that a sane person will recognize as jokes immediately but which conspiracy theorists get taken in by time and time again and go around repeating, never understanding why other people laugh at them even more.

Well right now, the Illuminati, N.W.O, the Zionist, and the Aliens from Roswell are in an all out war that is being done in the shadows. They're fighting over who will control Earth.

Or rather, waiting for Eidos to crank out another Deus Ex game.

There is one conspiracy theory that gets on my nerves, and that is the damn Chemtrails theorist.....

God they are so fucking stupid....and ignorant of aviation......I just want to take my knee pad and slap them across the face with it.

Being your typical self-obsessed US American, I was really puzzled by this--I kept trying to figure out how many "sides" such a war would have.

I'm not really sure, I've never wanted to ask him to go into any great detail. I'm guessing it was supposed to be the good white freedom-loving country folk against the urban socialist minorities and their white sympathizers. That was the standard scenario most of his type anticipated.

Let me guess....John Titor?

Nah, he's just one of those Michigan Militia types. Surprisingly common in the Northwoods in the 90s. Because I'm knowledgeable about the Militia and their goals (I grew up in Militia country and knew a few of them) he thought I was a sympathizer rather than exactly the sort of person he thought the war was going to be against.

Alien abductions: stupid.

Anti-Semitism: Well, parts are plausible, due to their undeniable disproportionate presence of Jewish people in certain industries, but they aren't devil spawn out to take over the world.

Illuminati/Masonic conspiracies: Well, I'm not part of these societies, so I have no idea. Secrecy could be a cover for nefarious deeds or just a desire for a private club. I don't know. I don't trust them, but neither do I know that they're definitely out to take over the world. Government officials seem to very often be Masons, so there may be at least some truth behind this one.

North American Union/ Mexamericanada: It's happening. Elements within the governments of each nation are conspiring to eliminate the existing governments and create a unified continental government.

the New World Order/ One World Government: There are some who seek this end result, and events of the past two decades seem to lead in that direction. The EU and the possible NAU would support this theory, along with the proposed International Criminal Court and global regulations proposed through the UN, NAFTA, GATT, etc. events are trending toward world government.

America the Dictatorship: Well, the PATRIOT act, Bush's numerous executive orders, the reams of new laws constantly flowing from Congress, the constant erosion of the Constitutional protections on free speech, freedom of assembly, the right to petition, the right to freedom of religion, the right to keep and bear arms, the right to trial by jury, the right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the usurpation of powers not granted to the government would indicate that we're almost there. This one is almost entirely fulfilled.

So, I'd say that many conspiracy theories have at least a grain of truth behind them. Alex Jones & company may seem insane, but they may not be so crazy as their detractors say.

Conspiracy theory-ism is a mental disorder that cannot be combatted. It can only be used for one's own advantage and/or amusement.

Me -- I like to feed plausible-sounding additional details into their conspiracies, the kind of things that a sane person will recognize as jokes immediately but which conspiracy theorists get taken in by time and time again and go around repeating, never understanding why other people laugh at them even more.

That is indeed always great fun. I've actually seen a few real people get terribly worried that the government was putting dihydrogen monoxide in the water supply... :tongue:

That is indeed always great fun. I've actually seen a few real people get terribly worried that the government was putting dihydrogen monoxide in the water supply... :tongue:
Nice one. :D Also fun is making up new theories. It's amazing what you can get people to buy into and repeat for as much as a whole summer or more. ;)

The problem with this thread is that "conspiracy theorists" has become a catch-all term used to stigmatize anyone who believes in a conspiracy.

Their have been pleanty of conspiracies that turned out to be very real. Watergate and Iran Contra are two of the best known governmental ones, but the list is very long, including the CIA's mind control experiments. What's frusterating is that people always begin with disbelief. Then the truth comes out. People are shocked for a while, but then everything settles down and society seems to become complacent in the belief that it was a one-off thing. And next time its back to "the government wouldn't do that. If something like that were going on, we'd know about it."

That last bit is laughably funny to me. People always argue that "we'd know about something that big." Well, we're talking about it right now, jackass! That's not to say I believe every theory I hear. But the above response is really quite weak.

I rate conspiracy theories according to the following cattagories:

1. Proven. Part of officially accepted history. This includes Iran-Contra, Watergate, the Church Child Abuse Scandals, Mk-Ultra (the mind control experiments)

2. Plausible. Could have happened, but unproven. Includes 2000 and 2004 US election fraud, the JFK assassination, and some aspects of the various 911 conspiracies. Some brands of the UFO conspiracy fall in here as well.

3. Theoretically Possible. Could have happened. Evidence is weak to non-existent. Includes the Moon Landing Hoax, probably some aspects of the New World Order theories. Entries in this catagory may be fairly implausible.

4. Impossible. Proven fakes, claims contradicting proven laws of math or science, etc. Probably includes some of the New World Order and 911 conspiracy theories, and surely some variations on the UFO conspiracies.

5. Offensive. Includes the Anti-Semitic tripe.

The only conspiracy theory that irks me is the whole Mayan calendar "ending" in 2012...

...I've got a friend who has literally given up all ambition in life because he is convinced the world is going to end in four years.

When he brings it up, I just do my best to change the subject.

The only conspiracy theory that irks me is the whole Mayan calendar "ending" in 2012...

...I've got a friend who has literally given up all ambition in life because he is convinced the world is going to end in four years.

When he brings it up, I just do my best to change the subject.

This is the same problem I have with any End Times bull. It encourages apathy, laziness, and short-term thinking. If your in a possission of power, it may also encourage you to enact policies that lack long term planning or are even designed to bring about the End.:mad:

If the end is coming, its coming. If its not, we shouldn't make it more likely. And regardless, we should try to live the best and fullest lives possible while we can.

It depends on how crazy they are. If they are Lose-Change believers, ie believe that 9-11 was done by the government and that the Pentagon and Twin Towers were hit by missiles made to look like planes, then I turn around and run. They are clearly batshit insane, ignore anything that they don't want to see and/or hear, and pose a likely threat to my safety. Plus, they're annoying.

If they are the type that believes that the government is listening to them, that aliens are probing us, and that the vikings were the first people on the moon, I turn around and walk away.

You're SUCH a geek.

God that's hot.Where're the two of you gonna find a duck and a hose at this hour?

Ach, burlap chafes me so.

But what if, say, you had a loved one, or a good friend, who started getting caught up in stupid conspiracy theories? What do you do to reach someone like that? It's such an insidious thing. How does one combat it, when facts are all assumed to be lies?USians seem to be a part & parcel to that on a daily basis.
Gotta love it evermore during the election season. :(

by reminding them, and anti-conspiracy theorists as well, that we all conspire with each other all the time. its called networking. its also called governments and hierarchies and extended social organization in general.

But what if, say, you had a loved one, or a good friend, who started getting caught up in stupid conspiracy theories? What do you do to reach someone like that? It's such an insidious thing. How does one combat it, when facts are all assumed to be lies?

Depends on why they are getting into these theories. If it's just intellectual curiosity that's lead them to investigate some new ideas, you can probably talk them out of it. Like I did when a friend got taken in by this website:
http://www.titanicconspiracy.com
It's just garbage, and it wasn't difficult to establish it as such. The theory was disproved years ago when submarines started exploring the wreck of the Titanic, and confirmed that it was indeed the Titanic.

On the other hand, if someone's strongly held beliefs tell them the conspiracy is real, you may as well forget about trying to persuade them.
Try telling a Young Earth Creationist that, actually, the universe is quite a bit more than 6,000 years old, and the geologists, astronomers, archaeologists, biologists, paeleontologists, historians etc who claim otherwise aren't conspiring against God. Go on, try it.

I'M A CONSPIRACY THEORIST!

Well, i used to be. Illuminati and all that. Now it's restricted to just mild 9/11 conspiracies.

I've had to deal with a few loopies on issues like alien abductions etc...but by far the most disturbing group are the anti-Semites. The ones who believe in things like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion...who really, truly believe that Jews and Zionists control the world, and that those of us who scoff, are lost, and blind.

I've met some bizarre anti-Semites on the left, and in the aboriginal community. I won't even go back to a certain aboriginal forum because one of the members I used to respect has such a figurative hard-on for 'Zionists'.

But what if, say, you had a loved one, or a good friend, who started getting caught up in stupid conspiracy theories? What do you do to reach someone like that? It's such an insidious thing. How does one combat it, when facts are all assumed to be lies?

I don't know, personally. One of my relatives is a bit of a conspiracy theorist. I think it's cause he's semi-retired and only goes to forums where everybody agrees with his wacky ideas. I usually just try to divert the conversation. Now that my girlfriend and I have been together so long, her parents come to things sometimes and so her dad and my uncle can talk about their wacky ideas together (though her dad is a bit more moderate on that...but weird on some other stuff).

If there was a way I could somehow convince him "Dude, I know the world is fucked up, but it's not fucked up in nearly as organized a fashion as you think it is!" I would, but I'm at a loss as well.

I generally try and con money out of them on the grounds that they are gullible fools.

*eyes suspiciously*

But like...in what sense?

If I had anything to say about it, I would suggest an orgy. Orgies are always an excellent way to get someone, and get them hardcore style!

I mentally deduct 10 IQ points from my previous estimate of my friends intelligence..

Only ten points? I took the time to read through this thread, it's interesting to see which forum members are susceptible to conspiracy theories. It's always nice to know which individuals can be considered to be intellectually irrelevant.

I play along, encouraging them to ever greater heights of ridiculousness in their conspiracy stories, before finally being unable to keep a straight face and bursting out laughing.

Though, it is fairly obvious that our leaders are reptoids.

Seems to me that Libertarians might be more likely to take conspiracy theories seriously as they tend to confirm their world view that the government is out to get them.

Yep I'm all for the laughing and then leaving them to it. Perhaps they snap out of it and perhaps they do not.

3. Theoretically Possible. Could have happened. Evidence is weak to non-existent. Includes the Moon Landing Hoax, Entries in this catagory may be fairly implausible.


This needs to be recatagorized as impossible. The Russians at the peak of the Cold War tracked the spaceflight on Radar themselves. Proof from a third party settles the matter period. Had it been faked the Russians would not have tracked the flight and the chances of Russia being complicit in a supposed hoax is zero.

How do you deal with conspiracy theorists?
I find resorting to petty name calling works rather well.

Seems to me that Libertarians might be more likely to take conspiracy theories seriously as they tend to confirm their world view that the government is out to get them.

As far as I understand, most libertarians are pretty much teenager and twenty-something internet shut-ins, so that specific mindset doesn't surprise me too much.

I'M A CONSPIRACY THEORIST!

Well, i used to be. Illuminati and all that. Now it's restricted to just mild 9/11 conspiracies.

We'll fix you yet.

I like to feed their illusions, at least as long as it amuses me. My personal favorite is to inform them of the Satanic Jewish conspiracy, whose members recognize one another by wearing an inverted star of David.

I'M A CONSPIRACY THEORIST!

Well, i used to be. Illuminati and all that. Now it's restricted to just mild 9/11 conspiracies.

It's the Canadians, trying to take over the US...

They have been working at it for years, sneaking their agents into our TV shows.

Remember Lorne Greene in Bonanza and Battlestar Galactica? Canadian
William Shatner as Capt Kirk? Canadian
Alex Trebek, the host of Jeopardy? Canadian
Second City TV and their actors? Canadian

Did you know that most of the Canadian population is within 200 mile of the US border?

Actually, this is just an example of how you can take factual events and make them sound like a conspiracy.

A lot of times, there's not much you can do, it's immpossible to talk sense into a conspiracy theorist, I know that to be a fact, I have a relative who sincerely thinks Obama is a Muslim......

Reagrding the 9-11 conspiracy theories, I see how it is possible for so many ideas to flourish. The official story doesn't make sense when you seriously look into the physics of the collapses. there is DEFINITELY something fishy about the building 7 collapse, and I am forced to conclude that the official explanation is at best incomplete. I don't know thwther it's due to incompetence, or a cover-up of incompetence, a true conspiracy, or the government trying to avoid exposing just how much preparation there had been on the part of the attackers to minimize panic on the part of the public.

Don't be too quick to dismiss conspiracy theorists. They may be taking things too far, but there may be a legitimate concern behind the theories. One could argue that the current financial meltdown followed by the government bailout of the fat cat executives of failed corporations, passed almost entirely without debate through a campaign of fear mongering is at some level a conspiracy.

Reagrding the 9-11 conspiracy theories, I see how it is possible for so many ideas to flourish. The official story doesn't make sense when you seriously look into the physics of the collapses. there is DEFINITELY something fishy about the building 7 collapse, and I am forced to conclude that the official explanation is at best incomplete. I don't know thwther it's due to incompetence, or a cover-up of incompetence, a true conspiracy, or the government trying to avoid exposing just how much preparation there had been on the part of the attackers to minimize panic on the part of the public.

Don't be too quick to dismiss conspiracy theorists. They may be taking things too far, but there may be a legitimate concern behind the theories. One could argue that the current financial meltdown followed by the government bailout of the fat cat executives of failed corporations, passed almost entirely without debate through a campaign of fear mongering is at some level a conspiracy.

There is some truth in this, but you have to reach a point when things obviously look rediculuse.

Faked moon landings, come on now!

The one I usually get to hear is "there once was this guy who invented a car that could run on water..."

You probably know the rest. I smile politely and ignore it, because any attempts to point out the flaws in the supposed conspiracy are countered with "no, I read it on the internet".
Heck I've dealt with a "Greys and Repitilians" believer. As well as a NWO one.

I always have to resist the urge to point out that, if ALL of these groups have been on earth for Centuries, why are they only trying to "Take over the world" now?

The ones who believe in things like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion...who really, truly believe that Jews and Zionists control the world

This is stupid everybody knows it is the NSG elite (which i am not a part of :() controls the world.

As for dealing with them, some times I use facts and debate to argue with them other times I just laugh. The best one I heard of was that the Egyptians had settled in Australia and their were ruins all over the east coast that proved this. One of the strong supporters of this said that one day while on the bank of some lake he was scratching around the rocks when he found a small rock with the word Ra inscribed on it. Yeah scratching around the rock surprise surprise he saw a word scratched into the rock, also I don't think the Egyptians spoke English,

Heck I've dealt with a "Greys and Repitilians" believer. As well as a NWO one.

I always have to resist the urge to point out that, if ALL of these groups have been on earth for Centuries, why are they only trying to "Take over the world" now?

Oh, oh are those the ones that makes these videos?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7r0xicyIY0

Reagrding the 9-11 conspiracy theories, I see how it is possible for so many ideas to flourish. The official story doesn't make sense when you seriously look into the physics of the collapses. there is DEFINITELY something fishy about the building 7 collapse, and I am forced to conclude that the official explanation is at best incomplete. I don't know thwther it's due to incompetence, or a cover-up of incompetence, a true conspiracy, or the government trying to avoid exposing just how much preparation there had been on the part of the attackers to minimize panic on the part of the public.

Don't be too quick to dismiss conspiracy theorists. They may be taking things too far, but there may be a legitimate concern behind the theories. One could argue that the current financial meltdown followed by the government bailout of the fat cat executives of failed corporations, passed almost entirely without debate through a campaign of fear mongering is at some level a conspiracy.
What gives conspiracy theories such staying power is the reasonable but not always true argument that "where there's smoke, there's fire." Plausibility is a powerful force.

The weakness of conspiracy theorists is that they lack skepticism. Regardless of their insistance that they are skeptical of what they are told, they are actually not skeptical but blindly rejecting of information that comes from some sources and blindly accepting of information that comes from other sources, all in a very self-serving way. At their most extreme, conspiracy theories take on the pattern of paranoid thinking, in which the assumed conspiracy is believed in so absolutely than all disproofs are taken merely as proof of the intention of the conspiracy to hide itself. There is no reasoning with such people because they are motivated to shut down all avenues of debate that would tend to disprove their theory.

Regardless of whether it is reasonable to be suspicious of a given circumstance and/or official story, the hallmark of a conspiracy theory is its fundamental unreasonableness.

There is some truth in this, but you have to reach a point when things obviously look rediculuse.

Faked moon landings, come on now!
Referring to the way plausibility fuels conspiracy theories, combatting this myth is not helped when the Chinese government makes a celebratory video about its first space walk, featuring detailed interviews with the astronauts about what it was like to be in space, and releases it to the media hours before the mission launched.

When I read that on Yahoo News, my first thought was, "Oh, great, now I get to hear that stupid conspiracy theory again for years."

It's not so bad, but a really good friend of mine is convinced the moon landings were faked. If you just ask him "why were they faked?", he either doesn't have an answer or claims it to be 'confidential', it's impossible to argue against something like that, so the conversation and it's awkwardness is quickly ended, without being too rude.

It's not so bad, but a really good friend of mine is convinced the moon landings were faked. If you just ask him "why were they faked?", he either doesn't have an answer or claims it to be 'confidential', it's impossible to argue against something like that, so the conversation and it's awkwardness is quickly ended, without being too rude.


He doesn't have an answer? Now that is strange.

the reason why they were faked was because the US and the USSR were competing against each other in every aspect of life, including the Space race. Now the USSR had beaten the US to launching a satellite, an animal in space and they managed to get the first man in space. The US couldn't allow the communists to win them in the grand prize, and so in order to win this race properly and but all doubt out of question the US had to fake the moon landings to make it seem like they had beaten the Communists and once again the US triumph over the USSR.

Note: I do not believe that the US did not make it to the moon.

He doesn't have an answer? Now that is strange.

the reason why they were faked was because the US and the USSR were competing against each other in every aspect of life, including the Space race. Now the USSR had beaten the US to launching a satellite, an animal in space and they managed to get the first man in space. The US couldn't allow the communists to win them in the grand prize, and so in order to win this race properly and but all doubt out of question the US had to fake the moon landings to make it seem like they had beaten the Communists and once again the US triumph over the USSR.

Note: I do not believe that the US did not make it to the moon.

Well, I don't think he's particularly aware of the history surrounding the situation and the space race at all, so he wouldn't be able to provide an answer like that. My main point is that the trick is to ask a question that the conspiracy theorist doesn't know the answer to, that's the best way to get out of an awkward situation, from my experience, without being rude.

This needs to be recatagorized as impossible. The Russians at the peak of the Cold War tracked the spaceflight on Radar themselves. Proof from a third party settles the matter period. Had it been faked the Russians would not have tracked the flight and the chances of Russia being complicit in a supposed hoax is zero.

Fair point. I did not know or think of that. I have mentally reclassifed it to impossible.

But what if, say, you had a loved one, or a good friend, who started getting caught up in stupid conspiracy theories? What do you do to reach someone like that? It's such an insidious thing. How does one combat it, when facts are all assumed to be lies?

My mother has been like that for years. She believes Scientology uses sexuality to hypnotize people, and that the organization works for the Russia, and is infiltrating the U.S. government, and that they brought-about the fall of Rome. She forced me to cease relations with the only friends I had in my youth because "they are in on it". She also believed homosexuals worked for the group, until a homosexual veterinarian gave treatment to her dog for free when she was dead-broke. According to her, Jews have been fighting secretly against the conspiracy for years.

She avoids cameras, and has recently left all her property and drove to Las Vegas because "something big is happening in California"--she refuses to say more. When I was a kid she switched her laundry with someone else's, because she thought she was supposed to switch identities with her (luckily, this later was sorted-out). I remember growing-up, being forced to wear all sorts of disguises, such as glasses I did not need. She has followed people for miles before, which irked her targets deeply. When she e-mails me she sends a bunch of blank e-mails as "decoys", which is vexing. She is still out there, supporting the fight, buying wigs and such, telling me her phone is tapped and her car (she lost this recently) is bugged.

I've had to deal with a few loopies on issues like alien abductions etc...but by far the most disturbing group are the anti-Semites. The ones who believe in things like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion...who really, truly believe that Jews and Zionists control the world, and that those of us who scoff, are lost, and blind.

I've met some bizarre anti-Semites on the left, and in the aboriginal community. I won't even go back to a certain aboriginal forum because one of the members I used to respect has such a figurative hard-on for 'Zionists'.

But what if, say, you had a loved one, or a good friend, who started getting caught up in stupid conspiracy theories? What do you do to reach someone like that? It's such an insidious thing. How does one combat it, when facts are all assumed to be lies?
well when my brother started in on how the US government had some hand in 9/11 i laughed and told him that it was not bush, it was the "fucking queen of england"®

(no offense intended to the actual queen or her subjects)

it defused the situation and the topic moved on to chinese food.

He doesn't have an answer? Now that is strange.

the reason why they were faked was because the US and the USSR were competing against each other in every aspect of life, including the Space race. Now the USSR had beaten the US to launching a satellite, an animal in space and they managed to get the first man in space. The US couldn't allow the communists to win them in the grand prize, and so in order to win this race properly and but all doubt out of question the US had to fake the moon landings to make it seem like they had beaten the Communists and once again the US triumph over the USSR.

Note: I do not believe that the US did not make it to the moon.

The problem is that there are some guys in my town who were serving on the Uss Hornet when the aircraft carrier picked up the Apollo 11 module when it splashed down. I guess they must be in on the conspiracy.

How do you deal with conspiracy theorists

With fire. And lots of it.

He doesn't have an answer? Now that is strange.

the reason why they were faked was because the US and the USSR were competing against each other in every aspect of life, including the Space race. Now the USSR had beaten the US to launching a satellite, an animal in space and they managed to get the first man in space. The US couldn't allow the communists to win them in the grand prize, and so in order to win this race properly and but all doubt out of question the US had to fake the moon landings to make it seem like they had beaten the Communists and once again the US triumph over the USSR.

Note: I do not believe that the US did not make it to the moon.
You also have to come up with a reason for why the USSR acknowledged that the US went to the moon, when they had all those tracking capabilities from their own space program.
Easier, I guess, is to say that the entire space program of all countries is a giant fakery. Does make it a bit hard to explain how all those technologies attributed to "satellites" actually work, but we can figure out something.

Everyone knows that there's no such thing as conspiracy theorists or conspiracy theories. They are myths created by the Canadian government to cover up the alliance between the US, the Lunar people, and the Martians. Secretly, Marvin the Martian is the true President of the United States. Bush and Cheney are just holograms. Don't you find it odd that their names are Dick Cheney and George Bush? You think that the President and VP just happened to have those sexual-sounding names? How can you guys be so blind. Believe all you want in your mythological "conspiracy theoriests" and "conspiracy theories". I know what's really going on. :tongue:

no no, we really are out to get you.

This kind of statement has to be the most frustrating thing in the world for anti-Semite conspiracy theorists.

"He's telling you explicitly that I'm right! Why don't you believe him?"

You also have to come up with a reason for why the USSR acknowledged that the US went to the moon, when they had all those tracking capabilities from their own space program.
Easier, I guess, is to say that the entire space program of all countries is a giant fakery. Does make it a bit hard to explain how all those technologies attributed to "satellites" actually work, but we can figure out something.

The USSR acknoweldged it because the US did send something flying towards the moon, however, it had no men or landing equipment on board, ack in the 60's it was hard to track something as far as the moon, the USSR weren't that good.
Now we do have satellites and probes and a bunch of other things in space, and we have had men in space, however, we never went to the moon, the US successfully tricked the USSR and the world that they had gone to the moon so their was no longer any need to try and get there. The US did pretend to send a few more men to the moon but stopped in the 70's because the USSR had by this time developed the capabilities needed to track these rockets to see if it went on the moon.

The problem is that there are some guys in my town who were serving on the Uss Hornet when the aircraft carrier picked up the Apollo 11 module when it splashed down. I guess they must be in on the conspiracy.

Yes some of them are. Were these people top ranking officers? If not then no, they aren't, however, their memory has been altered by the CIA to make them think they picked them up from the ocean in reality that 'module' had been floating in the ocean for awhile and then US Command was told this is where they are, of course the top members of the USN already knew about this.


All of you are blind have you even seen the so called mooon rocks? They are the same rocks that you can find in Nevada.

The USSR acknoweldged it because the US did send something flying towards the moon, however, it had no men or landing equipment on board, ack in the 60's it was hard to track something as far as the moon, the USSR weren't that good.
Now we do have satellites and probes and a bunch of other things in space, and we have had men in space, however, we never went to the moon, the US successfully tricked the USSR and the world that they had gone to the moon so their was no longer any need to try and get there. The US did pretend to send a few more men to the moon but stopped in the 70's because the USSR had by this time developed the capabilities needed to track these rockets to see if it went on the moon.



Yes some of them are. Were these people top ranking officers? If not then no, they aren't, however, their memory has been altered by the CIA to make them think they picked them up from the ocean in reality that 'module' had been floating in the ocean for awhile and then US Command was told this is where they are, of course the top members of the USN already knew about this.


All of you are blind have you even seen the so called mooon rocks? They are the same rocks that you can find in Nevada.

That sounds like a conspiracy theory. You're one of them, aren't you? Who are you working for? The Moonie-men? Marvin the Martian? How many anuses have you probed?

My favorite: Belgium does not exist (http://zapatopi.net/belgium/)

I join in with them in a mocking way. Its quite fun to get people worked up over silly things.

That sounds like a conspiracy theory. You're one of them, aren't you? Who are you working for? The Moonie-men? Marvin the Martian? How many anuses have you probed?

He works for the Illuminati, you know the guys responsible for the pyramid with the eyeball on it on the one dollar bill.

I'd probably try to feed into their craziness. I might sneak around in their back yard at night, plant "bugs" in their bedroom, if I have a key to their house, leave footprints in their yard. Maybe even plant evidence in their daily lives...perhaps fake an email or something. Feed the monster.

When the UFO's came to get me I didn't believe in alien abductions either. I was proven wrong. I still have the scar where they put the implant and my anus still aches whenever I wake up from a nightmare where I relive the abduction. Later I learned that they were working with the govt. to track us and immunize us against their diseases because of the DNA changing satellites surrounding the planet are modifying our genes to create hybrids that can mate with their species. Once the plan is complete in 2012 they will start colonizing our planet and make us their sex slaves. I know it sounds far out but I have to get the word out before... oh shit I gotta go!

You explain very carefully to ******* that (1) the OP article doesn't say what the OP claims it says, (2) the OP article is inaccurate and/or misleading, and (3) facts and reason contradict the OP conclusions.

After that you just beat your head against a wall.

First, any anti-Semite is, by definition, an enemy of mine.

As regards to other theories, I tend to use reason and facts to break them down. It's the only way I know how to debate.

The sole exception is world government theories. I actually support the idea of a world government, provided it is democratic.

Death of conspiracy. (http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/True-Saber/Epic%20Lulz/ImFirinMahLazorZ.jpg)

Everyone knows that there's no such thing as conspiracy theorists or conspiracy theories. They are myths created by the Canadian government to cover up the alliance between the US, the Lunar people, and the Martians. Secretly, Marvin the Martian is the true President of the United States. Bush and Cheney are just holograms. Don't you find it odd that their names are Dick Cheney and George Bush? You think that the President and VP just happened to have those sexual-sounding names? How can you guys be so blind. Believe all you want in your mythological "conspiracy theoriests" and "conspiracy theories". I know what's really going on. :tongue:


I knew it. Is it those damned Cannucks again. They have been after us for a long time. Another example....There is only one professional baseball team in Canada; but how many Hockey teams are there in the US? And of course, the US hockey teams have to bring a lot of players from Canada!!!

:soap:

Ridicule works well.

Convince them that you're even crazier than they are! ;)

He works for the Illuminati, you know the guys responsible for the pyramid with the eyeball on it on the one dollar bill.

Pssh, yeah right. The Illuminati are a hoax perpetrated by the moonie-men to help Marvin the Martian anal probe Foghorn Leghorn. How can you not see? Has his anal probe gouged out your eyes? Did the moonie-men remove them and replace them with painted golf-balls? What gives?

i know some conspiracy theoryists, the ones that believe so terribly hard that they're right, that when trying to convince them they're wrong, they manipulate the conversation so it always turns out you're wrong. you ignore them. that's what you do.

Also, isn't one of the last sign of the impending Apocalypse is that Solomon's Temple is rebuilt?

Someone made a thread about that ages ago, it was called the Obamination of desloation (his typos) and I thought it was gonna be an Obama is the Anti-Christ thread, but it was actually about that Solomon thing.

Its quite fun to get people worked up over silly things.Isn't that *most* of the reason you come here anyway?

I've had to deal with a few loopies on issues like alien abductions etc...but by far the most disturbing group are the anti-Semites. The ones who believe in things like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion...who really, truly believe that Jews and Zionists control the world, and that those of us who scoff, are lost, and blind.

I've met some bizarre anti-Semites on the left, and in the aboriginal community. I won't even go back to a certain aboriginal forum because one of the members I used to respect has such a figurative hard-on for 'Zionists'.

But what if, say, you had a loved one, or a good friend, who started getting caught up in stupid conspiracy theories? What do you do to reach someone like that? It's such an insidious thing. How does one combat it, when facts are all assumed to be lies?

To be honest, an hour with www.skepticsannotatedbible.com will cure all conspiracy theorists I've met of their irratiuonality. I suppose an hour hunting with Dick "Headshot" Cheney is another way of "curing" them, but I'd rather take the bloodless approach.

I'm not saying that there really are ZOGS, but if there would be, I don't wanna live there.
No nation can or may be ruled only by people with one and the same belief.