On the hunt for a conspiracy theory

[applegrove]

On the hunt for a conspiracy theory

By Frank Furedi

"CANTERBURY, ENGLAND – Conspiracy theory has captured the public imagination. Often we are less interested in what politicians say or do than in attempting to decipher the hidden agenda that motivates their behavior.

Every Supreme Court nomination turns into a search for the skeleton in the closet or a trace of a conspiracy. No sooner was Harriet Miers nominated before rumors suggested that President Bush used her as a fall guy whose failed nomination would make it more difficult for liberals to discredit her more conservative replacement. The president may have more than one conspiracy up his sleeve. It has been suggested that the avian flu scare is promoted by the White House to distract the nation from a messy war in Iraq. Others hint that the pharmaceutical industry is behind it to profit from an explosion of demand for flu vaccines.

Conspiracy theories are now so influential that the US State Department's website desperately tries to contain the damage these theories cause to the reputation of the United States. It recognizes that conspiracy theories have "a great appeal and are often widely believed." Indeed, the theory that American foreign policy is the outcome of a carefully elaborated secret plot concocted by a cabal of neoconservatives is widely believed both inside and outside the US. Preoccupation with conspiracies is no longer confined to the margins. Virtually every unexpected event provokes a climate of suspicion that breeds rumors and conspiracies.

....Snip"

http://csmonitor.com/2005/1116/p09s01-coop.html

[applegrove]

1. This for all those who think bin Laden was not capable of 9/11. As to

other speculation - well I say untill you have a smoking gun you don't know.

The trick is to be discerning.

Downing street is a smoking gun. We see much evidence of electoral malfesance - though no smoking gun on diebold massive vote switching yet.

Hard. You grow up expecting adults to act a certain way and then you get the hell exploited out of you and try and navigate that.

The good news is you get better over time being discerning. And then you begin to win the war on the truth. With truth.

Happy 2006 everyone! We are getting there.

[beam me up scottie]

2. Excellent article !!!

Conspiracy theory offers an explanation of the causes and motives for otherwise inexplicable developments. Such theories are appealing because they provide us with a semblance of control over powerful forces that influence our lives. Today, acts of misfortune are frequently associated with intentional malevolent behavior. Nothing happens by accident. Human malevolence is suspected to be at work behind the death of Princess Diana in a car crash, or a sudden electrical blackout. Unexplained illnesses or a spillage of chemicals are frequently blamed on the self-serving irresponsible acts of politicians, public and business figures, doctors, scientists - indeed all professionals.

People always search for meaning. But in our confused and ever changing world we feel particularly perplexed when it comes to making sense of the problems that confront us. One of the most important ways in which an absence of meaning is experienced is the feeling that the individual is manipulated and influenced by hidden powerful forces - not just by spin-doctors, subliminal advertising, and the media, but also by powers that have no name. That is why we frequently attribute unexplained physical and psychological symptoms to unspecific forces caused by the food we eat, the water we drink, an extending variety of pollutants and substances transmitted by new technologies and other invisible processes. As a result, global warming is not simply a climatic phenomenon but an all-purpose evil that can account for a bewildering variety of destructive events.

He says that the "simplistic worldview of conspiracy thinking"

displaces a critical engagement with public life with a destructive search for the hidden agenda. It distracts from the clarification of genuine differences and helps turn public life into a theater where what matters are the private lives and personal interests of mistrusted politicians.

[applegrove]

3. The worst thing you can do with nefarious WH bent on lies and agenda

is knee jerk.

We must be all adult and fight for the truth with might, intellect, empathy & discernment.

And talk about the issue like WAr and health care or "role of government" with nuance.

Fear is something they use to divide. We have to try and overcome them. So they cannot use the fear we feel against us. And make us look loopy.

Very, very hard to do.

But with time. We heal. And we fight smarter and discuss the real issues.

Critical, critical, critical, critical we must be. Criticle of ourselves, and others. Exacting. Discerning. Demanding. Mighty!

[beam me up scottie]

5. I completely agree.

I wonder how many of the conspiracy theorists actually spread the really paranoid batshit theories to make the left look ridiculous.

Like how the government "manufactures" hurricanes and earthquakes.:banghead:

[global1]

4. I Think This Article By Mr. Furedi Is A Conspiracy To Make People....

think that their are no conspiracies and that everything just happens without forethought or malice. It is just our imagination - no people sitting in a back room, smoking cigars and making decisions that will effect all of us. The only damage the reputation of the United States has taken was and is being dished out to us by *Co and the Neocon thugs. No conspiracy, no coincidence and all choreographed.

[beam me up scottie]

6. Yeah. That's exactly what he's doing.

But never fear, you're on to him. :eyes:

[papau]

8. Lol - thanks - I needed the smile - Happy New Year to everyone!

:-)

[beam me up scottie]

11. Back at'cha, papau!

;)

[applegrove]

9. Actually it is normal for people exploited to look to the theories. To

be paranoid after being exploited is normal. And then you have to go on the facts. And hope that you over-estimated. And if you didn't - you are in deep shit indeed.

But you have to go on the facts after the time you have been exploited.

You have to.

[beam me up scottie]

12. Is it also normal to accuse those who don't

believe your theories of being "in on it"?

I don't think so.

I think that crosses the line to delusion.

[applegrove]

13. Except we accuse the freepers of being in on it in their own deluded ways

all the time. Patsies are enablers of nefarious. They do exist.

[beam me up scottie]

14. Actually I'm talking about accusing the

author of being complicit because he wrote about conspiracy theories.

Other paranoid conspiracy theorists do this and I'm not sure if they are delusional enough to think that everyone on the left who doesn't believe them is a co-conspirator, or if they simply use it as a means of convincing others to ignore dissenters.

[applegrove]

15. I don't find that. I find if you talk about "known facts" with the

of the 9/11 deniers, they will listen. Disagree. But not say you are part of it.

But it does get complicated.

Why it is better to ban nefarious types from politics the world over.

There should be a "means test" for political leaders and aides.

If there is one for school bus drivers... it can only be fair to institute some means laws on governance.

[beam me up scottie]

19. The sad thing is,

we're supposed to be the means test for our political leaders.

DUers do our part quite admirably, it's the rest of the country that needs to wake up and realize that politicians work for US, the people, not themselves, special interest groups and/or corporations.

[applegrove]

20. It seems like it is a generational thing. How angry are the generation

of journalists who are still working and saw it before?

Like every 50 years we need to relearn it.

So - out of these harsh times - perhaps in 45 years there will be a refresher course.

Like the Newton who looked at the arc of the commets. And Haley came along and said in 70 years, based on Newton, it will be back. If Hailey could do it in 1815 (or whenever) we should be able as society to see the laxidaisicallness towards nefarious return in about 40 years. And then get on it right away.

[beam me up scottie]

21. That's why the hijacking of our government by fundamentalists is

so frustrating to aging boomers.

And it's even more devastating for feminists.

They thought they had defeated the dominionists who want to bring back the dark ages.

[applegrove]

23. Neocons highjacked the fundies. What was the religious

conversion rate of conservative hopefulls in about 1992?

Please. Some of the fundies are as much victims of neocons as you are.

Abortion is an abomination to many people and I get that.

They didn't know the trade of would be social revolutiion to governance that had no christian values.

[beam me up scottie]

25. You're dismissing the religious right's plans for this country.

They are just as corrupt as the neo cons, if not more.

They have every intention of turning the United States into a theocracy.

They put that plan into motion quite some time ago and they're not shy about admitting it.

The pResident wouldn't be in the Oval Office without them and he knows it.

[applegrove]

26. You assume that the leaders of the religious right we hear about are

not drinking neocon Koolaid. And they are. The neocons are the problem. Religion is a tool they use. What was the last movement the religious got into? Civil Rights. Before that? Labour. Before that? Anti-slavery.

[beam me up scottie]

27. Go to Theocracy Watch.

http://www.theocracywatch.org/

We dismiss them at our own peril.

Many liberal christians see them as a dangerous threat to our liberty, it's not just non-christians who have to worry.

[applegrove]

28. Patsies.

[beam me up scottie]

29. You're welcome to your opinion, of course.

But the people of Afghanistan might disagree.

This is how the Taliban took over.

Both the neo cons and the religious right are a threat.

The difference is that much of the former can be taken down by criminal investigations and aggressive prosecution.

[applegrove]

30. I say it is the neocons. Without the neocons the religious right is

just the right wing of the religious.

The neocons are the big problem.

In the USA today. They are the problem.

[beam me up scottie]

31. That of course, depends on your perspective.

I believe they're both a threat.

As a feminist, I know both groups are full of misogynists who are trying to take away my reproductive rights.

As an atheist, I know one group thinks I don't belong here.

As a liberal, I know the other group wants to stifle my voice and all voices of dissent.

But that's the beauty of DU, we can all agree on common goals for different reasons.


Removing one group from power won't destroy the other, but it will neuter it, hopefully long enough for us to take our country back.

To removing them in 2006! :toast:

[applegrove]

16. I know what you meant though. But I was pointing out that that isn't

a maxim. How complicated it is eh? All of us need to be exacting and discerning.

[beam me up scottie]

17. And you're right about how victims

are vulnerable and more likely to look for conspiracies.

And they are not always wrong.

[applegrove]

18. No they are not. Like with the story of the woman who gives birth and

naturally holds her baby on her lap even if she is alone and exhausted - it is what has led us to survive for thousands of years. And after a bit she naturally gets up, cleans off, and gets back to working as a gatherer/farmer. If bleeding to death was not an issue than nuturingly (and high on nurturing hormones) would not have made it up there into most every woman during and after birth (and the hormone is released in the months leading up - as well as throughout a whole woman's life). So too with being exploited. Looking first to the worst case scenarious saves your ass. But if it turns into denial for a time - then you are not productively fighting or informing or sharing or getting out of the situation.

But after the pain. And of course during it. You have to be really critial and discerning. Some people are naturally that way and do it very normally - cause they always look at things with a pinch of salt. And those that haven't in the past - need to learn it.

So they can see the truth. Be it more pattern of lies on a certain issue - or that they have it all.

Nobody is prepared for being victimized. Unless you have been victimized before.

[applegrove]

7. I think we have proven that there are lies & manipulation. So much so

- Bush in speeches had to start telling the truth lately. At least on the war where the PATTERN OF LIES has been adding up. People will accept no less.

I agree they are manipulators. And it is the first thing that happens when faced with manipulators. You look for the lies. And unfortunately - with manipulators you are often right. But you have to be discerning and fight the battles you can win on the "smoking gun". You need facts to get your message out. And so the message got out on Bush being a liar re: war. Reasons for war. That took a long time. But Downing street memo came out and not 6 months later - the vast majority of the population saw the facts line up in one lying incident after another. So that pattern of lies punched through.

This man writing the article is not talking conspiracy. He is talking humanity. And trust me. You would rather be wrong than right. If you are right about diebold stealing massive votes than Karl Rove will be in power for 30 years. But there is not smoking gun. We can still win elections. And that is what the man is talking about. If you hand any iota of power to the people you have learnt to distrust - you give them power. Power to separate you. Power to divide and conquer with fear. Power to make you look foolish because you do not have proof to back up a theory - even if it later turns out to be true.


Just like a woman who holds a new born baby naturally momments after she is born, and that results (the weight of the baby) is constriction of blood vessels that cut of the supply of blood and saves the mother from bleeding to death... so too - when faced with the nefarious will look for the plan. And since this WH is nefarious - the lies are there to find. But just like a mother wouldn't hold her baby all the time - at some point she would have to get up and clean herself and feed the baby and get back to work - so too do the people who see the nefarious have to get back to being really critical thinkers - like they were before they were so afraid. You end up afraid - learning about nefariousness, and you have to add in all the things you did before you were so afraid. That critical. That discernment. That - give me the facts mack (guess why the police have that as a line - because they are dealing with terrified people who are talking about feelings (and who wouldn't be if you are a victim of a crime or a witness and terrified).

IN the end we have to accept that we are scared and still go on the facts.



Amazing what millions of years of evolutions gives us as tools.

[applegrove]

10. Happy DISCERNING & CRITICAL New Year to us all! We can still

be afriad of the lying liars in the WH. We just have to go on facts.

[teryang]

22. Tell me what "reality" is, Mr. Furedi.

I wouldn't want to be accused of being suspicious of a government ruled by people with a penchant for corruption, spying, torture, and belligerent warfare.

This is a rather feeble attempt to revive the "conspiracy theory" perjorative dismissal of political analysis. It is conspiracy which has an evil connotation. It isn't the result of unseen powers or unknown forces, it is the agreement and cooperation of humans to pursue illegal objectives. Theory is a neutral term. Scientists have theories, prosecutors have theories, defenders have theories, social critics and analysts have theories. An attack on theories is an attack on rationalism, pure and simple. The conjoining of the two as a jingoistic epithet attributed primarily to the left in order to disable it in the marketplace of ideas is a masterpiece of psychological warfare.

The author's rambling observations of ostensibly general faults in analysis on the left is characterized by the reductio ad absurdum technique so popular in dismissive political speech.

"And, I'll bet you think Elvis is still alive," was George H.W. Bush's standard response to any accusation of misconduct. I suspose this proves that the Iran-Contra scandal was just another "conspiracy theory."

[applegrove]

24. A theory proven to not be based in fact is a conspiracy theory. Like

Diana dead for any reason other than a drunk hotel employee overwhelmed with his own part in celebrity for a night and drinking on the job as opposed to at home.

Like people who say 9/11 was not the plot and actions of al Qaeda.

The description of conspiracy theory stopped there in this post. As it does by the administrators of this site.

I don't know about diebold. And knowing nefarious types like I do - I have to say that would too easily be proven it were true for them. They are better at manipulating emotions than they are machines. But that is my take. When I talk with people who think massive electoral fraud took place by machine I say - "it is still speculation" and I throw in my own theory on exit polls being used to keep democratic people home from voting late in the day when it is a chore for working or poor families. And I say that my theory is specualtion.

And when we admit we are speculating and the "smoking gun is not in" we are in fact not conspiracy theorists.

For sure many of the patterns of manipulation we have talked about on the DU have blossomed into patterns with fact after fact behind them - like the lies into war.

All we are saying is be discerning.

Despite our worst fears. Go on the facts. And where facts are missing - admit that it is speculation. The scientific method indeed.

Nobody would call all the scientists who spend their lives doing experiment after experiment based on judicious hypothesis, and turn out wrong - 19 times out of twenty - nobody would call them conspiracy theorists.

We simply have to test. Or admit it is a theory if it cannot be tests or if the facts are waiting to come in.

[teryang]

34. You accept the jingoism of the meme "conspiracy theory"

Your examples are no more meaningful than Mr. Bush's Elvis example. Your cursory discussion of purportedly absurd examples proves nothing.

[applegrove]

36. There is such a thing as conspiracy theories. It is a reactons most

often to exploitation. One hopes when you are exploited that your worst fears do not come true. If they do not pan out - and you believe the worst theory for a while, that would be a conspiracy theory.

It is not a meme. It is an actual thing.

I do not agree with the author in all their examples- but I do agree with the notion.

Reality is somewhere between ones worst fears and ones least fears when you are dealing with nefarious people exploiting you and your country. And if you lock down to one simple theory - when the facts are not in - you exclude the discussion of all the other possibilities and issues - in this case that the neocons are doing wrong.


And in terms of going for the most horrifying fear - that is not necessarily the conspiracy theory. If people think Bush did 9/11 (actually ordered the planes) then that means all that has to happen would be the police arrest the evil doers - and boom - terrorism, and neocons are all gone forever). So this worst of case scenarious is also the "most wrapped up" in terms of the denial that it allows one to go into about 1)Terrorism 2) Neocons.

So get that I am saying too that me running around and thinking exit polls were played with - if in fact the proof exactly shows that there was vote switching on a massive scale inside Diebold - then I was in denial and I was wrong (except I don't all believe it to the exclusion on everything else - because I admit it is a theory).

The issue I wanted to bring up was one of conspiracy theories. What are they. How do they bounce around off each other and what can we do to educate ourselves about putting eggs in one basket when there are so many issues that need to be looked into with these neocon freaks.

[teryang]

41. No offense, but is English your primary language?

I can't barely understand your post. I wonder if you are doing it deliberately.

I am talking about the manipulation of language by professionals who are the most skilled in its use to create innanely repeated jingles and jingos which subtly manipulate the mind of the public on a massive scale without rational reflection. The purpose of and use of the phrase "conspiracy theorist" by "thought leaders" such as journalists, political leaders, opinion makers and cynical academicians is to place the stigma on people who analyse events. Its ultimate purpose is to obstruct public examination of illegal or unconstitutional activities.

Most people aren't even aware that this process goes on because they haven't reached the level of language comprehension necessary to do so.
Corporatists call this being "media trained." The author of the original post and other web posts on "memes" are trying to create a pseudo science which lumps all analysis of destructive political crimes together in one huge ad hominem attack. They label all discussion and investigation by anyone as that done by crackpots. This author attempts to create a phony (crackpot) psychological/sociological analysis to justify it.

It's amazing that the author above has the nerve to cite forensics in his specious argument. He wouldn't even get into court with his bogus theory about "conspiracy theories." There is no such area of expertise.

[CJCRANE]

32. Umm, but this is accepted as true by most people:

"American foreign policy is the outcome of a carefully elaborated secret plot concocted by a cabal of neoconservatives".

In fact Colin Powell's former Chief of Staff said the same thing:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-wilkerson25oct25,0,7455395.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

[applegrove]

33. The secret plot part is not so true. Neocons have been pretty open -

except for the part where they are not allowed to be labeled neocon or anything else.

The point is where is the debate on trade and what that will look like. Or ethics of using fear to stir up populace. That big fear that is valid - and by digging into the patterns of neocons - that has brought up much in the way of the lies to war, the political smear machine, etc.... it also burries us if we do not go on enough facts. You have to pop your head up for a while and say "okay - this whole election lack of transparency and gamesmanship is going to create even more apathy and fewer voters and more division come election time and that is at least as dangerous as any evidence we have of votes being stolen".

What are the truths that are being ignored and can be proven and should be discussed but are not because people feel secure that an election was stolen by a machine. One ends up boxed into that security. That you have a handle on it. And you do not. Neocons are much more ornery than something like that. Much more sophisticated and much more dangerous.

They will never be caught on anything so mechanical as stealing votes from machines. But they will steal the hearts and minds of millions again and again unless we hash out what it means to be a country, a people, an army, trading in a world that needs trade, etc. etc.

Of course there is evidence about neocons. They write about it quite frequently. The trick is not to be so scared that you cannot fight on every front and only pick a few battles that seem to be whole in how they interface with your emotions - and ignore the other parts of the battle, discussion, investigation, ... that cannot be tied up in a bow.

In a way - a conspiracy gives you an end - "oh it was this". Real sociopaths in your life are endless in their power to destroy. They use emotional exhaustion to defeat people (look at the Iraqis). Saying - oh they stole votes by machine(as an example) gives you an easy out. The truth is much harsher. They steal minds. They turn adults into adolescents. These are far right wing capitalists and they don't hide it. They won the election on "swift boats" that were quite out in the open. To rush to some explanation that interfaces more easily - when we all have to admit there is no smoking gun at this point - when the swift boat gun is sitting there and smoking - well, it hurts.

Like I said - as long as we admit speculation is speculation fine. But when it becomes dogma without evidence - it could be a massive investment of time, might & energy in a wrong thread. And those wrong threads are what the GOP likely will use to create confusion between the progressives and the moderates (you still have to win over some moderates to win elections).

[PATRICK]

35. Why "contain" them?

In general they create more smoke and give much more credit for intelligence and planning than the individual crooks are capable of. Prosecutable conspiratorial crime is not just a theory but an actual laundry list of works in progress or dropped issues. The facts remain. So gangs, crooks and pols don't get together secretly to plot their crimes?

The only myth is making your uniformed guess an article of mythic faith, of substituting the grandest most cabalistic details for facts and the easiest explanations, for settling for secrecy and not pressuring for disclosure, and hence supporting a romantic world of unchallenged secrecy.

Those who deride classes and opinions and words by demonizing single word concepts, brand X-ing in a word, all have political motivations that are systematic and historically at the roots of particular conspiracies such as Gingrich's published boasts about redefining language itself to obtain truth obscuring goals.

There is a conspiracy from different directions to abuse the very idea of real life criminal consiracy- and thus absolutely protect the crime. Inversion of language and truth is in itself an evil.

[applegrove]

37. I am in no way saying that the Bush WH is not using the words as a weapon.

They also use the world Liberal - and that used to mean something.

I am saying "let's get to know what a conspiracy theory is.

And yes - the nefarious will get together and plot crap and when they stand trial for that - it is called "conspiracy to ......". I am not saying that theories don't pan out to be true or that conspiracies don't happen (especially with nefarious types in any walk of life - look at what the cat dragged in proofwise in terms of lying America into war... and there may be much more on this ... to come).

This man presents the concept of conspiracy theory (when you exclude other realities before the facts are in and are then wrong when the facts do come in -so you wasted your time when you could have been focussing on an issue or actual conspiratorial crime). And trust me buddy - you wouldn't want your worst fears to pan out again and again as more and more awful - then you would have PTSD it is so traumatizing.

I don't agree with everything he says. But surely we should know ourselves and the world we now live in. And we need to define conspiracy theory for ourselves. And not discuss issues simply because the right wing has coveted and taken over language. WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE LET THEM CONTROL WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT TALK ABOUT - REGARDING OUR EXPERIENCES IN THESE TIMES AND WHAT THE BEST WAY TO FIGHT BACK WOULD BE?

Shouldn't we know ourselves? Is that not step one in being adults and fighting like adults - with might, intellect, empathy & discernment.

Shouldn't we discuss why we bang into each other pet theory vs. pet theory (and as the ones currently discussed on the board have no proof either way - they are speculation and theory and we should call them that when we talk to people about our worst fears).

I'm just saying.

[bpilgrim]

38. psst... stay out of the 'wrong threads'

pass it on ;->

peace

[applegrove]

40. I started this thread. I think we need to discuss when a theory .

[applegrove]

39. A little fact to add to the discussion. It is normal policy for a

sociopath about the be found out - to bait the victim (witness) to cause psychic trauma - and then to get other people to judge that psychic trauma and point to the victim and say "see - they are crazy - I haven't done nothing".

So of course the Right wing noise machine wants to bait and bait us with the words "conspiracy theory". They also want to shut us up. Keep us from discerning the real truths. ETC.

Same as when the neocon roll players on the net get online and start talking about how fascism is a lefty thing (when in fact it is a right wing issues in the 20th century) - we tell them off with facts and call them on the lie.

So too - we need to have the clarity on the issue of theories so we can call the GOP bluff and not let them use the fear we have of their capacity for malfeance as an election issue to make dems loose.

Much more complicated the issue of theories (especially with such a secretive gang). But we have to talk about what a theory is and speak the language that understand the meaning of 1) being exploited harshly by neocons 2) the meaning for this in our lives 3)to not be victims