Why does everyone believe in conspiracy theories nowadays?

Why does everyone believe in conspiracy theories nowadays? This post isn't meant to judge or to argue or to debate. I just want to try to understand why people believes in conspiracy theories and what makes people believe in them. I don't want answers like "they're idiots", etc. And if you happen to believe in them yourself, I don't mean to offend. That is not my intention. I just want unbiased explanations.

One thing that's puzzling is that it isn't just religious/conservative/Republican/right-wingers/Trump supporters anymore. I came across anarchists, atheists, non-religious people, and even some hippies who believes in the same conspiracy theories. And it seems that people are more into this than they ever have been before. And it's more prevalent since Trump's been in office, which is puzzling considering I've even came across anti-Trumpers and Trump haters who believes in these conspiracy theories. So it isn't just religious people and Trump supporters anymore. What's going on?

By the way, I'm not a Trump supporter OR a Biden supporter, and I'm neither left nor right, Democrat nor Republican (just didn't want anyone making assumptions about me).

Peace and love to everyone ☮ ✌ ❤

 

Right, well, put it like this, here in the UK, people have long suspected that the Tory party do not care about the north, or the poorer people, however the Covid problem has revealed things that give a lot of credibility to this suspicion/theory, for example, we were told not to travel, anyone that did was fined and told to go home, even people who only went relatively short distances, yet wealthy people were allowed to leave their homes and go to 'second homes' in a bid to avoid the virus, not only this, but when they got there they carried on as if nothing was wrong.
Ordinary common folk were told they had to close their businesses, many did and they never reopened, same with financial assistance, the people who needed it most didn't get it, while those who had enough got more, this in itself was sufficient evidence that the government really didn't give a shit about the common man, so the 'theory' was proven and became a reality.
One of the biggest things today is the ability to access information, you can find out anything if you are determined enough, Now lets imagine that I want to do something, I contact you via text or e-mail asking your opinion, I'm then relying on you being 100% discrete in mentioning it to nobody else, the trouble is most people cannot be trusted with information and it gets out. Going back to the 2nd world war, when Hitler wanted to get rid of the jews he was always careful to refer to his plans as ' the jewish problem' or the 'final solution' however others involved began to refer to it in letters by such terms as ' getting rid of the jews' or even worse 'easier ways to exterminate then quicker'. Later on these letters fell into the hands of the allied forces and were used to prove that Hitler had intended to commit genocide, which resulted in the famous Nuremburg war crimes trials.
Many years ago, well in the mid 70's actually I remember people in the UK wanting CB radio made legal, just as it was in the USA, I clearly remember one of our government ministers, later to become the prime minister, raising objections to this in parliament as it was, quote, ' not desireable for large numbers of people to be able to communicate freely with each other without some form of control' . We did get CB in 1981, but it was on the FM frequency and with a limitation of 4Watts, both these things limited it's range to less than 30 miles for most people!
it all became acedemic when years later the internet took off and people could communicate reasonably freely online, although this isn't without some monitoring, In the USA, they have government run systems that capture and store all data on the internet, they have a capacity currently to store all the data sent in the world every day for something like the next 25 years, even this is being stored as I write!
But as I said, the big weakness in any system is the human, at some point we've all been told, 'don't say anything, but' and the teller then imparts some juicy bit of information that they were told in strictest confidence and no doubt we too have shared that confidential information with someone else, see, so now the secret isn't a secret, it's common knowledge.
I think in the future we will begin to see a lot less conspiracy theories, they will become conspiracy facts.

 

I would so love to post a vid from Facebook about the UK corrupt government over this pandemic
But I would be hunted down.

 

The premise of the question indicates a misunderstanding. What makes something a "conspiracy theory," and not an actual "conspiracy," is lack of evidence and acceptance.

The fact that something is labeled a "conspiracy theory" indicates on its face that most people don't believe it. If everyone believed it it would be settled truth, accepted fact, with substantial evidentiary support.

A theory is just that - a theory - a statement of possibility, not even probability, and certainly not fact.

Don't fret that everyone believes conspiracy theories, because, just as the underlying theory is likely false, so is your theory that everyone believes them. Not everyone does. Most people don't.

Consider this example of a conspiracy theory: my conception and birth were the result of extraterrestrial abduction with experimentation and impregnation, which of course could not be proven because of a massive coverup involving space agencies, air forces, and intelligence agencies worldwide. Some might find this theory amusing. A few might be inclined to believe it, because it reinforces things they already believe. A click-bait news website might run it as news, just to get eyeballs and sell advertising. You might see a headline about it in the grocery store check-out line. It's a theory, nothing more. Not everyone believes it. You don't. I don't.

 

I can't tell you... Because it's a conspiracy.

 

It just seems that everyone believes in them because I came across so many who do and I'm wondering why these people believes in them. They're definitely labeled "conspiracy theories" but I came across a lot of people (not all of them religious or Trump supporters either) who genuinely believes in them. I'm just curious as to why. I'm not judging them or anything. ❤ ✌

 

So are there any truths to these conspiracy theories?

 

well yes indeed, but as I have said above, albeit in a roundabout way, once a theory is proven it is no longer a theory.

 

Why do people believe in theories without proof and without proving them? We humans are the ultimate self-deceived creatures. Here are three of the most common logical fallacies:

It's true because I believe it to be true.
It's true because we believe it to be true.
It's true because I want it to be true.

Why believe? It's comforting. It reinforces one's worldview. It isn't difficult at all to understand.

I merely caution you to avoid your original assertion that everybody believes any particular conspiracy theory. Exaggeration automatically weakens any argument and undermines any assertion.

"It seems to me that everyone believes something because many people believe it" is essentially what you said. You're doing exactly what you accuse others of doing - basing a conclusion of truth on logical fallacy.

There's a big difference between many and all. The fact that you didn't believe it is your best clue that it isn't universally held - that not everybody believes it.

But why does anyone believe it? I've already told you, multiple times and in multiple ways.

 

Nurse publicly resigns saying it's "all lies" the NHS is overrun

 

I don't mean to accuse others of anything. That wasn't my intention. And I'm sincerely sorry. I'm just going by personal experience and what I've seen/heard. I just said it seems everyone does because I see/know too many who do. But I'm sure not everyone does. And I didn't mean to come off as accusing anyone of anything. ❤ ✌

 

I think people are more susceptible to believing Conspiracy Theories now because the information is more readily available.

Over the past decade, individuals such as Alex Jones and David Icke have amassed a following, TV shows such as Ancient Aliens (which maybe more accurately considered pseudoscience, but essentially Conspiracy Theory adjacent) are featured on the History Channel, online social networks allow for groups like Flat Earthers to easily connect and a general growing distrust of the mainstream media.

Also, recently I heard that aside from maybe stuff that was obscene, youtube's algorithms in the early days essentially didn't filter any content and so you could watch a video on How to Play the Guitar and then the next recommendation might be a Conspiracy Theory video. I believe they also boosted content that got more views in the search recommendations, and apparently Conspiracy Theory videos tended to get a lot of views. I believe they have since tweaked those algorithms to not permit that content to be so readily accessible by recommendations now.

 

But it seems people believes in them more now that Trump is in office. I'm not sure what he has to do with conspiracy theories.

 

His calling out of "fake news" and the deep state probably persuaded some to seek alternative news sources. Other side claiming his collusion with foreign nations.

But I think Conspiracy Theories were already on the rise prior to his presidency. If you recall the prior presidency, Obama was a Muslim with a fake birth certificate and the first lady was actually a man.

 

I heard of those conspiracy theories. People believing that stuff annoys me.

 

Lol. I just wanted an unbiased thought out explanation. Like what goes on in their minds.

 

Most of it is fear based, it is usually easier to believe things that scare you rather than everything is fine.

 

That makes sense.