Negative connotations of 'Conspiracy Theory'

[winstonsmith]

To the herd, the mere mention of the words 'conspiracy theory' brings to mind images of the sterotypical 'paranoid conspiracy nutjob'. But I've been wondering lately, where do these preconceived notions actually come from? I remember reading somewhere that techniques have been developed that can shortcircuit the brains critical processes when certain 'trigger' words, such as 'conspiracy' are mentioned. Do you think they are implementing these techniques subliminally?

Does anybody have any more information on this?

[rossus]

probably subliminally,
but also right in the face without anyone noticing.

movies like: conspiracy theory, a beautiful mind and many other have had characters who were into conspiracies... and these were all crazy.
this makes people's mind think that a conspiracy is for people who are nuts.

there's also those shows like: x-files, 24, prison break... that deal with conspiracies.
this makes people think that people who believe in conspiracies, have watched too much television.

and then there's also the disinfo-machine that gives conspiracies a bad name.
certain people make a documentaries about a conspiracy with bad arguments,
these documentaries are hyped... so they reach a wide public.

then the documentary is proven to be false, and the next time the public comes in contact with a conspiracy theory...
they think "not again this bullshit"

[hagbard_celine]

I find that the best way to strip a word of its negative power is to use it positively. So in the same way that some black people are calling themselves "Niggers" and some homosexuals refer to their own ilk as "Queer" I can say that I am a conspiracy theorist and I'm bloody proud of it!

[winstonsmith]

I find that the best way to strip a word of its negative power is to use it positively. So in the same way that some black people are calling themselves "Niggers" and some homosexuals refer to their own ilk as "Queer" I can say that I am a conspiracy theorist and I'm bloody proud of it!

I'm a 'conspiracy realist'. :D

[hagbard_celine]

I'm a Woo! I wear a tin foil hat and I sit cross-legged on a hilltop communing with my ancestors! I... apologize... to... nobody!

[montag]

The term 'Conspiracy Theory' originated from the time of the JFK assasination and was given to us for the very purpose you mentioned, it is programming..
When ever somebody hears that term their instinct is to dismiss the information out of hand as fantasy because of the way we have been conditioned to it.

Somebody mentioned the movie 'Conspiracy theory', well in that movie much of the information is correct, fluoride as a poison for example, but the overall theme is that the main character(Mel Gibson) is a paranoid nut job. Same goes for X-files, they mix information about a secret government with outrageous stories about monsters and Aliens.

Deliberate programming in my opinion, I try never to use the term and prefer to use truthseeker instead, or even better I try not to label myself in any way, labeling is their game.

[winstonsmith]

Deliberate programming in my opinion, I try never to use the term and prefer to use truthseeker instead, or even better I try not to label myself in any way, labeling is their game.

Yeah, I prefer to use truth seeker as well but in general don't label myself as anything. Categories do nothing but limit possibilities.

[1 2 free]

The funny thing is the 'elite' push more conpiracy theories than anyone. Remember the 'Iraq has hidden WMDs' conspiracy theory? Or the 'Iraq is trying to aquire nuclear weapons' conspiracy theory? Or 'Iraq is in cahoots with al Qaeda'? Or 'Iraq was involved in 911'? All US government conspiracy theories proven to be false.

How about the 'Iran is covertly developing nuclear weapons' conspiracy theory? Or 'Iran is supplying weapons to insurgents in Iraq'? Remember before the 2006 US elections people like Bill O'Reilly and Dick Cheney were pushing this rather ridiculous sounding conspiracy theory claiming insurgents in Iraq were ramping up the violence to mess with the Republicans chances of doing well in the up elections?

Of course the official story of 911 is a conspiracy theory. As are claims of a plot to blow up oil pipelines in JFK airport and numerous other alleged terrorist plots. Their whole agenda is built around using conspiracy theories to scare us.

[auron]

http://www.nbeaujon.com/images/tinfoil-hat.jpg

[winstonsmith]

The funny thing is the 'elite' push more conpiracy theories than anyone. Remember the 'Iraq has hidden WMDs' conspiracy theory? Or the 'Iraq is trying to aquire nuclear weapons' conspiracy theory? Or 'Iraq is in cahoots with al Qaeda'? Or 'Iraq was involved in 911'? All US government conspiracy theories proven to be false.

How about the 'Iran is covertly developing nuclear weapons' conspiracy theory? Or 'Iran is supplying weapons to insurgents in Iraq'? Remember before the 2006 US elections people like Bill O'Reilly and Dick Cheney were pushing this rather ridiculous sounding conspiracy theory claiming insurgents in Iraq were ramping up the violence to mess with the Republicans chances of doing well in the up elections?

Of course the official story of 911 is a conspiracy theory. As are claims of a plot to blow up oil pipelines in JFK airport and numerous other alleged terrorist plots. Their whole agenda is built around using conspiracy theories to scare us.

The difference between their conspiracy theories and ours is that theirs are false and they know it and ours are true and we know it. :D

[graflok]

This is an interesting subject.

I think if you look at definitions of the word "paranoia" you can get an idea
about how all this came about. For example, look at the wikipedia entry
Paranoia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and scroll down to the section called "Paranoia depicted in popular culture"

The psychiatric community has associated (and invented) the idea that
"believing others are out to get you" = paranoia = conspiracy theories = mental illness.

This idea has also been supported and reinforced by the media and movies, etc.

It's similar to what they did with the idea that if a child remembers being
abused then it's a case of "false memory syndrome."

It's basically all done to hide their evil actions and motives and convince
the sheeple that if you are wise to them, you're crazy.

[mara of the acoma]

To the herd, the mere mention of the words 'conspiracy theory' brings to mind images of the sterotypical 'paranoid conspiracy nutjob'. But I've been wondering lately, where do these preconceived notions actually come from? I remember reading somewhere that techniques have been developed that can shortcircuit the brains critical processes when certain 'trigger' words, such as 'conspiracy' are mentioned. Do you think they are implementing these techniques subliminally?

Does anybody have any more information on this?

One of the main negative connotations of "Conspiracy Theory" is the labelling of human beings as "the herd", "sheeple", "elite" and "the Powers That Be" etc etc.

Thinking of oneself as part of a herd or as a "sheep" therefore perpetuates the notion that you are somehow LESS.

The word "Elite" perpetuates the notion that others are somehow MORE.

The preconceived notions you speak of are perpetuated by people who post on these kinds of forums day in day out. Who was it who said "We give our power away"?

:)

[baron von lotsov]

Yes the words 'conspiracy theory' are trigger words and they do work like it was mentioned at the beginning of this thread. Now I have found ways to counter it perfectly. First consider that a lot of conspiracy theory is wrong and/or purposefully red herrings such as Bush bashing. So what I do is to be as broad as possible, keep interjecting facts in history and ideas but never to keep banging on at the same old thing. 9/11 has had its day, Kennedy and things like that are well known about. No one is going to change sides on these issues now unless they are really stupid and had not known anything of the truth.

What I say is do your own research, use what you know to guide you and then disseminate new stuff to people as you find it. The trigger word shit will never work here because the punter is being told something entirely new and not a variant of a standard CT. This is how the system work, they vulgarise everything, they reduce it to stuff that is meaningless. So talk about something else. Some non-ct people are sick of seeing 9/11 cut and pastes, so tell them something they don't know. Cecil Rhodes in South Africa, the psychology of group think and focus groups, feminism, CND, Greenpiece. There are loads of things that people would like to know about and I very rarely get accuse of being CT these days. If I do I just have a laugh about it.

[Anders Lindman]

Is it possible to get a Ph.D. in conspiracy theory? It should be. It's important for society to understand the history of conspiracy and to have the potential contemporary conspiracy threats to society investigated.

[titurel]

The term "conspiracy theory" is a psych-op term meant to create an automatic switch in the head to turn off the brain from looking at, or considering relevant information that someone doesn't want you to pay attention to.

But the fact is, you could not discuss any political subject if "conspiracy theory" were eliminated because the entire government "conspires."

[Anders Lindman]

The term "conspiracy theory" is a psych-op term meant to create an automatic switch in the head to turn off the brain from looking at, or considering relevant information that someone doesn't want you to pay attention to.

That's probably correct. At least, the term 'conspiracy theory' no doubt has been given a negative connotation. And that in itself should tell us something.

[graflok]

When I'm asked if I'm a conspiracy theorist I say that I'm a person who seeks the truth no matter where it leads.

Then I ask them if they are a "truth denyer."

It's fun to watch their reaction to that one. :)

[adramelech]

The term "conspiracy theory" is a psych-op term meant to create an automatic switch in the head to turn off the brain from looking at, or considering relevant information that someone doesn't want you to pay attention to.

But the fact is, you could not discuss any political subject if "conspiracy theory" were eliminated because the entire government "conspires."

Bingo. Baron also makes good points. Not only is the term heavily loaded to begin with, it has nearly 60 years of modern programming behind it. Furthermore, the human brain automatically leans towards disbelief in anything that questions the consensus view due to bias. Another similar loaded and programmed term is "paranormal".

Like titurel said, the idea behind these triggers is to shut down the desire to know, research or acknowledge, in favour of ridicule or blind refusal. We find the roots of pseudoskepticism here.

[space monkey]

Bingo. Baron also makes good points. Not only is the term heavily loaded to begin with, it has nearly 60 years of modern programming behind it

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

[space monkey]

When I'm asked if I'm a conspiracy theorist I say that I'm a person who seeks the truth no matter where it leads.

Then I ask them if they are a "truth denyer."

It's fun to watch their reaction to that one. :)

I just tell them I'd down with the sickness, and that they should open up their hate and let it pour into me-heeee!

[space monkey]

When people react against the term "cpnspiracy", a good thing to do is bring up the fact that "common" conspiracy is being tried in court every bloody day, and then ask them if they consider people like ex-Deputy Prime Minister John "'oo ate all the pies then? You fat basterd! You fat basterd!" Prescot, Dubya, Berlesconi ect., to be "philosopher ings" and just, like, SO not capable of that stuff, and stuff.