Conspiracy Theories You Believe In

[alf wiedersehen]

Personally, I haven't met a conspiracy theory that's convinced me, but I'm sure other have. I promise to be completely impartial and to not call you crazy or anything along those lines; I'm just genuinely curious if anyone here has found one they're particularly taken with.

This thread was spurred on by a text message from my friend this morning. I will transcribe its contents here: "Today is my first day off in like 2 weeks, and it started with a visit to an open dialog I've kept with my chiropractor's secretary about how she believes chemtrails are making everyone sick and babies anorexic. 100% serious. [I asked him how this open dialog started] I came in cause I was sick, and she was congested, and she started off with an "oh, don't get old." Y'know, cuz she's a weathered old bag even though she's like mid 40's tops. I just kinda fake laughed, and then she just jumped right on into how her generation was the last good one before the government started weather seeding the clouds with chemicals, and that she's read about how the chemicals make their generation sick more often because they grew up with cleaner air, and it's making babies anorexic because the chemicals give them super-early onset of acid reflux, so they can't keep any food down. And I just kinda sat there nodding, trying to get back to the magazine I really wanted to read... Then she ate a mini souffle for breakfast, and at that point I was called back.

She's on the chemtrail train. Whattabout you?

[the captain]

None that I can think of. They drive me nuts, frankly. Obama is going to organize the military to take our guns, Cheney perpetrated 9/11, the moon landing didn't happen, the world really is flat, the Romans cynically invented Christianity and hired Josephus to write the entire New Testament, anti-vaccers, chemtrails, Roswell aliens, someone has already invented [cure for cancer, pollution-free car, or whatever] but [government / big business] won't let them release it...

Probably the most reasonable one I can think of is that Oswald didn't act entirely alone in the assassination of JFK. But even that, I have no strong feelings on the subject.

Conspiracy theories are interesting, though. It's like some odd combination of people not wanting to admit that sometimes bad sh*t happens and there's nothing you can do about it, and to shift responsibility or blame to the ever-popular "them." All jumbled up with good storytelling, of course.

[Douchepool]

I've long had a fascination with conspiracy theories and much of what I read in "the Blue Planet Project" ended up inspiring a novel I'm working on in my spare time. I don't believe any of them, however.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

None that I can think of. They drive me nuts, frankly. Obama is going to organize the military to take our guns, Cheney perpetrated 9/11, the moon landing didn't happen, the world really is flat, the Romans cynically invented Christianity and hired Josephus to write the entire New Testament, anti-vaccers, chemtrails, Roswell aliens, someone has already invented [cure for cancer, pollution-free car, or whatever] but [government / big business] won't let them release it...

Probably the most reasonable one I can think of is that Oswald didn't act entirely alone in the assassination of JFK. But even that, I have no strong feelings on the subject.

Conspiracy theories are interesting, though. It's like some odd combination of people not wanting to admit that sometimes bad sh*t happens and there's nothing you can do about it, and to shift responsibility or blame to the ever-popular "them." All jumbled up with good storytelling, of course.

I agree with all of this.  I'm in the same boat as you regarding the JFK assassination as well.  I've done some cursory research, but I'm not sure it would matter at this point if Oswald didn't act alone. 

[alf wiedersehen]

the world really is flat

This one is particularly interesting in that it seems to be quite popular nowadays.

[the captain]

I think the fact that people can pretty easily make what would seem to a casual (and maybe not too bright) viewer to be legitimate documentaries and post them on youtube is part of the issue. Between that and self-publishing of ebooks in particular, the barrier for entry is very low. Now this is great in some instances, as the gatekeepers of such things have historically kept certain legitimate voices silent in publishing. But it has a downside, too. Namely, noise that is at best just inaccurate and at worst is really harmful.

[alf wiedersehen]

There's one website that's continually fascinated and saddened me, and that's www.thebeatlesneverexisted.com. That guy might actually need help.

Also, some people believe Jews are reptiles.

[joshferrell]

That there is an Illuminati controlling everything and

[Emily]

Not a believer but my favorite is that George HW had John Lennon shot.

[NOLA BB Fan]

Wish I could completely get the JFK 'conspiracy' out of my head, as had been stated, just about everyone 'involved' is dead.
Not ready to believe Oswald didn't do it; the question is who was in it with him? His family had ties to the New Orleans mob (Carlos Marcello). And how did Oswald get off so lightly after his defection to the USSR? Were there government people in cahoots with him as well?

What was he doing in my city in the summer of '63? How did he have a job at a coffee company but was allowed liberal leave where he assisted in research in an uptown lab?
Why did Oswald hand out leaflets defending Castro, but was in an organization wanting his overthrow?
What was the deal with him in Mexico?
And he apparently knew Jack Ruby.

There have been at least 3 books about this period - Lee and Me (about a young woman who had an affair with Oswald, and who also had dual jobs at the coffee company and lab), Dr Mary's Monkey (about the researcher who ran that mysterious lab, and was murdered), and a biography of the enigmatic David Ferrie (a rather pathetic figure). After reading these books I could almost see smoke coming out of my ears from overload and had to set it all aside.
(Note- My brother-in-law, who just retired from 40 years as a professional pilot, took at least one flying lesson from David Ferrie while a teenager in the mid-60s)

[Please delete my account]

To say "I don't believe in conspiracy theories" logically means you don't believe in conspiracies, since every discovery of a conspiracy must have started as a theory. And conspiracies clearly do happen. It's better to say you don't believe anything that comes from the mouths of those whose hobby is conspiracy theories.

Then again, a journalistic principle passed on to the staff of Private Eye by Claud Cockburn was "listen to the loons" if you wanted to dig up a big story that was being ignored by everyone else. This advice apparently paid off.

[Emily]

To say "I don't believe in conspiracy theories" logically means you don't believe in conspiracies, since every discovery of a conspiracy must have started as a theory. And conspiracies clearly do happen. It's better to say you don't believe anything that comes from the mouths of those whose hobby is conspiracy theories.

Then again, a journalistic principle passed on to the staff of Private Eye by Claud Cockburn was "listen to the loons" if you wanted to dig up a big story that was being ignored by everyone else. This advice apparently paid off.

He's referring to a certain sort of public, usually government/world power conspiracy theories. Anyway, it was clear to me what set of conspiracy theories was being referred to.
And that advice paid off for the media, but did it pay off for anyone else? When the media reports every perspective as if they are of equal credibility and weight, the public loses, I think.
Let me add, though, that your point is absolutely correct and that I don't know whether British media has the same difficulty of reporting fringe beliefs (i.e. science deniers) as if they are of equal credibility.

[Please delete my account]

I was not meaning my post to sound argumentative, I was just musing aloud on the keyboard.

However, I don't think the term "conspiracy theory" necessarily refers to government/world power would be-conspiracies. I know it usually does but I think conspiracy theorists as a breed are equally likely to believe in theories of lesser importance. It's just that the really big ones are the most unlikely, therefore the easiest to laugh at.

And yes, the advice was purely to journalists, and it didn't mean to investigate indiscriminately everything the cranks tell you, it means to keep an open mind and hear them out. As non-journalists, such patience would probably not be worth our while as you and I both know the vast majority of these theories are ludicrous (and often offensive in their prejudices).

[Douchepool]

I'm surprised no one has paid any thought to the conspiracy theories that exist on this very forum (board members being on band members' payrolls).

I've always found the NWO conspiracies the funniest. Somehow or another, people can't get along so much they can coexist long enough to somehow form a global government. I sometimes wonder if the peddlers of conspiracy theories come from consanguine ‎parentage.

[Emily]

I was not meaning my post to sound argumentative, I was just musing aloud on the keyboard.

However, I don't think the term "conspiracy theory" necessarily refers to government/world power would be-conspiracies. I know it usually does but I think conspiracy theorists as a breed are equally likely to believe in theories of lesser importance. It's just that the really big ones are the most unlikely, therefore the easiest to laugh at.

And yes, the advice was purely to journalists, and it didn't mean to investigate indiscriminately everything the cranks tell you, it means to keep an open mind and hear them out. As non-journalists, such patience would probably not be worth our while as you and I both know the vast majority of these theories are ludicrous (and often offensive in their prejudices).

Both, rather all three, of your points thoroughly taken and very sensible.

[drbeachboy]

The one conspiracy that I think may be true is that Pharmaceutical companies are holding back on medical cures. In a stand-up routine done by Chris Rock, he claims that "they ain't cured sh*t, since polio". That drug companies can come up with medicines that keep ills at bey, but never find an all out cure for anything. Too much money to be made in treating the symptoms than to actually cure it. He may be speaking the truth on this one.

[KDS]

I'm surprised no one has paid any thought to the conspiracy theories that exist on this very forum (board members being on band members' payrolls).

You mean that if you say something remotely negative about a song or album that Brian Wilson had anything to do with, then you're not a fan, you hate Brian and Melinda, and are on Mike Love's payroll? 

That one is a constant source of amusement. 

[Emily]

I'm surprised no one has paid any thought to the conspiracy theories that exist on this very forum (board members being on band members' payrolls).

I've always found the NWO conspiracies the funniest. Somehow or another, people can't get along so much they can coexist long enough to somehow form a global government. I sometimes wonder if the peddlers of conspiracy theories come from consanguine ‎parentage.

Thought paid. Sometimes seems wisest not to comment.
Agree/disagree on NWO. I don't think there's an outright conspiracy, but I think people with power most often make choices that entrench their power, which sometimes means making choices that entrench the power of other people with power, because they are benefitting from the same conditions.

[Emily]

The one conspiracy that I think may be true is that Pharmaceutical companies are holding back on medical cures. In a stand-up routine done by Chris Rock, he claims that "they ain't cured sh*t, since polio". That drug companies can come up with medicines that keep ills at bey, but never find an all out cure for anything. Too much money to be made in treating the symptoms than to actually cure it. He may be speaking the truth on this one.

I think this is true, but I don't think it's a conspiracy. See my above comment re: people with power.

[drbeachboy]

The one conspiracy that I think may be true is that Pharmaceutical companies are holding back on medical cures. In a stand-up routine done by Chris Rock, he claims that "they ain't cured sh*t, since polio". That drug companies can come up with medicines that keep ills at bey, but never find an all out cure for anything. Too much money to be made in treating the symptoms than to actually cure it. He may be speaking the truth on this one.

I think this is true, but I don't think it's a conspiracy. See my above comment re: people with power.

Emily, it is a conspiracy in so much as many medical charities come out to the public to help with cures for MS, MD, Aids, all sorts of Cancers, yet the billions that come out of the public"s pockets never materializes into what they think the money is going towards.

[Emily]

The one conspiracy that I think may be true is that Pharmaceutical companies are holding back on medical cures. In a stand-up routine done by Chris Rock, he claims that "they ain't cured sh*t, since polio". That drug companies can come up with medicines that keep ills at bey, but never find an all out cure for anything. Too much money to be made in treating the symptoms than to actually cure it. He may be speaking the truth on this one.

I think this is true, but I don't think it's a conspiracy. See my above comment re: people with power.

Emily, it is a conspiracy in so much as many medical charities come out to the public to help with cures for MS, MD, Aids, all sorts of Cancers, yet the billions that come out of the public"s pockets never materializes into what they think the money is going towards.

I do think there's swindling involved. And probably conspiracy among executives at Company A, true. I just don't think the executives from Company A and those from Company B and from Charity A got together to agree on a plan. Though, often times the same people move around as executives of all three, so if I parse it out, I can see it as a conspiracy, yes.

[Douchepool]

You mean that if you say something remotely negative about a song or album that Brian Wilson had anything to do with, then you're not a fan, you hate Brian and Melinda, and are on Mike Love's payroll? 

That one is a constant source of amusement. 

I received a nasty PM from a member once about exactly this. Some of the Brianistas here should consider loosening the tinfoil hats a smidge. Heaven forbid if any more blood is blocked from reaching their brains.

[SMiLE Brian]

Loosen the BBs ball cap a bit!

[KDS]

You mean that if you say something remotely negative about a song or album that Brian Wilson had anything to do with, then you're not a fan, you hate Brian and Melinda, and are on Mike Love's payroll? 

That one is a constant source of amusement. 

I received a nasty PM from a member once about exactly this. Some of the Brianistas here should consider loosening the tinfoil hats a smidge. Heaven forbid if any more blood is blocked from reaching their brains.

Hmmm...nasty PMs you say?  Didn't that get somebody banned? 

[guitarfool2002]

You mean that if you say something remotely negative about a song or album that Brian Wilson had anything to do with, then you're not a fan, you hate Brian and Melinda, and are on Mike Love's payroll? 

That one is a constant source of amusement. 

I received a nasty PM from a member once about exactly this. Some of the Brianistas here should consider loosening the tinfoil hats a smidge. Heaven forbid if any more blood is blocked from reaching their brains.

Hmmm...nasty PMs you say?  Didn't that get somebody banned? 

Multiple people going back the decade or so that private messaging on Beach Boys related forums became available. You should have seen the photos of rotting corpses that were sent around by an angry member...actually that happened several times on several boards, if I recall.