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When people don’t know what to believe, or feel like they can’t believe anything….they will attach their beliefs to bias-confirming narratives…even if they are illogical. I’ve previously used a “circuit breaker” analogy to try to explain why…1/ https://twitter.com/PamelafBrockman/status/1304482506973081601
….some people revert to not just their previous position on an issue when confronted with what should be moderating information on both sides of an issue, but to a more extreme position than they held before hearing both sides of the issue. 2/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1274703722619297802
One of things that may be happening with conspiracy theory fanaticism, is that when confronted with information on both sides of an issue, for some people, when that “circuit breaks”, instead of reverting back to a previously held position or a more extremely version of it…..11/
….they instead detach from any semblance of reality.
Basically, when confronted with contradicting information that causes them to not know what to believe…..they feel free to believe anything (whatever they want), regardless of how disconnected or absurd it may be…12/
Basically, when confronted with contradicting information that causes them to not know what to believe…..they feel free to believe anything (whatever they want), regardless of how disconnected or absurd it may be…12/
....especially when that absurdity is “highly entertaining…and intoxicatingly addictive”. 13/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1304423321962905600
Similar to speaking out against a group that people derive their identity from.....there may be a pain avoidance component involved w/aversions to refuting a conspiracy theory, or speaking out against a belief the rest of the group believes/propagates. 14/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1251934736852889601
As far as the fixation on pedophilia/Antifa, there may be several things at play.....15/
First, the binary/polarized nature of society results in a zero-sum mentality where if one side can effectively demonize their “enemy” (out-group), then by definition, the in-group (the “us”, in the “us-vs-them”), are the “good guys”. 16/
One of the most effective ways to demonize the Left is when the Right invokes children. For decades, the Right’s used the abortion issue to not only demonize the Left by characterizing them as "baby killers",…. 17/
….but by invoking religion/morality into the debate, it’s allowed the Right to use this perceived "moral authority" to justify anything or anyone with a “the ends justifies the means” mentality. 18/
They’ve convinced themselves they’re justified in doing the wrong thing, if it’s done for the "right" reasons.
Basically, as long they’re violating their values/breaking laws/hurting people/tearing down institutions to "protect" children, then it's justified/“forgiven”. 19/
Basically, as long they’re violating their values/breaking laws/hurting people/tearing down institutions to "protect" children, then it's justified/“forgiven”. 19/
Furthermore, the more ominously formidable the perceived enemy is, the more easily they can justify their egregious, value-violating, immoral behavior because desperate times call for desperate action. 20/
Consequently, the Right has justified everything from the bombing of abortion clinics, to supporting a sociopathic narcissist who is the antithesis of everything Christianity claims to stand for, in exchange for judges who will overturn Roe v Wade. 21/ https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1103263909920694272
This is what the Right is trying to do with Antifa.
But the reality is, according to @neusummits, Ass Sec for Threat Prevention & Security Policy in the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (under Trump), DHS classifies Antifa as a “low grade threat”. 22/ https://podcast.thebulwark.com/elizabeth-neumann-on-how-trump-fuels-the-fire
But the reality is, according to @neusummits, Ass Sec for Threat Prevention & Security Policy in the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (under Trump), DHS classifies Antifa as a “low grade threat”. 22/ https://podcast.thebulwark.com/elizabeth-neumann-on-how-trump-fuels-the-fire
Another factor may be that by believing in conspiracy theories, people allow themselves to embrace two cognitively dissonant ideas: 23/
Conspiracy theories satiate their narcissism by allowing them to believe that they are special, unique, smarter than everyone else, in an exclusive “club” of “the knowing”….24/
….while also justifying their grievance/resentment/victimhood because the conspiracy explains why, despite all their narcissistic grandiosity (special/unique/smarter than everyone else), they’ve underachieved in life. 25/
Basically, conspiracy theories are often a cognitive dissonance-reconciling narrative that allow people to believe that they are special (narcissism), even though they’ve done nothing special in their life (victimhood). We see this play out with….26/
…..racism/white supremacy: people believe they’re special simply b/c of their race, but have been held back in life by “others” who are either beneath them (minorities/Jews), or by policies (“equality”) that have prevented them from fully capitalizing on their specialness. 27/
And finally, it may simply be projection.
Regardless of whether it’s Roy Moore/Dennis Hastert/Mark Foley/Trump/Gingrich/Ted Haggard, there are many examples of projective hypocrisy by bible-banging Right Wing moralists engaging in affairs, homosexuality, and…..pedophilia. 28/
Regardless of whether it’s Roy Moore/Dennis Hastert/Mark Foley/Trump/Gingrich/Ted Haggard, there are many examples of projective hypocrisy by bible-banging Right Wing moralists engaging in affairs, homosexuality, and…..pedophilia. 28/
Relevant threads: https://twitter.com/Nick_Carmody/status/1298574694170292225
