Have you ever wondered whether NASA faked the moon landings, Hillary Clinton ran a pedophilia ring in the basement of a pizzeria, or the US Government has allowed lizard people to infiltrate us, steal our thoughts and melt our brains?
I have some perhaps comforting news (the real kind, not the kind that people yell about because they don’t like what is being covered) for you.
The moon landings were filmed on location. Could the government really have pulled off such a massive fabrication without someone somewhere blabbing about it, or Russia throwing cold water on it? If you are of the mind that the government bungles everything it touches and so, should not be left in charge of anything that really matters, how could hundreds of thousands of people keep that juicy a secret for that long? For the sake of argument let’s posture that all of that is, in fact, true. Then logically, the question comes to why? How does the government benefit from having we the people believe we succeeded at something special before anyone else could?
The pizzeria in question did not even have a basement. Only those believers have a basement, and they’re still digging. One village idiot so badly wanted to protect the innocent children being abused there that he brought a gun and started shooting.
Only one scenario I listed above has never been proven false. For all we know, the lizard people are among us. They are the garbage men, the next door neighbor, the television news anchor, and your Congressperson.
For all you know, I could be a lizard person. Look at me. I’m somewhat eccentric, I write complex, explosive novels sporting some huge plots, and I run a blog centered on finding unity in an increasingly acrimonious environment. You have the right to be suspicious.
If you don’t believe any of that, you may be in luck. You’ve managed to look beyond the bluster and the blizzard of claims trying to coerce you to believe a certain way and are willing to look at the world through an objective lens.
Conspiracy theories are nothing new. The human race has sought to make sense of a nonsensical world since we learned to write. Psychologists have posited several main concerns of those who believe such pervasive myths. Per Psychology Today, these motives are as follows:
The desire for understanding and certainty. Uncertainty breeds fear and attempting to assign reason to complicated problems is human nature.
The desire for control and security. When we feel we are in control of our own lives, we give ourselves a sense of security because we inherently trust ourselves over others, particularly those who warn of danger we don’t want to admit exists.
The desire to maintain a positive self-image. Human beings like to feel good about themselves. People who feel marginalized may seek to improve their self-worth and a good way to do it seems to be holding some privileged knowledge.
Believing conspiracy theories may be dangerous, but what do we say about those who knowingly spread these false beliefs? Pick a position on any number of important news topics in our nation today and the internet is likely to send back a veritable swarm ideas that run the gamut from impressive coincidence to all-out lunacy.
People who spread stories like this likely do not do so because they believe them to be true. Studies have shown that purveyors of conspiracy theories share them because they engender distrust in our system and paint our leaders in a bad light. It doesn’t matter whether the news is true.
The state of our nation borders on an Orwellian nightmare where the mighty government has eyes and ears everywhere and lurks behind every corner. We are being told not to trust our own eyes and ears, only those who promised us some sense of safety.
Luckily, the internet is a double-edged sword. For every conspiracy theory, there is a well-conceived piece built on the validity of reason, research, and verifiable evidence. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell which is which, so I have a few rules of thumb when presented with new information. Consider the source. Always view political commentary and slanted blogs suspiciously. Stick to reputable news sources where reporters and editors work in unison to uncover facts. Read more than one account. Visit qualified fact-checking websites such as Snopes.
While the internet is awash in fantastic garbage, we can find light and truth if we actively seek it out. In my next post, I intend to take a closer look at a conspiracy-addled issue that has caused much contention in the last few years.