Post by diogenes on Nov 21, 2004 16:54:22 GMT -5
Do You Believe in Conspiracies?
I often hear people proudly boast, “I don’t believe in conspiracy theories”, as if they are boasting that they don’t have an alcohol problem. There is a widespread attitude that conspiracy theories are a symptom of a paranoid mind. My brother’s wife made the wisecrack to me, “Seen any black helicopters lately?”
One reason people dislike conspiracy theories is because they cause fights between the conspiracy theorists and the accused. The people accused of the conspiracy always insist that they are innocent. The fights can become unpleasant and confusing, and that causes a lot of people to avoid getting involved.
Was there a Conspiracy to sell Tobacco?
For example, did executives of tobacco companies conspire to hide information about the dangers of tobacco? Some people say yes, in which case we could describe it as a conspiracy to deceive the American people about the dangers of tobacco. However, the tobacco executives insist they are innocent.
Was there a Conspiracy to Destroy Trains?
For a more complex example, in the 1930’s, executives from General Motors, Firestone, and Standard Oil formed a company called the National City Lines which used buses from General Motors, tires from Firestone, and fuel from the Standard Oil company. Some people accuse National City Lines and several other corporations of being part of a conspiracy to destroy the electric trains that were developing in America at that time.
In 1949 our government convicted several of those corporations of violating antitrust laws. However, there is still a dispute over whether they merely violated a few laws, or whether they were part of a conspiracy to destroy the electric trains.
It should be obvious that America’s train system is among the worst in the world. The latest trains of Europe and Japan look like something from a science-fiction movie. Some European trains are reaching speeds of 185 miles per hour, and China is experimenting with a train that can go even faster.
Why are American trains so crummy? Is it because of a conspiracy to destroy trains? Or is it because the American people just don’t care about trains?
We may never know exactly why our train system is pathetic because the people accused of conspiring to destroy it are certain to insist that there was no conspiracy, even if there was. Every conspiracy theory results in a confusing fight between the people making the accusations and the people insisting that they are innocent.
I think another reason people avoid conspiracy theories is because when they convince themselves that there is no such thing as conspiracies, they don’t have to worry about them. When a person refuses to believe in conspiracies, he can ignore the evidence on the grounds that it is paranoid nonsense. He doesn’t have to bother reading books or watching videos, nor does he have to think about or discuss how to make a better nation. Refusing to consider conspiracies is taking the easy and irresponsible path in life.
Everybody Believes In Conspiracy Theories
Even though most people ridicule conspiracy theories, almost everybody believes in at least one conspiracy. However, if the majority of people believe in a conspiracy, it is considered a “fact” or a “sensible government policy” rather than a conspiracy.
For example, millions of Americans believe South Americans and Mexicans are making us use drugs. I would refer to this as the “Drug Dealer Conspiracy” because it claims a group of people are conspiring to make us use drugs.
There are so many Americans who believe in the Drug Dealer Conspiracy that our government spends millions of dollars each year trying to arrest the dealers. We also spend money on the spraying of herbicides on drug crops in South America. Many people refer to this as a War On Drugs.
Occasionally policemen, customs agents, and other people die in the process of protecting us from drugs. I would describe their deaths as foolish wastes of life, but most people consider their deaths to be noble sacrifices for the American people.
I would describe the Drug Dealer Conspiracy as a stupid theory because drug dealers cannot make us use drugs. By comparison, the theory that electric trains were destroyed by group of corporate executives is entirely possible because those executives were capable of interfering with the development of trains.
However, since most Americans believe in the Drug Dealer Conspiracy, it is not considered a conspiracy, nor is it considered stupid. Rather, it is considered a “sensible government policy to protect Americans from drugs”.
I can’t help but wonder how ridiculous the situation has to be before the majority of Americans realize how stupid this war on drugs is. For example, what if some South Americans began offering Do-It-Yourself Lobotomy Kits. If millions of Americans were buying these kits, and then giving themselves lobotomies, would you demand we start a War On The Lobotomy Kits? Would you complain that the South American Lobotomy Pushers are destroying the American people?
If a policemen died in the process of trying to stop the Lobotomy Pushers, would you describe his death as a great sacrifice to the American people? Or would you say he was a fool who threw his life away?
Continued~
I often hear people proudly boast, “I don’t believe in conspiracy theories”, as if they are boasting that they don’t have an alcohol problem. There is a widespread attitude that conspiracy theories are a symptom of a paranoid mind. My brother’s wife made the wisecrack to me, “Seen any black helicopters lately?”
One reason people dislike conspiracy theories is because they cause fights between the conspiracy theorists and the accused. The people accused of the conspiracy always insist that they are innocent. The fights can become unpleasant and confusing, and that causes a lot of people to avoid getting involved.
Was there a Conspiracy to sell Tobacco?
For example, did executives of tobacco companies conspire to hide information about the dangers of tobacco? Some people say yes, in which case we could describe it as a conspiracy to deceive the American people about the dangers of tobacco. However, the tobacco executives insist they are innocent.
Was there a Conspiracy to Destroy Trains?
For a more complex example, in the 1930’s, executives from General Motors, Firestone, and Standard Oil formed a company called the National City Lines which used buses from General Motors, tires from Firestone, and fuel from the Standard Oil company. Some people accuse National City Lines and several other corporations of being part of a conspiracy to destroy the electric trains that were developing in America at that time.
In 1949 our government convicted several of those corporations of violating antitrust laws. However, there is still a dispute over whether they merely violated a few laws, or whether they were part of a conspiracy to destroy the electric trains.
It should be obvious that America’s train system is among the worst in the world. The latest trains of Europe and Japan look like something from a science-fiction movie. Some European trains are reaching speeds of 185 miles per hour, and China is experimenting with a train that can go even faster.
Why are American trains so crummy? Is it because of a conspiracy to destroy trains? Or is it because the American people just don’t care about trains?
We may never know exactly why our train system is pathetic because the people accused of conspiring to destroy it are certain to insist that there was no conspiracy, even if there was. Every conspiracy theory results in a confusing fight between the people making the accusations and the people insisting that they are innocent.
I think another reason people avoid conspiracy theories is because when they convince themselves that there is no such thing as conspiracies, they don’t have to worry about them. When a person refuses to believe in conspiracies, he can ignore the evidence on the grounds that it is paranoid nonsense. He doesn’t have to bother reading books or watching videos, nor does he have to think about or discuss how to make a better nation. Refusing to consider conspiracies is taking the easy and irresponsible path in life.
Everybody Believes In Conspiracy Theories
Even though most people ridicule conspiracy theories, almost everybody believes in at least one conspiracy. However, if the majority of people believe in a conspiracy, it is considered a “fact” or a “sensible government policy” rather than a conspiracy.
For example, millions of Americans believe South Americans and Mexicans are making us use drugs. I would refer to this as the “Drug Dealer Conspiracy” because it claims a group of people are conspiring to make us use drugs.
There are so many Americans who believe in the Drug Dealer Conspiracy that our government spends millions of dollars each year trying to arrest the dealers. We also spend money on the spraying of herbicides on drug crops in South America. Many people refer to this as a War On Drugs.
Occasionally policemen, customs agents, and other people die in the process of protecting us from drugs. I would describe their deaths as foolish wastes of life, but most people consider their deaths to be noble sacrifices for the American people.
I would describe the Drug Dealer Conspiracy as a stupid theory because drug dealers cannot make us use drugs. By comparison, the theory that electric trains were destroyed by group of corporate executives is entirely possible because those executives were capable of interfering with the development of trains.
However, since most Americans believe in the Drug Dealer Conspiracy, it is not considered a conspiracy, nor is it considered stupid. Rather, it is considered a “sensible government policy to protect Americans from drugs”.
I can’t help but wonder how ridiculous the situation has to be before the majority of Americans realize how stupid this war on drugs is. For example, what if some South Americans began offering Do-It-Yourself Lobotomy Kits. If millions of Americans were buying these kits, and then giving themselves lobotomies, would you demand we start a War On The Lobotomy Kits? Would you complain that the South American Lobotomy Pushers are destroying the American people?
If a policemen died in the process of trying to stop the Lobotomy Pushers, would you describe his death as a great sacrifice to the American people? Or would you say he was a fool who threw his life away?
Continued~