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Post by Vibroluxer on Mar 14, 2024 7:13:06 GMT -5
I do and I'll call her Amy. I went to high school with her but we weren't really friends and after graduation I didn't see her for about 40 years. I ran into her a couple of years ago when my sister married her brother. So now I see her at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter and she never fails to deliver "important news". One such incident resolved around Mr Trump making a vow to return all of the taxes you paid. He's pretty generous because he was also going refund your state and local taxes. She had the Jeffrey Epstein list of cohorts 3 weeks before it was released to the public. Another? Elvis, Marilyn, and Rush Limbaugh are hanging out together somewhere in the south Pacific.
The strange part is, yes there is more, she's very proud to be a conspiracy theorist. Other than this perpetually odd trait, she's raised a couple of kids anyone would be proud of and they don't share this trait. She also holds down a full time job at a national pharmacy chain where I'm guessing she doesn't inform people of the urgent info she has.
Anyway, that's bit about Amy.
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Post by Mike the marksman on Mar 14, 2024 7:22:52 GMT -5
I know a few. They all happen to be raging alcoholics or drug abusers. They get drunk/high and go down these "dark web" rabbit holes where they find out what's really going on..
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Post by slacker 🐨 on Mar 14, 2024 7:45:55 GMT -5
I know a guy who's a fringe conspiracy theorist. We had many debates over beers about many of the classics, but his big one is that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were orchestrated and perpetrated by the US government. He does agree that the world is round though, so he's got that going for him.
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Post by Pinetree on Mar 14, 2024 7:52:09 GMT -5
A buddy of mine is absolutely paranoid.. so everything is a conspiracy.
No drugs or alcohol needed.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 14, 2024 8:02:49 GMT -5
Conspiracy Theory is too general of a term and has been appropriated as a mechanism to discredit people who have naughty questions.
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Post by Leftee on Mar 14, 2024 8:09:33 GMT -5
Yeah, some close friends… actually. The number has grown in recent years. There are just certain things, in modern society, that I don’t discuss with them any more.
One close friend even laid the whole, “prove me wrong,” fallacy on me. Now we just don’t talk about certain things. And if he sneaks them in to out conversation I start talking about the weather.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 14, 2024 8:48:25 GMT -5
con·spir·a·cy noun a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.
the·o·ry noun a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained.
Two perfectly valid words when put together seem to nullify each other. Every unraveled conspiracy that proved to be true started with a theory. This doesn't mean that embracing one means an alignment with all, but the tin foil hat seems to be a "one size fits all" proposition these days. Access to information and narratives is virtually unlimited these days. We are an info addled society and to "trust" any particular narrative brings with it an element of blind faith. More often than not dark holes hold nothing but dirt. But they are a perfect place to hide dark secrets, too. Critical thinking requires analysis, even if that means nothing more than trying to understand why conspiracy theories even exist.
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Post by Mike the marksman on Mar 14, 2024 9:04:22 GMT -5
The people *I* know who fit the description don't have "questions" so much as they just want to appear clever and contrarian. They don't have any interest in actually learning anything or having their mind changed. It's pure attention seeking behavior from people who don't have much going for them.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 14, 2024 9:18:25 GMT -5
So many non-political things have become magnetic and pulled to their respective poles. There are very few things opposing adherents can say "on that we can agree" in the process of discourse. Two people can make an agreement to avoid ad hominem attacks on each other in debate but quickly find surrogates for their disdain with their opponents "sources". These sources often involve statistics. From my place of employment all the way up to more grandiose things I have become aware of what I call statistical shadow puppetry. The objective of manipulating data presented as empirical evidence to project a predetermined conclusion.
It's hard to land on a comfortable conclusion these days. Maybe that's just how the aliens want us to be. 🤣
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DrKev
Wholenote
It's just a guitar, it's not rocket science.
Posts: 418
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Post by DrKev on Mar 14, 2024 9:27:38 GMT -5
I knew a guy who told me the CIA were listening to my conversations through my computer screen (the big old CRTs) because of "EM waves". He started by asking me how (because I was a physicist) but then quickly dig down and told me I was wrong because I said (nicely) that someone was spinning him a fairytale. Fabulous musician, a sweet sweet man who pulled through some very tough times so I'm full of admiration for him, but when he starts those conversations, ya just gotta walkaway. But I do think it's important to say "listen, I love spending time with you and you're a great person, but when you start these kinda conversations with me I'm ain't sticking around". Same with the old racist/homophobe family/friends too. It's important we pull the plug and let them know why. "Don't rock the boat" be damned.
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Post by ninworks on Mar 14, 2024 9:32:10 GMT -5
There are just certain things, in modern society, that I don’t discuss with them any more. I wish more people would come to that realization and put it into practice. All to often people with strong opinions about things turn about every conversation into something that accesses one of those those topics and then the hailstorm starts pouring from their lips. Personally, I'm not interested and don't want to hear it. Even if I agree with you. If you insist then my 50 caliber mouth will go off and it's not going to be pleasant for anyone.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 14, 2024 9:47:58 GMT -5
Personally, I'm not interested and don't want to hear it. Even if I agree with you. If you insist then my 50 caliber mouth will go off and it's not going to be pleasant for anyone. Ain't that the truth. I've seen friendships and families torn by the process. I have a friend who has a fractured relationship with the sibling who donated them a kidney years back. From my vantage point both contributed to the rift. I sit back and wonder how it all came down to this.
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Post by Mike the marksman on Mar 14, 2024 10:02:41 GMT -5
Everything is... weird right now. Everybody is trying to make sense of it, many (most?) are struggling to do so.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Mar 14, 2024 10:12:28 GMT -5
Well personally I think it all comes down to information overload and the tendency to become addicted to the process. I’ve likened the internet and the news to opening your window and looking down your street. But instead of seeing your neighborhood you see every vile thing from Tacoma to Timbuktu, all at once. It’s Pippin looking into the Palantir, to use a lame LOTR analogy. The internet has created an irrevocable shift in how we process information. Maybe we’re in the throes of an ugly stage of inevitable evolution that’ll require some time to adapt.
Being serious, I’m not defending “conspiracy theorists”, just pointing out that it has become a reflexive pejorative to dismiss anyone who doesn’t agree with you. (or rather, questions the common narrative.)
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Post by RufusTeleStrat on Mar 14, 2024 10:46:44 GMT -5
So just imagine a world where there was complete honesty about all the conspiracy topics. The reality is probably much worse, or more nefarious that what even they believe.
Speculation is a great thing, but solves nothing.
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Post by Taildragger on Mar 14, 2024 11:53:09 GMT -5
One of my wife's lady friends is convinced that aliens walk among us.
Just to clarify: in this instance, that means "beings from outer space", not "people from other countries"...
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tomcaster
Halfnote
Posts: 91
Formerly Known As: strat-hacker
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Post by tomcaster on Mar 14, 2024 13:44:28 GMT -5
two conspiracy guys die in a car crash. They get to heaven and meet St. Peter at the gates. He welcomes them and they are excited and ask can me meet god? Of course. They meet him and say we have a really important question that we would like the answer to. OK-what's the question? What happened on 9/11? Did the government do this? God explains no, it was Bin Laden and there is no conspiracy. One guy turns to the other-"This is bigger than we thought."
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chucksmi
Wholenote
Posts: 174
Formerly Known As: Offshore Angler elsewhere
Age: I saw Jerry Live
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Post by chucksmi on Mar 14, 2024 15:04:54 GMT -5
I do, they swear there's a huge difference between maple and rosewood, and that rosewood sounds "darker".
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Post by ninworks on Mar 14, 2024 15:37:56 GMT -5
I do, they swear there's a huge difference between maple and rosewood, and that rosewood sounds "darker". BLASPHEMY!!!
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Post by Vibroluxer on Mar 14, 2024 16:02:04 GMT -5
two conspiracy guys die in a car crash. They get to heaven and meet St. Peter at the gates. He welcomes them and they are excited and ask can me meet god? Of course. They meet him and say we have a really important question that we would like the answer to. OK-what's the question? What happened on 9/11? Did the government do this? God explains no, it was Bin Laden and there is no conspiracy. One guy turns to the other-"This is bigger than we thought." Thanks, that was great and I'm going to read it to Amy, who was mentioned above.
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Post by Taildragger on Mar 14, 2024 16:49:21 GMT -5
Some say that sunburst is...
...the Sign of the Devil!
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Post by LeftyMeister on Mar 14, 2024 18:01:17 GMT -5
Just because it’s labeled a conspiracy doesn’t mean it’s not true. Lol!
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Post by Leftee on Mar 15, 2024 5:33:59 GMT -5
I think social media exacerbates the whole conspiracy theory situation. The nature of the algorithms is such that a confirmation bias chamber is built specially-tailored for you. Critical thinking is out the window when folks enter into the echo chamber. We’re fed what keeps us focused on the screen.
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Post by LeftyMeister on Mar 15, 2024 7:18:37 GMT -5
That’s true. There are also groups who intentionally disseminate misinformation to keep the masses confused and on their heels.
On the other side, there’s the gaslighting dynamic. When someone is not living right, and they know they’re not living right, and then when someone else points it out, they’re labeled as crazy or conspiracy theorist.
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Post by samspade on Mar 15, 2024 19:27:04 GMT -5
Conspiracy theories used to be cool, especially the ones where you really couldn't prove or disprove. Today's are basically lies, that with a little logic and 'FACTS', you can easily disprove. But...some people fiercely believe these and you can't convince them otherwise.
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Post by Leftee on Mar 15, 2024 19:46:51 GMT -5
“I just made some crazy claims. Prove me wrong!”
This stuff has been around forever, mostly on the fringes. But these days it’s everywhere.
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Post by LTB on Mar 15, 2024 20:15:12 GMT -5
Yeah, a brother in law. The world is flat and they’ve been lying to us. Doesn’t matter if you tell them then how do you explain ships disappearing over the horizon and flying in a plane how there is a curve to the atmosphere and the land and if there is a ship that gets near the edge do they just fall off. Doesn’t matter what you say he claims he has a reason but will have to get together sometime and he will explain. I do not waste my time. j Everything it seems has a conspiracy. Oh and the weirdest some subscribe to is we are actually part of a computer simulation and every once in a while there is a glitch. Give me a break 😂
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Post by thefarmcaster on Mar 15, 2024 21:15:27 GMT -5
Well, given the amount of outright lies, scams and frauds run on the people for the last 50 years, you might as well make up whatever you want.
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Post by funkykikuchiyo on Mar 15, 2024 21:16:21 GMT -5
con·spir·a·cy noun a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful. the·o·ry noun a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained. Two perfectly valid words when put together seem to nullify each other. Every unraveled conspiracy that proved to be true started with a theory. This doesn't mean that embracing one means an alignment with all, but the tin foil hat seems to be a "one size fits all" proposition these days. Access to information and narratives is virtually unlimited these days. We are an info addled society and to "trust" any particular narrative brings with it an element of blind faith. More often than not dark holes hold nothing but dirt. But they are a perfect place to hide dark secrets, too. Critical thinking requires analysis, even if that means nothing more than trying to understand why conspiracy theories even exist. If I'm not mistaken, the term came into use after the Kennedy assassination to dismiss speculation about what happened. The truth is that conspiracies are real. Sometimes the conspiracy is the the occam's razor, most reasonable explanation. The mafia is real, political corruption is real, people have lied to us. Sometimes really far out things turn out to be true, too. Who would've guessed Epstein's island was a real thing? One of my favorite examples of this is how recently there were little hearings about UFO activity. What is the explanation that ISN'T a "conspiracy theory"? The three most likely explanations are: 1. There are aliens, and the government has been hiding them. 2. No aliens, but military is testing stuff and is okay with us thinking it is aliens to protect the secrets. 3. None of these are true, but the gov't wanted a headline news story to push other stuff off of coverage (a couple of these things coincided with major Hunter Biden stories, for example). Which one of those three opinions could I voice loudly and confidently and NOT be a conspiracy theorist? I don't see any explanation for UFOs that doesn't involve a "conspiracy". We're just picking our own flavor. The problem is when people get addicted to the idea of being the insider, the one who knows everything and pities everyone else for falling for all of the lies. These are the Dale Gribble people, who won't accept the most reasonable explanation for anything. Then there are the kind I've worked with that will see a couple YouTube videos and be true believers pretty quickly. I think people get tired of being lied to, and are desperate for a way to feel like they've found some truth. Me? Start with the most reasonable explanations and work your way up... but don't eliminate the possibility that the outlandish explanation could be the true one just because someone labels it a "conspiracy theory"; there's a non-zero chance it is being attacked that way because they don't want you asking those questions. Also, try to remember "don't attribute to malevolence what can still be explained by incompetence".
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Post by LeftyMeister on Mar 16, 2024 6:32:31 GMT -5
The world is flat and they’ve been lying to us. Doesn’t matter if you tell them then how do you explain ships disappearing over the horizon and flying in a plane how there is a curve to the atmosphere and the land and if there is a ship that gets near the edge do they just fall off. Yep! I've actually met some flat earthers. As a sailor back in the day, explaining the 3-mile horizon to them at sea level, they'll say it's an optical illusion or mirage. But when you travel that three miles and the horizon moves, they have no explanation. *rolls eyes*
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