America Loves Its Conspiracy Theories

[wa3zrm]

It's official: Americans love their conspiracy theories. Public Policy Polling asked voters to weigh in on 20 more infamous ones, and the results show that a not-insignificant number of people believe that President Obama is the anti-Christ (13%), Big Foot exists (14%), and the planet is secretly ruled by the New World Order (28%; 4% think our societies are actually ruled by "lizard people"). Among the other results:

• 21% believe the government covered up a UFO crash in Roswell; 29% believe in aliens
• 6% believe Osama bin Laden is alive; 5% think Paul McCartney has been dead for decades
• 15% think there's mind-control technology hidden in TV signals
• 37% think global warming is a hoax
• 7% think the moon landing was faked
• 15% think Big Pharma develops new diseases as a way to make money
• 14% see the CIA's hand in the 1980s crack epidemic

Click here to read the full results.

[SnusoMatic]

I think you are a carrier of disinformation, work for the government and are Obamas love child brother. The CIA told me that in a secret mind meld last night.



At the risk of looking nuts, some of those things have been documented or at least parts of them. After something is documented by main stream news we should know it really happened ;-)

21% believe the government covered up a UFO crash in Roswell; 29% believe in aliens..... The government DID cover up *something*. Probably secret balloon test or some crap like that. Aliens? who knows? I don't believe.

6% believe Osama bin Laden is alive; 5% think Paul McCartney has been dead for decades..... I don't believe either one. I don't find it hard to understand why some think Bin laden is alive. If the government was trying to create a conspiracy they could not have done a better job than they did.

15% think there's mind-control technology hidden in TV signals..... Well, all I can say is twice as many believe this than believe laden is alive. That says something. I just ain't sure what. I don't believe it.

37% think global warming is a hoax..... The people that started the whole global warming story admits they lied about some facts. Is that not good enough reason to doubt their conclusion?

7% think the moon landing was faked.... I am surprised it is only 7%. Show me the proof they did land on the moon. I mean besides the government told you so. I ain't saying it did not happen. Just saying it takes faith in government to believe it did.

15% think Big Pharma develops new diseases as a way to make money. They ignore diseases that are not profitable to create "cures" for diseases that are. I don't have facts to or not to believe. I do have many reasons to doubt they are in it for the health of humans and not money.

14% see the CIA's hand in the 1980s crack epidemic. This is well documented. Why only 14% believe proves the government can get away with anything they want. Not only that but that sheople will keep coming back to the feed trough for more lies.

I was just kidding about you being a carrier of disinformation, etc. I don't believe that.

[lxskllr]

The government's been involved in enough shady dealings over the years that if they said the sky was blue. I'd have to check for myself to make sure. Maybe if they had a record of honesty, people wouldn't latch on to conspiracies.

[SnusoMatic]

The government's been involved in enough shady dealings over the years that if they said the sky was blue. I'd have to check for myself to make sure. Maybe if they had a record of honesty, people wouldn't latch on to conspiracies.

right on the money!

[Zubenelgenubi]

Well, I think it should be some mind-control on TV signals, otherwise I can´t explain why many people like that rubbish TV shows ,

[BadAxe]

It's official: Americans love their conspiracy theories. Public Policy Polling asked voters to weigh in on 20 more infamous ones, and the results show that a not-insignificant number of people believe that President Obama is the anti-Christ (13%), Big Foot exists (14%), and the planet is secretly ruled by the New World Order (28%; 4% think our societies are actually ruled by "lizard people"). Among the other results:

• 21% believe the government covered up a UFO crash in Roswell; 29% believe in aliens
• 6% believe Osama bin Laden is alive; 5% think Paul McCartney has been dead for decades
• 15% think there's mind-control technology hidden in TV signals
• 37% think global warming is a hoax
• 7% think the moon landing was faked
• 15% think Big Pharma develops new diseases as a way to make money
• 14% see the CIA's hand in the 1980s crack epidemic

Click here to read the full results.

Were these online polls? If so, here is my problem with online polls. I have always said it is absolutely impossible to get a 100% vote in a poll online, no matter what the question. I mean, try to come up with a question that would get a overwheming absolute response in one direction. Say for example "If someone were to hand you 5 million dollars tax free, with absolutely no strings attached, would you accept it?" Now, who in their right mind would say no to that? But if you put that in an online poll, there would absolutely be a certain small percentage that would say no, just to be different. So I never give any real credibility to any online poll for that reason.

That being said, I LOVE conspiracy theories. I don't believe in them all, but I love the questions they raise. The one I DO believe, and will always believe, is that 911 was way more than some middle eastern "terrorists" flying planes into oour buildings. There is just too much info pointing to this being pulled off by the gov't. ANyway, thats the one I believe in, but I love watching,listening, and talking about them all. Makes for great conversation.

[truthwolf1]

Cognitive Dissonance

http://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-dissonance.html#sthash.QNqccnxQ.dpbs

Festinger's (1957) cognitive dissonance theory suggests that we have an inner drive to hold all our attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony (or dissonance).

Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors. This produces a feeling of discomfort leading to an alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviors to reduce the discomfort and restore balance etc.

*If we all have this then it means conspiracy theorists get over it quicker.

[tattooer601]

The government's been involved in enough shady dealings over the years that if they said the sky was blue. I'd have to check for myself to make sure. Maybe if they had a record of honesty, people wouldn't latch on to conspiracies.

My feelings exactly.......