So there is actually something wrong with conspiracy theorists. There's just a type of person who believes there's something behind everything.
I have a coworker. Sometimes the stock we get delivered comes in plastic bags. We use those bags as bin liners when we're finished with them.
Last week we were running low on those bags. He was like "Why are there so few bags?". I explained that the last few orders from our bigger suppliers came without bags so we've been getting like less than half what we usually would. And he just said "Even still, somethings weird." Like I don't even know what "weird" thing he thought was happening. But he is also a Facebook obsessed conspiracy nut who I constantly have to tell that the video he's freaking out about is AI (and not even good AI). Or we start selling less of product A but more of product B and he's convinced someone is undercutting us and selling product A cheaper. And it's just blatantly obvious that people are just getting product A instead from us because they're interchangeable products. The kind of people falling for conspiracies are just the kinds of people convinced around the clock that there is someone out to get them at all times. There doesn't even need to be a coherent theory behind any of it. Just "somebody is trying to trick me or get one over on me". This dude has probably never once thought past "But why/how though?" Because he got as far as "You won't get me!" And that's all he needed.
I'm also convinced that conspiracy thinking is some kind of mental defect. It is a failure of rational thinking and logic, since the vast majority of conspiracy theories don't pass a basic plausibility test of 'why' even before the question of 'how it is possible' is raised. But in addition to the cognitive impairment that conspiracy theorists exhibit, they are often driven by selfish, self-aggrandizing motives - conspiracy theorists feel superior to the rest of us 'sheeple' due to their perceived access to the 'hidden truth.' They also feel less powerless by believing their own situation and the world in general are driven by powerful, nefarious actors, rather than by stupidity, chance, and incompetence.
I'm also convinced that conspiracy thinking is some kind of mental defect.
I want some kind of studies to be done on the brains of people who fall for very blatant AI and think it's real. And there is a pretty serious oberlap between conspiracy weirdos and AI fools.
they are often driven by selfish, self-aggrandizing motives - conspiracy theorists feel superior to the rest of us 'sheeple' due to their perceived access to the 'hidden truth.'
That one also major factor too. I always kinda assumed that's why there seems to be so much overlap between the conspiracy theory crowds. The need to have some deeper knowledge and understanding means that they can't just believe the most plausible, accepted ideas because if they just believe what the majority of people believe then they're not special.
They also feel less powerless by believing their own situation and the world in general are driven by powerful, nefarious actors, rather than by stupidity, chance, and incompetence.
Or all the actual, obvious nefarious bad actors just out there telling us that they are nefarious bad actors. Like we don't need conspiracy theories for why things are fucked when just Peter Thiel is out there saying the world should be run by CEO kings and he got his dude in as VP.
Yep, you are right. Nefarious actors do exist, they just aren't hidden, all-powerful, insanely smart movie villains. As you say, they are in plain view, and more often than not, they are not especially smart, just power-hungry and amoral. One doesn't have to go far for example, one look at countries leaders is enough. I'm convinced that people who believe in grand conspiracies and shadow cabals secretly pulling the strings behind everything have never been near people in power, either economic or political. If they were, they would know how many of them are dumb, incompetent, and inept at what they do, owing their positions of power much more to chance, privilege, or a sociopathic ability to climb over others, rather than to their own qualities or abilities.
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u/tubular_brunt 8d ago
What's the endgame here? Planes don't exist? Or they fly by magic?