63% percent of registered voters in the U.S. buy into at least one political conspiracy theory

[mr blur]

CONSPIRACY THEORIES PROSPER:
25% OF AMERICANS ARE “TRUTHERS”

Sixty-three percent of registered voters in the U.S. buy into at least one political
conspiracy theory, according to results from a recent Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind
Poll. The nationwide survey of registered voters asked Americans to evaluate four different
political conspiracy theories: 56 percent of Democrats and 75 percent of Republicans say that at
least one is likely true. This includes 36 percent who think that President Obama is hiding
information about his background and early life, 25 percent who think that the government knew
about 9/11 in advance, and 19 percent who think the 2012 Presidential election was stolen.
Generally, the more people know about current events, the less likely they are to believe in
conspiracy theories – but not among Republicans, where more knowledge leads to greater belief
in political conspiracies.

The most popular of these conspiracy theories is the belief that President Obama is hiding
important information about his background and early life, which would include what’s often
referred to “birtherism.” Thirty-six percent of Americans think this is probably true, including 64
percent of Republicans and 14 percent of Democrats.

“This conspiracy theory is much more widely believed mostly because it’s been
discussed so often,” said Dan Cassino, a professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson
University and an analyst for the poll. “People tend to believe that where there’s smoke, there’s
fire – so the more smoke they see, the more likely they are to believe that something is going
on.”

<snip>

http://www.scribd.com/doc/120815791/Fairleigh-Dickinson-poll-on-conspiracy-theories

Astonishing. (or is it?)

[EvolveOrConvolve]

1. We are so screwed

Most Americans lack even the most basic critical thinking skills, and in some groups (right wing r's for example), critical thinking is even derided as a bad thing. And while liberals tend towards far better critical thinking skills, as this poll suggests, we're not immune.

[TZ]

3. almost half the country

thinks evolution is "only a theory", so this is not a shock.

[Angleae]

2. If they polled DU members, it would be at 90+%

One of the questions was whether the 2004 election was stolen.

[progressoid]

4. Is this just an American phenom?

Do other nations have this problem too?

Maybe we watch too many spy movies.

[LeftishBrit]

5. It depends how you define a political conspiracy theory...

but the right-wing media have certainly pushed some in the UK. Notably all sorts of conspiracy theories about the death of Princess Diana, pushed especially by the Daily Express. The Express is particularly bad for such things; not long ago they claimed that Islamic terrorists, posing as street cleaners, were plotting to kill the Pope - this appeared not to be true at all.

The Daily Mail in particular spread all the allegations about the MMR causing autism, and this being covered up by the government.

[progressoid]

6. Oh yeah, I forgot about the Diana thing.

And I do remember quite a few Middle Eastern versions of our truthers.

[mr blur]

7. Yeah, but everybody knows, really, that MI5 didn't kill Diana,

It was Prince Philip.

Because he's a 13' shape-shifting lizard.

[onager]

10. No, other countries can be just as goofy.

I lived in Egypt from 2005-2009 and learned...

1. In the 1967 Six Day War, all the Israeli aircraft were flown by American pilots.

2. Ditto for the 1973 Yom Kippur War. And Egypt/Syria HAD THAT ONE WON!!1! (I visited the Cairo Museum of the 1973 War. It only covers the first few days of the war, and I've been told that's all schools cover in teaching it, as well. That's the part where the Egyptians crossed the Suez Canal, which really was quite a stunning military maneuver. But they don't teach the later events, where Israel crossed the Canal in the south and nearly went all the way to Cairo.)

3. No one died in any plane crashes on 9/11. All 4 aircraft were empty and remotely piloted, in a joint anti-Muslim operation planned for years by the CIA and Mossad.

I heard that one, and many variations, from a LOT of Egyptians.

5. I also lived in Saudi Arabia for 2 years. Where I heard that the Holocaust never happened. Frequently.

Just for the record, I very rarely heard flat-out anti-Semitism from Egyptians. Many of them certainly hate Israel as a state and wish it would disappear. But they would also talk about the Holocaust as a horrible event that should not happen to anyone. Or ever again. In Saudi Arabia, OTOH, more than once I heard "Hitler was right."

In both countries, the newsstands sell all sorts of conspiracy-theory pamphlets and books. Including that old favorite, "Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion." In Egypt that one was available in a cheap but expensive-looking hardback, with many helpful illustrations. The price/quality ratio led me to believe someone was subsidizing the printing and distribution. I probably don't need to invent my own conspiracy theory to figure out who...

ON EDIT: I saw the date on the OP and...uh...misread the year. Sorry. Sometime around November I will figure out the year is 2014 now...

[progressoid]

11. Conspiracy theories are timeless!

And clearly, global.

I have a high school classmate who has lived in various places in the Middle East. I hadn't seen her for many years. When she told me of all the places they had lived, I joked, "not Saudi Arabia?" She said, "Oh no!", but didn't go into detail about why they didn't want to live.

Funny thing is, she and her family now live in Iran and she said it's "quite nice".

[LeftishBrit]

12. Indeed!

[Archae]

8. I'm not looking forward to this November, except for Dr Who.

Any and every wack job blaming the illuminati/CIA/Johnson/Castro/etc for John F Kennedy's killing.

It just doesn't dawn on these people that Oswald was a far-left glory hound, who wanted to kill those who he was convinced were anti-Castro, and that included JFK.

[De Leonist]

9. Would you folks call Political Corruption a conspiracy theory?

This being D.U. it's easy enough to find a good amount of evidence for it. I mean is it really crazy to believe that for whatever reason that a small group of extremely wealthy people have been funding campaigns to game the laws in their favor over everyone else ?

[LeftishBrit]

14. No; political corruption is unfortunately not a 'conspiracy theory'

Last edited Sat Mar 15, 2014, 05:36 AM - Edit history (1)

'is it really crazy to believe that for whatever reason that a small group of extremely wealthy people have been funding campaigns to game the laws in their favor over everyone else ?'


Unfortunately, it is not crazy to believe that. Happens all the time!

Actually, except for those that feature alien lizards and the like, it is not crazy to believe a conspiracy theory. What is 'crazy' is to refuse to accept any evidence against it. Or to fit it in with racist worldviews.

[Reter]

13. I'm surprised the number isn't higher, like 90%

I thought almost everyone believed in at least one conspiracy. Me for example? I believe the 2004 election was stolen.

Now, with the 2000 election, I don't think it was a conspiracy to steal it from the start. Why? I believe Bush and his team thought they had Florida in the bag and were surprised when they found out it was a virtual tie. However, after the election, they did everything in their power to stop the recounts, because Gore would have won.

[yellowcanine]

18. But there is some evidence that Democratic voters were improperly removed from votor rolls in

2000 in Florida. That is election fraud and Jeb Bush was smack dab in the middle of it and should be asked about it if he runs for President in 2016. http://www.salon.com/2000/12/04/voter_file/

[LiberalAndProud]

15. This OP has me puzzled.

I consciously try to apply skepticism in all things, including unthinking rejection of ideas because they can be labeled conspiracy theories. Some theories are so outlandish they should be dismissed out of hand. Still, I think it's important to remind ourselves that some conspiracies have been found to be true in the end.

What is skeptical or scientific about taking the view that all conspiracy theories are bunk?

http://listverse.com/2013/05/02/10-nefarious-conspiracies-proven-true/

[yellowcanine]

17. Exactly. Nixon involved in Watergate cover-up, for example.

In fall of 1972 this was considered to be a wild eyed Democratic wet dream.

[yellowcanine]

16. Problem with this is all conspiracy theories are not created equal.

The 2004 Ohio election results are included for example, as is the 2012 presidential election results. But in 2004 there were exit polls suggesting that Kerry was carrying Ohio. In 2012 there were no such exit polls so it is a false equivalence to treat 2004 and 2012 equally in terms of belief in possible election fraud. And to compare either one of them with 9-11 Truthers or Obama Birthers is really not justified. With electronic voting election fraud is at least possible whereas 9-11 Truthers and Obama Birthers are far fetched improbabilities.