The lunatics have taken over the asylum!

[jon1959]

Trump.

Thanks for clarifying.

But I still don't understand your 'it doesn't help....' comment.

[ninian opinian]

The latest conspiracy on Twitter is that Michelle Obama is a man and she raped a women and that her pregnancies were fake. Literally thousands of posts and replies. Some humans are absolutely bonkers.

Example here, worth a read just for a laugh https://twitter.com/dom_lucre/status...LTsVTx09ZSEfIA

[Heathblue]

The latest conspiracy on Twitter is that Michelle Obama is a man and she raped a women and that her pregnancies were fake. Literally thousands of posts and replies. Some humans are absolutely bonkers.

Example here, worth a read just for a laugh https://twitter.com/dom_lucre/status...LTsVTx09ZSEfIA

Big Mike ?
I'll give you a conspiracy, Big Mike will be the Democratic candidate at their next election.

[superfeathers]

The latest conspiracy on Twitter is that Michelle Obama is a man and she raped a women and that her pregnancies were fake. Literally thousands of posts and replies. Some humans are absolutely bonkers.

Example here, worth a read just for a laugh https://twitter.com/dom_lucre/status...LTsVTx09ZSEfIA

First Rolf Harris now this, what a bitch

Joking aside some of the posters on this board will no doubt be subscribers to this belief already

[jon1959]

First Rolf Harris now this, what a bitch

Joking aside some of the posters on this board will no doubt be subscribers to this belief already

They do, they are - and haven't been shy about peddling it, even in this thread. How we laughed.....

[Gofer Blue]

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...theories-finds

Wow. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

[JamesWales]

What Alternative Media sources and "conspiracy theories often referenced do you think are missing? They asked follow up questions of the third of people who thought the listed theories were true or probably true. In nearly every case the percentage of total believers is within one or two points baldly suggesting that those who believe one theory probably believe them all. This is almost certainly the case of the user ids that mention the theories listed here most often.

You seem so desperate to overthink this that but I await any response you get with interest.

Okay, missing conspiracy theories from the list may include, off the top of my head:

1: The media combined to make sure Corbyn was never elected

2: Russia financed and delivered the Brexit result

3: The Govt are deliberately underfunding the NHS in order to privatize it.

4: The Govt only give contracts to their mates.

All of those are total guff conspiracy theories, but they carry weight and plenty on here bemoaning conspiracy theories repeat the kind of things above.

By limiting the list of conspiracy theories and 'alternative media' sources, they are determining the findings, which is why none of us are surprised by what's in that report.

[Heathblue]

Okay, missing conspiracy theories from the list may include, off the top of my head:

1: The media combined to make sure Corbyn was never elected

2: Russia financed and delivered the Brexit result

3: The Govt are deliberately underfunding the NHS in order to privatize it.

4: The Govt only give contracts to their mates.

All of those are total guff conspiracy theories, but they carry weight and plenty on here bemoaning conspiracy theories repeat the kind of things above.

By limiting the list of conspiracy theories and 'alternative media' sources, they are determining the findings, which is why none of us are surprised by what's in that report.

The difference between conspiracy and the truth is generally about 6 months Russian collusion excepted!!!!!

[Dorcus]

Okay, missing conspiracy theories from the list may include, off the top of my head:

1: The media combined to make sure Corbyn was never elected

2: Russia financed and delivered the Brexit result

3: The Govt are deliberately underfunding the NHS in order to privatize it.

4: The Govt only give contracts to their mates.

All of those are total guff conspiracy theories, but they carry weight and plenty on here bemoaning conspiracy theories repeat the kind of things above.

By limiting the list of conspiracy theories and 'alternative media' sources, they are determining the findings, which is why none of us are surprised by what's in that report.

All these seem true! Can you think of any real conspiracy stories?

[JamesWales]

All these seem true! Can you think of any real conspiracy stories?

I think you have just made my point better than I ever could!

[Dorcus]

[QUOTE=JamesWales;5429481]I think you have just made my point better than I ever could![/QUvOTE]

I don't think so.

A) It shows you haven't got a clue
B) It shows you will try to distort anything to suit your agenda

Ladies & Gentlemen I give you the next Boris Johnson

[JamesWales]

[QUOTE=Dorcus;5429483]

I think you have just made my point better than I ever could![/QUvOTE]

I don't think so.

A) It shows you haven't got a clue
B) It shows you will try to distort anything to suit your agenda

Ladies & Gentlemen I give you the next Boris Johnson

I think it demonstrates that a belief in conspiracy theories goes pretty deep including within those who mock others for believing in conspiracy theories. Which is entirely my point really

[Dorcus]

[QUOTE=JamesWales;5429485]

I think it demonstrates that a belief in conspiracy theories goes pretty deep including within those who mock others for believing in conspiracy theories. Which is entirely my point really

Absolute nonsense: it does however show Tories as shapeshifting ghouls.

[the other bob wilson]

[QUOTE=JamesWales;5429485]

I think it demonstrates that a belief in conspiracy theories goes pretty deep including within those who mock others for believing in conspiracy theories. Which is entirely my point really

So you’re comparing something like Pizzagate with the way PPE contracts were handled by the UK Government? I see - seems to me, one is a failed conspiracy theory and the other is a statement of fact.

[TWGL1]

[QUOTE=Dorcus;5429494]

Absolute nonsense: it does however show Tories as shapeshifting ghouls.

The government throw out some really odd and outrageous conspiracy theories so when the odd real one comes into the domain, it’s treated in the same way. That’s how it works.

Do you think any of the well known conspiracy theories doing the rounds have any truth whatsoever in them ?

[Dorcus]

[QUOTE=TWGL1;5429505]

The government throw out some really odd and outrageous conspiracy theories so when the odd real one comes into the domain, it’s treated in the same way. That’s how it works.

Do you think any of the well known conspiracy theories doing the rounds have any truth whatsoever in them ?

Yes I do: the fact Trump has small hands indicates to me he has a little c**k.

[JamesWales]

[QUOTE=TWGL1;5429505]

The government throw out some really odd and outrageous conspiracy theories so when the odd real one comes into the domain, it’s treated in the same way. That’s how it works.

Do you think any of the well known conspiracy theories doing the rounds have any truth whatsoever in them ?

It depends. I'd say there is usually a nugget of truth in most things. I mean if someone said the "Covid 19 vaccines aren't safe" there is an element of truth in that. They aren't for everyone. Is paracetamol safe? Is Cardiff a safe city to drive in? It depends on our own definitions. Others like "Covid was a hoax" is plainly nonsense, IMO. A totally manufactured theory for people to waste time to discuss online. These things can't be easily decided all the time.

Then there is the issue of the role of journalism. For example, many of these things start of as legitimate explorations for the truth. In the example I gave where "Russia funded and delivered Brexit". That's a fair thing to explore, but it's been wholly disproven, so were people okay to believe in that conspiracy theory while it was ongoing? "The UK govt wants to privatise the NHS". This is also completely untrue. But is it a conspiracy theory? Or is it a legitimate belief that this is what they are planning? And if so how does it differ from others on the list?

One of the ones cited in the report; "Central bank digital currencies will be used by govts to control people's money and restrict their freedom". How do you prove that's a conspiracy theory? Firstly it's about the future, and there are no facts about the future. Secondly it depends on someones definition of 'restricted freedom'. Will it restrict a woman with a controlling husband from using cash to have some anonymity? Yeah, it probably will. So, is that a conspiracy theory? Maybe, maybe not.

Just strikes me as a report that has a strong whiff of confirmation bias about it. Because in reality a lot of people believe things that aren't true, that may not be true, or that are deliberate lies and a lot of those things come from what they would identify as media that isn't alternative at all.

This stuff needs to be watertight or ironically it only fuels more conspiracies