Lisa Jones wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2023 at 8:34am:


Thanks. I see my platoon didn't let me down whilst I was on vacation

This is an interesting interview which is well worth a quick read
(although I'm guessing the fraidy cat clique here won't bother
as it shoots down their silly stance).

Karen Douglas, PhD, is a professor of social psychology at the
University of Kent in the United Kingdom. Her research focus
is on beliefs in conspiracy theories and their consequences. She
is also interested in the social psychology of human communication,
including the influence of technology on social interaction.

Speaking of Psychology: Why people believe in conspiracy theories, with Karen Douglas, PhD.

A part of the interview talks about a lack of self confidence experienced
by believers in conspiracy theories:

Mills: What role, if any, does narcissism play in belief in conspiracy
theories?  People who tend to be more narcissistic also believe in these
theories as a means of getting the social capital?

Douglas: Yes, absolutely. That is true. And that's kind of what I was
referring to. It's linked to the idea of need for uniqueness, as well. That's
another, I guess, narcissistic notion that you have. You're in possession of
information that other people don't have. You're different to other people
and it makes you stand apart. But yes, narcissism at an individual level has
been associated in quite a few studies now with belief in conspiracy theories.

And also this narcissism at the group level as well, so an over inflated sense
of the importance of your own group. That kind of insecure feeling about your
own group is also associated with belief in conspiracy theories. So yes, narcissism
is one of those individual differences, variables that correlate with belief in
conspiracy theories.

There are people psychologically fixated on conspiracy, there's no doubt about that.

But there's a vast difference between those obsessed and those who are uncomfortable with evidence that contradicts political narrative.

However, all of us are afflicted with the neurological predisposition to conserve neural energy, leaving us open to preferring the 'two-paragraph' explanation and the '5-minute' visual/sound bite as the final word on matters that do not particularly interest us.

TLDR, TLDL and TLDW are common, standard attitudes in a hyper-information world.

fact checkers for people who can't think LOL

Frank wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2023 at 9:15am:



How many people believed in flat earth and for how long?

Frank wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2023 at 9:15am:



How many people believed in flat earth and for how long?

John Smith wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2023 at 11:53am:

freediver wrote on Feb 22^nd, 2023 at 7:43am:


it makes me feel that i am not a spineless coward frightened of my inevitable death.