What are the dangers of spreading and believing in extreme conspiracy theories?

In summary, the conversation revolves around the online comment section of a local newspaper and the extreme opinions and conspiracy theories that are often shared. The conversation touches on topics such as Obama's presidency, gun control, and conspiracy theories. The speakers express concerns about the spread of false information and the influence of hate radio on people's opinions. They also discuss the possibility of stricter gun laws and the reasons for the recent increase in gun sales.
  • #1
edward
62
166
The online version of my local paper, as do many, has a place to post an opinion addressing most of the days articles. People make posts and then argue back and forth.

It doesn't take long until the conservative wing nuts begin going off of the deep end.

From todays article about Obama receiving a letter of congratulations from Iran I found this:

110. Comment by Rat T. (rattwo) — November 7,2008 @ 4:28PM
Ratings: -2 +7

Barack Obama is a deeply troubled personality, the megalomaniac front man for a postmodern coup by the intelligence agencies, using fake polls, mobs of swarming adolescents, super-rich contributors, and orchestrated media hysteria to short-circuit normal politics and seize power. Obama comes from the orbit of the Ford Foundation, and has never won public office in a contested election. His guru and controller is Zbigniew Brzezinski, the deranged revanchist and Russia-hater who dominated the catastrophic Carter presidency 30 years ago. All indications are that Brzezinski recruited Obama at Columbia University a quarter century ago. Trilateral Commission co-founder Brzezinski wants a global showdown with Russia and China far more dangerous for the United States than the Bush-Cheney Iraq adventure. Obama's economics are pure Skull & Bones/Chicago school austerity and sacrifice for American working families, all designed to bail out the bankrupt Wall Street elitist financiers who own Obama. Obama's lemming legions and Kool-Aid cult candidacy hearken back to Italy in 1919-1922, and raise the question of postmodern fascism in the United States today. Obama is a recipe for a world tragedy. No American voter can afford to ignore the lessons contained in this book.

review of Post Modern Coup

This was probably a cut and paste from somewhere, yet is a good example of how extreme things can get with the help of hate radio. The +7 means 7 people highly agree.

Luckily this was posted late in the day for the morning paper and didn't get many reads.

Another post claims Obama is not only going to take away our guns, he is going to confiscate Bibles from homes.:rolleyes:

I guess what is on my mind is; where do these people come up with this garbage and why do they end up with positive ratings by other readers.

When I post solid facts contradicting them along with credible links, I end up with negative ratings. I am seeing enough Obama hatred that it really concerns me. Yea sure, there was a lot of Bush hate and disgust posts, but only after Bush earned it.

Obama hasn't done anything yet.

just venting
 
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  • #2
edward said:
The online version of my local paper, as do many, has a place to post an opinion addressing most of the days articles. People make posts and then argue back and forth.

It doesn't take long until the conservative wing nuts begin going off of the deep end.

From todays article about Obama receiving a letter of congratulations from Iran I found this:
This was probably a cut and paste from somewhere, yet is a good example of how extreme things can get with the help of hate radio. The +7 means 7 people highly agree.

Luckily this was posted late in the day for the morning paper and didn't get many reads.

Another post claims Obama is not only going to take away our guns, he is going to confiscate Bibles from homes.:rolleyes:

I guess what is on my mind is; where do these people come up with this garbage and why do they end up with positive ratings by other readers.

When I post solid facts contradicting them along with credible links, I end up with negative ratings. I am seeing enough Obama hatred that it really concerns me. Yea sure, there was a lot of Bush hate and disgust posts, but only after Bush earned it.

Obama hasn't done anything yet.

just venting

Cause they don't like no stinkin facts. It requires too much thinkin and they don't fancy any thinkin boy! They love their cowboy boots and their whiskey.
 
  • #3
So the communist muslim terrorist is part of a facist CIA plot to invade Russia?
 
  • #4
People really like conspiracy theories. Just listen to a couple nights of Coast to Coast.
I enjoy them myself for entertainment. I also hold asperations of using them as ideas for novels.

At any rate, I read an interesting article on the continually recycled "impending end of the world" scenario. It theorizes that people like to believe they live in interesting times, for good or ill, and want to think that they and their lives will be important in some grand fashion. I've found that this theory fits quite well for a lot of conspiracy ideas. There are no shortage of people I have run into that love to believe in conspiracy theories of one sort or another. Another element may be the insider mentality. People like to believe they know things that other people don't and can be important by spreading the word.

I heard Jesse Ventura, Governor of Minnesota, in interview just recently rant and raving about 9/11.
 
  • #5
Well, if those black helicopters weren't following me around all the time I'd say those theories were crazy.
 
  • #6
edward said:
Another post claims Obama is not only going to take away our guns,

Apparently a lot of people are worried about this. Gun sales are way up this week. People want to lay in their arsenals in advance.
 
  • #7
Gun sales were up apparently in anticipation of tighter gun laws, which would ostensibly restrict the purchase of guns, or perhaps certain types of guns.

It appears that some individuals are concerned that the government will confiscate their weapons.
 
  • #8
As for guns, Obama has only mentioned the possible restriction of assalult rifles with large ammunition clips. We had that restriction but it was allowed to expire under Bush.

I am a gun owner, but I could easily live with those restrictions. I tend to hit what I shoot at with the first shot.

Today comments in my local paper have a lot of talk about Obama's people manufacturing the economic crisis so that he could win the election.

The Topic of the Article was: Obama Holds First Press Conference. By the third post the insanity had set in. The obvious seething Obama hatred is disturbing.
 
  • #9
edward said:
Today comments in my local paper have a lot of talk about Obama's people manufacturing the economic crisis so that he could win the election.

Yeah. It must have been that pyramiding of Credit Default Swaps and the unbalanced demand for energy supplies that was instigated by the homeless and the vulnerable of society that has been marshaled against the innocent practice of unbridled capitalism in some grand conspiracy to make all of us responsible for each other.
 
  • #10
Today comments in my local paper have a lot of talk about Obama's people manufacturing the economic crisis so that he could win the election.
Good to have somebody with that kind of organisational ability in the whitehouse!
 
  • #11
I was looking at some other Obama hate sites as well. What a bunch of NUTS!

This election was a clear choice between hope, and fear.

By the time Obama runs for a second term, his detractors will have to find real issues, because by then most of this nonsense will be assigned to the insane asylum where it belongs. Enough people will by then know that Obama is a reasonable person, and a hate campaign will fall on mostly deaf ears.

The Republican Party is now defunct. The way these folks are carrying on, it may stay that way.
 
  • #12
Ivan Seeking said:
The Republican Party is now defunct. The way these folks are carrying on, it may stay that way.
McCain and Palin enthusiastically whipped up the frenzy in these nut-cases, and the constant barrage of dishonest hate-filled emails and phone calls sealed the deal. It will take a long time (if ever) to get the nuts settled down. I'd hate to be in charge of Obama's SS security detail. They are guarding the biggest target this country has ever had as president-elect.
 
  • #13
turbo-1 said:
McCain and Palin enthusiastically whipped up the frenzy in these nut-cases, and the constant barrage of dishonest hate-filled emails and phone calls sealed the deal. It will take a long time (if ever) to get the nuts settled down. I'd hate to be in charge of Obama's SS security detail. They are guarding the biggest target this country has ever had as president-elect.

Yes, it was a huge relief when Obama and his family left the stage after his acceptance speech. I was worried every time he appeared in public.

But Obama is no fool; he knows he's a target.
 
  • #14
I'm for a apathetic stance to conspiracy theorists. They don't pose any problem, leave them alone in their fantasy world.
 
  • #15
Werg22 said:
I'm for a apathetic stance to conspiracy theorists. They don't pose any problem, leave them alone in their fantasy world.

So you're proposing a conspiracy to ignore conspiracy nuts?
 
  • #16
Werg22 said:
I'm for a apathetic stance to conspiracy theorists. They don't pose any problem, leave them alone in their fantasy world.

I don't quite follow that one. They nearly cost this country the best candidate that I've ever seen. And we [my wife and I] sent Obama a lot of money to help him advertise his way beyond this nonsense. If millions like us hadn't done the same [or made nominal donations], we would likely be saying Vice President Elect Palin!
 
  • #17
I don't think that the Secret Service can afford to ignore fringe groups or conspiracy nuts, in part because if the loons believe even part of the crap they spout, they may feel they have "justification" to attempt an assassination.
 
  • #18
edward said:
As for guns, Obama has only mentioned the possible restriction of assalult rifles with large ammunition clips. We had that restriction but it was allowed to expire under Bush.

I am a gun owner, but I could easily live with those restrictions. I tend to hit what I shoot at with the first shot.

Today comments in my local paper have a lot of talk about Obama's people manufacturing the economic crisis so that he could win the election.

The Topic of the Article was: Obama Holds First Press Conference. By the third post the insanity had set in. The obvious seething Obama hatred is disturbing.

Sure we could live with additional restrictions but they are unnecessary restrictions. There is no "problem" with large capacity magazines that restrictions would be addressing. There is no reason to restrict assault weapon purchases by law abiding folks (the same old argument). It would just be a "feel good" anti-gun measure. Clinton's assault weapons ban had little to no affect on anything related to crime. It's likely the Obama would let this kind of legislation pass if introduced again. Hopefully the Dems will be too busy with IMPORTANT legislation and not run this through again.
 
  • #19
drankin said:
Sure we could live with additional restrictions but they are unnecessary restrictions. There is no "problem" with large capacity magazines that restrictions would be addressing. There is no reason to restrict assault weapon purchases by law abiding folks (the same old argument). It would just be a "feel good" anti-gun measure. Clinton's assault weapons ban had little to no affect on anything related to crime. It's likely the Obama would let this kind of legislation pass if introduced again. Hopefully the Dems will be too busy with IMPORTANT legislation and not run this through again.
Many people do not realize this, but an "assault rifle" is just a semi-automatic rifle with cosmetic features similar to those of military weapons. Quite frankly, if someone was shooting at me with a .223 cal M-16 look-alike, I'd rather be armed with my father's old Remington 742. It's a semiauto chambered in .30-06 with a 5 shot capacity. It looks like a typical hunting rifle (which it is), but is far more potent in range, accuracy, and knock-down power than the typical shoulder-fired military rifle.
 
  • #20
turbo-1 said:
Many people do not realize this, but an "assault rifle" is just a semi-automatic rifle with cosmetic features similar to those of military weapons. Quite frankly, if someone was shooting at me with a .223 cal M-16 look-alike, I'd rather be armed with my father's old Remington 742. It's a semiauto chambered in .30-06 with a 5 shot capacity. It looks like a typical hunting rifle (which it is), but is far more potent in range, accuracy, and knock-down power than the typical shoulder-fired military rifle.

I didn't realize there was another .30-06 semi-auto other than the M1-Garand. I'd like to see an "assault" style (AR-15, or FAL) chambered with .30-06. That would be a mean rifle.
 
  • #21
Clinton's assault weapons ban had little to no affect
But the British army is now equipped with it's first assault rifles- the SA80 (it was always British policy not to issue machine guns because they would waste ammunition!)
Since the purpose of a well regulated militia is to keep the redcoats out you will need assault rifles yourself.

Although perhaps not the SA80 - it's early version had a few problems.
Enough to cause one general to suggest that they supply it to the terrorists and use AK47s themselves.
 
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  • #22
drankin said:
Sure we could live with additional restrictions but they are unnecessary restrictions. There is no "problem" with large capacity magazines that restrictions would be addressing. There is no reason to restrict assault weapon purchases by law abiding folks (the same old argument). It would just be a "feel good" anti-gun measure. Clinton's assault weapons ban had little to no affect on anything related to crime. It's likely the Obama would let this kind of legislation pass if introduced again. Hopefully the Dems will be too busy with IMPORTANT legislation and not run this through again.

Here here.
 
  • #23
mgb_phys said:
But the British army is now equipped with assault rifles - the SA80 (it was always British policy not to issue machine guns because they would waste ammunition!)
During the US Civil War, the Feds did not want to issue Henry repeaters for the same reason, PLUS the fact that they could get powder and lead shot out to the troops pretty reliably, while the Henry cartridges might be hard to get at times. Still, there were brigades from Maine and Massachusetts that were tasked with defending Baltimore and Washington that WERE equipped with the Henry repeaters. The Henry rifles that bear the proof marks of the Federal inspectors bring a HUGE premium over civilian-issued rifles.
 
  • #24
I really wish Obama's victory speech on election night had started with "Yes, I am a secret Muslim."

Right now I am told by people I know living in the South that there are those who think Obama will force abortions, ban Christianity, and is literally the Anti-Christ.

It's like living in a Mel Brooks movie.
 
  • #25
WarPhalange said:
I really wish Obama's victory speech on election night had started with "Yes, I am a secret Muslim."

Right now I am told by people I know living in the South that there are those who think Obama will force abortions, ban Christianity, and is literally the Anti-Christ.

It's like living in a Mel Brooks movie.

smacks forehead...and these people get to vote?
 
  • #26
Cyrus said:
smacks forehead...and these people get to vote?

Of course, they are "Ameeerickin".
 
  • #27
drankin said:
Of course, they are "Ameeerickin".
From the "Real Ameeericka" that Palin loves so.
 
  • #28
I'm so happy that Obama won simply because its going to shut these people up after they realize there isnt going to be a redistirbution of wealth and welfare hand out checks so everyone can stop working (you must be a moron if you really think this), he isn't going to ban any religions, and he isn't the antichrist. These people are finally being put in their place, and rightly so.

Oh yeah, and he is anti-irsael but has a Rahm Emanuel, a Jew who supports isreal as a top position.

Oh yeah, and he's a muslim.

Forgot, and also an A-rab.

Oh, he's also black.

Oh, and a socialist.

Oh, and he went to terrorist madrassas as a child.

Oh, and he also learned to make bombs will Ayres at age 8.

oh, and these people who actually think this are full of you know what.
 
  • #29
Of course, it would be hilarious if it turned out he actually was the Anti-Christ.
 
  • #30
WarPhalange said:
I really wish Obama's victory speech on election night had started with "Yes, I am a secret Muslim."

Right now I am told by people I know living in the South that there are those who think Obama will force abortions, ban Christianity, and is literally the Anti-Christ.

It's like living in a Mel Brooks movie.

According to my sister-in-law; and she knows all about the Anti Christ because she told me she does, the Anti Christ will come from Rome.:devil:

According to the local wing nuts Obama is actually 50% white, 6% black and 44% Arab.

Saturday Night Live needs to straighten this all out.
 
  • #31
edward said:
According to my sister-in-law; and she knows all about the Anti Christ because she told me she does, the Anti Christ will come from Rome.:devil:
I know the anti-christ, he lives in Indiana.

According to the local wing nuts Obama is actually 50% white, 6% black and 44% Arab.
"Arab" isn't even a race. That's like saying he's 50% white, 6% black and 44% European. :uhh:

It's just mind boggling how ignorant some Americans are.
 
  • #32
Evo said:
"Arab" isn't even a race. That's like saying he's 50% white, 6% black and 44% European.
Arab is a race in the sense of a people that share a common geneological and cultural origin.
 
  • #33
Evo said:
"Arab" isn't even a race. That's like saying he's 50% white, 6% black and 44% European.
Arab is a race in the sense of a people that share a common geneological and cultural origin.
Black or white isn't a race.
 
  • #34
mgb_phys said:
Arab is a race in the sense of a people that share a common geneological and cultural origin.
That's an ethnic group.

And Kenyan's aren't Middle Eastern anyway.
 
  • #35
Evo said:
That's an ethnic group.

And Kenyan's aren't Middle Eastern anyway.
There are idiots in the US that equate religious persuasion with ethnicity, and there is no way to combat that level of ignorance.
 
<h2>1. What is an extreme conspiracy theory?</h2><p>An extreme conspiracy theory is a belief that involves an elaborate and often far-fetched explanation for a particular event or phenomenon. These theories often involve a group of people or organization that is believed to be responsible for orchestrating the event, and are often not supported by evidence or logical reasoning.</p><h2>2. How do extreme conspiracy theories spread?</h2><p>Extreme conspiracy theories can spread through various means, such as through social media, word of mouth, and online forums. They can also be perpetuated by influential individuals or organizations who have a large following and can easily spread misinformation.</p><h2>3. What are the dangers of spreading extreme conspiracy theories?</h2><p>Spreading extreme conspiracy theories can have serious consequences, including causing harm to individuals or groups who are falsely accused, creating fear and paranoia among the general public, and undermining trust in institutions and authorities. It can also lead to the spread of false information and hinder the progress of scientific research and critical thinking.</p><h2>4. Why do people believe in extreme conspiracy theories?</h2><p>There are various reasons why people may believe in extreme conspiracy theories. Some may feel a sense of comfort in having an explanation for a complex event, while others may feel a sense of belonging and community by being a part of a group that shares the same belief. Additionally, some individuals may have a tendency to distrust authority and may be more susceptible to believing in conspiracy theories.</p><h2>5. How can we combat the belief in extreme conspiracy theories?</h2><p>Combatting the belief in extreme conspiracy theories requires a multi-faceted approach. This includes promoting critical thinking skills and media literacy, providing accurate and evidence-based information, and addressing the underlying psychological and social factors that contribute to the belief in conspiracy theories. It is also important for individuals to fact-check information before sharing it and to be open to considering different perspectives and evidence.</p>

1. What is an extreme conspiracy theory?

An extreme conspiracy theory is a belief that involves an elaborate and often far-fetched explanation for a particular event or phenomenon. These theories often involve a group of people or organization that is believed to be responsible for orchestrating the event, and are often not supported by evidence or logical reasoning.

2. How do extreme conspiracy theories spread?

Extreme conspiracy theories can spread through various means, such as through social media, word of mouth, and online forums. They can also be perpetuated by influential individuals or organizations who have a large following and can easily spread misinformation.

3. What are the dangers of spreading extreme conspiracy theories?

Spreading extreme conspiracy theories can have serious consequences, including causing harm to individuals or groups who are falsely accused, creating fear and paranoia among the general public, and undermining trust in institutions and authorities. It can also lead to the spread of false information and hinder the progress of scientific research and critical thinking.

4. Why do people believe in extreme conspiracy theories?

There are various reasons why people may believe in extreme conspiracy theories. Some may feel a sense of comfort in having an explanation for a complex event, while others may feel a sense of belonging and community by being a part of a group that shares the same belief. Additionally, some individuals may have a tendency to distrust authority and may be more susceptible to believing in conspiracy theories.

5. How can we combat the belief in extreme conspiracy theories?

Combatting the belief in extreme conspiracy theories requires a multi-faceted approach. This includes promoting critical thinking skills and media literacy, providing accurate and evidence-based information, and addressing the underlying psychological and social factors that contribute to the belief in conspiracy theories. It is also important for individuals to fact-check information before sharing it and to be open to considering different perspectives and evidence.

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