Washington Blog
THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2009
Yes, Conspiracy Theorists ARE Crazy
Many people have given talks, and written articles and books about how "conspiracies" are a well-recognized legal principal, about documented conspiracies throughout history, and about the overwhelming evidence that some recent events were conspiracies.
But it has just dawned on me that - much of the time - the opposite approach might be more effective.
First, let me summarize the suggested approach, and then I'll explain why it works.
An ExampleYou start speaking about 9/11.
They guy you're talking with immediately says "Conspiracy theorists are crazy!"
Instead of getting defensive, you respond:
Yeah, conspiracy theorists are crazy. Little green men on the moon, and all that craziness. Some people are gullible!Why This Works
But here, the 9/11 Commissioners themselves say the government lied about what happened on 9/11. The senior counsel to the 9/11 Commission - John Farmer - said"At some level of the government, at some point in time...there was an agreement not to tell the truth about what happened".And the co-chairs of the Commission - Republican Kean and Democrat Hamilton - said that the military's lies to the Commission were so bad that the Commissionconsidered recommending criminal charges for willfully lying.
And ...
People make snap judgments about others. Salesmen, dating experts and trial lawyers tell you that first impressions are very important.
Moreover, people tend to like those who are like themselves. If you come across as being completely different, people will often take a dislike to you.
Moreover, the fear of being labeled a "conspiracy theorist" has been so thoroughly taught to the American public that many people automatically discard any theory that even sounds like a conspiracy theory.
Instead of trying to fight this wave, it is better to surf with it. If you start off by dissing crazy conspiracy theorists, and then launch into the authorities who say the official explanation cannot be true (such as this in regards to 9/11), then you will sidestep the whole us-versus-them defense against conspiracy theories.
And remember, there really are some crazy conspiracy theorists. Have you ever had street people yell at you that you killed Elvis, or that you and the CIA are out to get them or some other nutty thing?
Have you ever heard that claim by mass murderer that devil worshippers were broadcasting messages to kill into his skull?
Some people really are crazy, and crazy people tend to spout crazy theories.
You may know the facts so well that you know it is obvious that there was a conspiracy, and that anyone who doesn't see it is an idiot or a fool. But you have to look at things from the other guy's perspective. How does he know that you're not one of the crazies? Until you show him otherwise, he doesn't.
So you want to distinguish yourself right off the bat from these nutters, so that your listener can put you in the "not a nut" category in their mind.
This insight came to me today when I was speaking with an intelligent person about 9/11. He asked me "don't you think that a person who sees a picture of a frisbee and is convinced that it is a U.F.O. also thinks that everyone else is blind to the truth?"
His question made me realize that I had to distinguish myself from the frisbee person before he would listen to anything else I had to say. I could have mentioned the many psychiatrists and psychologists who say that those who question 9/11 are the sane ones, but - in a verbal conversation - there is not always time for that. Unless we instantly can distinguish ourselves as not-nuts, we may push the person we are trying to persuade into a defensive position of shutting out all "conspiracy theories".
More on this topic (What's this?)
S&P Fires First Shot In Upcoming California Economic Collapse (Zero Hedge, 6/16/09)
Actually, The Revolution Will Be Televised (Zero Hedge, 6/16/09)
The Big Wipeout (Financial Armageddon, 6/11/09)
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