Someone explain to me how people

[TZ]

think being in the military or being a wrestler or being the Governor of a State gives one expertise in everything including science--more than scientists? I was reading people praising Jesse Ventura's crapfest "Conspiracy Theory". And just marveling at how the same people who don't believe ANYTHING from Republicans believe without any evidence a neo conservative military man. Who made very questionable decisions as a politician..and isn't anywhere near being a liberal in beliefs either. I'm just shocked at the blatant naivete and unquestioning belief of anyone who says ITS A CONSPIRACY, even if their political leanings are completely opposite of the believers.

[SheilaT]

1. It's the natural inclination to defer

to authority. Most people were taught to respect and defer to anyone in authority when they were children, and they simply continue to do so into adulthood. They are often slapped down (figuratively, if not metaphorically) for questioning authority. Most jobs have a clear hierarchy, and you'd better respect it, or else!

I witnessed a very interesting change in body language a couple of weeks ago at my job (I work the information desk at a hospital) when the CEO of the hospital wandered by, and the IT person I was chatting with suddenly seemed rather nervous and obsequious. I simply called out a cheery, "Hi Alex", figuring he probably does not even recall when I confronted him about a year ago about the elevator situation in the hospital. IT guy said, "Hello Mr. Valdez, good to see you, hope you are fine tonight," or something along those lines. I was so startled by the groveling I saw, that I didn't even comment on it.

The other thing that's going on is that too many peopole apparently assume that the people you cited above are actually more knowledgeable than they are. It's part of the way doctors will act as if they know everything about everything, not just their particular area of expertise.

[urgk]

2. "Crapfest" is spot-on. I saw the one about global warming.

I mean how Jesse Venture can't look at his tottering, leery-eyed, "experts" and say to himself "you know, maybe I should consider that this guy may not know what he's talking about" just amazes me. It's like he finds the first person wandering through a city park talking to inanimate objects and asks them if they know anything about world events.

[Orrex]

3. That's kind of an unfair generalization

After all, some people still gain their scientific expertise via more traditional channels.

[onager]

4. "Being in the military..."

I've worked in aerospace/defense for about 3 centuries, and I could spend at least that long talking about all the star-spangled, ex-uniformed idiots I've had to deal with.

One of my favorites was a new Vice-President at a fairly small company, hired immediately after he retired from the Air Force.

He came to work in the morning and was outraged to find that nobody had made a personal pot of coffee for him in his office! Horrors!

So he grabbed the first person walking by...make that the first FEMALE person walking by - a Hispanic woman who worked for me. (I don't think the "Hispanic" part had anything to do with his behavior, but the "woman" part did). Ordered her to make him some coffee.

She told me about it and I went ballistic. She actually defended him: "Well, he IS a retired Air Force Colonel, and he's old-school."

Me: "I don't care if he's Orville Wright. He's not getting away with that."

So I went to the woman who ran H.R., and she saw the same future I did. The company had a lot of female engineers, software writers, programmers, etc. etc. It was just a matter of time before ex-Col. Asshead really pissed somebody off and got us a sexual harassment lawsuit.

The boss of H.R. went to the company President. He was one of the nicest people I've ever worked for anywhere. The way I heard it thru the company grapevine, Col. Asshead was told very emphatically that we all made our own coffee. That this was not the Air Force and we did not take orders. And the woman he had bossed around was part of the technical staff, not a personal assistant. Or a damn cook!

[Odin2005]

5. I had the misfortune of having that idiot as my governor. Ugh.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. Honestly, I think the conspiracy "craze" is taking on an almost religious aspect.

Of course, it is not a "religion" in the truest sense, but many hardcore conspiracy theorists are little different than religious fundamentalists. The best example is now 9-11. There are a variety of versions (denominations) each with their "leaders" or "council of 'elders'". If you dare question "the truth" or ask for proof, you are a "heretic." There are even "false prophets" who poison "the truth" and try to make the others "look crazy." In many versions, there exists a "pantheon of gods" usually called "the powers that be," a nebulous group, who is undefined and seemingly have amazing powers and control over everything, including information, which is why some things can't be proved. Their "beliefs" cross all religious, educational, political, and ethnic lines, which creates some very strange bedfellows. They tend to be uber-defensive if challenged, with a usual response of "here! here are some conspiracies that actually happened.", as if challenging their "belief" means conspiracies don't occur. And, IMHO, many try to "recruit" people into their "belief system."

I believe it is more than being one-sided about something. Even if someone has an obvious favorite, it doesn't mean the person doesn't recognize that sometimes his/her favorite thing can be wrong or not for others and it doesn't mean the other person who doesn't accept "the favorite" as their own is bad, evil, an idiot, or sent to destroy his/her special favorite. Many conspiracy theorists really have adopted a "with us or against us" mentality and all shades of grey drop from the picture. Insurmountable contrary evidence will not shake them from their core beliefs, they see it as a test, just like religion. At least that is how I am seeing much of it now.

[Odin2005]

13. Philosopher Karl Popper said something similar.

he said that many conspiracy theories involving shadowy powers are not much different from invoking the gods on Olympus.

[Dr. Strange]

7. He's for decriminalizing marijuana.

For a lot of people, that's a litmus test: if you favor decriminalizing marijuana, you are the equivalent of a rocket scientist. QED

[TZ]

8. I think this is the answer!

:rofl:

[FiveGoodMen]

9. Well, if you don't favor decriminalizing marijuana

Then you surely are NOT a rocket scientist!

[Dr. Strange]

10. That might very well be a true statement.

But as Confucius noted, the inverse of a conditional statement is not logically equivalent to the original.

[FiveGoodMen]

11. No argument there.

[LeftishBrit]

12. At the risk of sounding like a broken record...

one of the things that constantly shocks me is how ready some people are to quote and endorse right-wingers as support for their conspiracy theories. I've noticed this about both 9-11 and anti-vaccine theories.