9/11 Trutherism and what I just can't figure out about the conspiracy crowd

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > 9/11 Trutherism and what I just can't figure out about the conspiracy crowd

Obdicut: May 15, 2012; "What election?"

Panda Bear posted:

Real inconsistencies and evidence of conspiracies surrounding 9/11 and the USS Cole bombings

http://www.historycommons.org/context.jsp?item=a101400colethwart&scale=2#a101400colethwart

Also why is the CIA so comfy with al qaeda and why is it so easy for them to escape jails and prisons?

I feel like this stuff is a lot more interesting than what everyone is talking about but it seems like you're all just satisfied in asserting your intellectual dominance over "conspiracy theorists" (of which I have met few in real life compared with people whose worldviews strive towards an accordance with logic) and (I will say this for the second time) accepting a literal schizophrenic as some sort of authority on conspiracies and "conspiracy theorists." This thread really belongs in GBS with the way it's being handled. Just because you once heard some guy say that he thinks missiles blew up WTC or whatever doesn't mean that everyone who thinks 9/11 was an inside job or some sort of conspiracy is an idiot or not knowledgable or whatever.

I miss lf

See, that site has some pretty immeidate problems.

There's a topic headline in there that says:

August 16, 2001: Moussaoui�s Belongings Possess Information Sufficient to Roll Up 9/11 Plot

But if you read the actual information, it keeps saying 'potentially' or 'may have'.

But moreover: Nothing in that at all points to 9/11 being an 'inside job'. I'm not sure why you think it does. Can you explain? There's no actual theory developed there.

# ¿ Sep 16, 2013 18:35

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# ¿ May 6, 2024 21:39

Obdicut: May 15, 2012; "What election?"

Panda Bear posted:

I'll rephrase/reiterate what I prefaced that link with: that they're inconsistencies within and obfuscations surrounding the intelligence, and in my opinion, ground for suspicion of governments conspiring to let these attacks happen/let the people responsible off the hook.

That latter part doesn't follow in the least, though. That's the part that would need developing as a theory. What is the connection between all these various people? In many cases, it looks like covering their rear end, incompetence, factional fighting, etc. So what is the connection between them, and where is the proof of it?

# ¿ Sep 16, 2013 18:52

Obdicut: May 15, 2012; "What election?"

Grouchy Smurf posted:

This is far from true. The whole idea of science is that beliefs can be changed based on evidence. The fact that 97% of the scientific world believe global warming is caused by humanity, does not mean that the portion of the 3% who believe that is it caused by other means (ie increased solar activity) are irrational. They just believe that a different reason is to blame. A reason that is also documented and scientifically verified. It's totally different than saying "global warming doesn't exist", which ignores all scientific notions.

Those 3% also ignore the evidence, though, as well as violating the poo poo out of parsimony.

Are you saying they're scientists, who just totally suck at science?

# ¿ Feb 12, 2014 17:49

Obdicut: May 15, 2012; "What election?"

Gen. Ripper posted:

Depending on Chick's twisted views it could be that he doesn't actually have a problem with Jews because they are God's chosen people or something.

Of course, I have no idea what he actually thinks of Jews

Jews are going to hell and all the knowledgeable rabbis know that really Jesus was the messiah but are covering it up.

https://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0014/0014_01.asp

# ¿ Apr 7, 2014 23:31

Obdicut: May 15, 2012; "What election?"

Strudel Man posted:

Hah, no worries. It's really one of those things where the mystery of what the title could possibly mean is considerably more interesting than the truth.

Anyway what the poo poo are they talking about, Vulcan created a ton of robots.

# ¿ Jul 28, 2014 20:26

Obdicut: May 15, 2012; "What election?"

Sir Tonk posted:

Yes but it is about the most clever way for them to pretend they're not racist that I could think of.

How is it a clever way to pretend not to be racist when the only reason to believe in birtherism is racism?

# ¿ Sep 8, 2014 14:44

Obdicut: May 15, 2012; "What election?"

Prester John posted:

Since this thread seems to be drifting off I figured I would put myself out there for the curious. For those who don't know I am a diagnosed Schizophrenic that spent 6 years deeeep into conspiracy theory lala land. I listened to Alex Jones 3 hours a day, read nearly every David Icke book, drank colloidal silver to treat serious medical conditions and choked down shitloads of tangy tangerine. I was at the Dacid Icke lecture in Cleveland Ohio when he and Jesse Ventura had their famous falling out. I had around 120 books and 30 DVD's or so on various Conspiracy topics that was the envy of my wingnut friends. By the end of it you would have had to look hard to find anyone who bought it more fully than I did, there were even some now quite infamous incidents where I literally stood on a picnic table at the break area of work and started ranting about FEMA camps to wake up my co-workers.

Yeah, I was THAT guy.

Obviously I'm all better now, and I have left all that behind me. I'd be more than willing to answer any questions posters might have about being a hardcore conspiracy theorist/crazy person.

I realize this might be complicated by the schitzoprhenia, but did engaging with that material make you feel 'good', or did it provoke more anxiety?

# ¿ Nov 18, 2014 20:34

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# ¿ May 6, 2024 21:39

Obdicut: May 15, 2012; "What election?"

itstime4lunch posted:

But who is "everyone?" Western intellectuals? Scientists? People who I talk to every day? People who post on the same message board as I do?
I get what you're saying, but as an intellectual exercise, it's always healthy to be continuously skeptical about one's own beliefs--perhaps to an even greater extent than being skeptical of others' beliefs.

So aside from the number of people (in the world?) who agree, if we ignore for a moment who may be actually wrong or right, I still think some of the differences in motivation begin to disappear.

You're overlooking the really obvious explanation: Conspiracy theorists spread around information that is often directly harmful, almost always intellectually harmful, in that it misteaches people. Busting conspiracy theories, on the other hand, spreads information that is true, and teaches people stuff like parsimony and logic.

What you are asking basically boils down to "Don't the people who help others and hurt others both have the same motivation: to change the state of others?" Sure if you phrase it tendentiously enough you can get a 'yes' but who gives a gently caress?

# ¿ Mar 2, 2015 18:10

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