DarkNacht wrote:Conspiracy theories are like religions..
I don't really disagree with you, it is probably much like you say. I would want to point out that every conspiracy theory is motivated by something. Someone sees something and asks a question and it doesn't get answered. Unsatisfied people go looking for answers and then these things are created. Evidence vise there usually is not much to show. If for example 9/11 would be a conspiracy, i would think the guys behind it would do everything possible to hide it. So there would be very little evidence.
Feone wrote:My experience with "conspiracy theorists" has been that they certainly don't think very critical at all. Anything in support of the "conventional" point gets rejected by default, whereas anything supporting the alternate view is immediately accepted. Anyone contesting their point is labled a sheep and subsequently ignored. Which is basically the exact same thing this article accuses the conventional viewpoint of.
Well we are all seeking the truth in the end. We are just going about it slightly differently. I would personally probably be labeled as quite gullible, but even i do have filters. If i mirror what you said on me i would have to say that i do reason very much like that, i don't accept completely everything but most of it. I do think that many of us are without knowing quite evangelized towards either science or religion. I would like to say that i am somewhere in the middle and taking out the parts that i find useful. There is a lot of bad things that i believe have been poorly done on both sides. So it's only natural to filter out the crap.
As a believer of most conspiracies i have to remind you that what i do write is not of ill intent. It's there to show you that there is a alternative explanation to everything. Either it's backed by scientific facts or not. But it has still been reasoned logically to some degree as far as it can. It's in your hands to chose if you want to believe it a little a bit or more. At the very least i think it would be healthy and rational to keep and open mind even if all conventional "evidence" points that the conspiracy theory is false, that despite all lack of evidence the theory could still have merit in some way. It does feel like most don't wan't to keep that open mind, they wan't to say no and be over with it.
It certainly won't change my life much by thinking like that.. with a open mind that is, and not towards the worse, in fact i think it is beneficial. I would probably just keep my eyes more open and see if anything presents itself that shows that something is going on, also generally be more skeptic towards what the mainstream is up to. This skepticism helps me to be more objective and not sucking it up blindly to everything i have or don't have to be a part of. I include my own perspective much more often to find out that if what was "decided" is good for me or not. I think everyone should do this.