Why do people believe 911 was a conspiracy?

People usually like to believe weird things because they need to. It fills some emotional gap or creates a sense of belonging to something or some group. I can understand that people will want to believe in warm fuzzy things like going to heaven or the easter bunny, but I have trouble figuring out just what’s in it for people to believe that the WTC was demolished by the US government and not terrorists.

Any thoughts?

At the risk of stating the obvious, conspiracy theorists are usually completely hooked on confirmation bias without being aware of it. Just about any fact can be suitably bent to fit in with the theory, and thus provide further “confirmation.”

I suspect that the basic motivation for believing in conspiracy theories is much the same as that for believing in a personal god and devil: essentially, so that one can declare, “It’s not my fault!” when something bad happens.

When things go wrong in our lives or with our plans, it is comforting to “know” that these happenings were beyond our control, and also how to avoid a recurrence of them in the future. We are blameless if something bigger than us is responsible for our misfortune, something we cannot possibly hope to exert any influence over. When, in addition, we can assign to that agent a deliberately evil or destructive agenda, our own innocence seems even more unblemished, we seem even less culpable, and we can denounce it with even greater confidence, justification and righteousness.

In a nutshell, “Don’t look at me - I’m OK. But just look at what they have done! Shocking.”

And, no, I don’t know how to begin addressing such a mindset.

(My 64 cents’ worth, if it matters at all, comes from many interactions with a close relative who is a conspiracy nut. >:( )

'Luthon64

Even though I agree in principle with what Luthon64 is saying(I actually find it quite plausible, and a good viewpoint old chap…), I feel he might be generalising a bit…

A lot of things can be considered conspiracies, even by those who were not involved at all, or those who could not really care about who is to blame…

Then again, in hindsight, some things are a just to weird to be coincidental…

Why would David Icke lie about a thing like that?? ;D ;D

Me, I’m still trying to find out If I can drink TAB or Sprite Zero because of the Asparteme conspiracy… ::slight_smile:

http://www.dorway.com/badnews.html

If you believe it, then you are getting involved and do care. Which is why I want to understand the motivation behind the belief. Even if you are not directly involved.

Coincidence in itself proves nothing. And why wouldn’t David Icke lie? There is a lot of reasons he might choose to do so. And even if he genuinely believes what he is saying, it does not prove him right.

Now this I can understand. It will effect you personally if it turns out to be harmful, so caution is in order. But being careful is different from accusing the parties involved as being part of a conspiracy.

When some people, who are not directly involved in some event, also believe that there is a conspiracy about that event, this is really just a further bit of confirmation bias on the part of people who are prone to believing in conspiracies: “Look, there’s another conspiracy! The fact that it exists is more proof that all the other conspiracies I know about are, in fact, real.” In other words, it’s useful for “proving” one’s objectivity.

However, it is hard to see how someone who doesn’t really care about whom to blame for something can believe that there is a conspiracy about that thing. This curiosity needs some explanation. (ETA: I see you have already spoken about this, bluegray V.)

Human beings are very, very adept at inventing after-the-fact “explanations” for just about anything that happens to or around them. Also, one will always find individuals who turn their passions, good or bad, into their livelihood. It’s merely a case of taking those passions a few steps further than most other people. David Icke is one such individual, but possibly not the best example - Pat Robertson may well hold that dubious distinction.

'Luthon64

I made the wrong assumption that you knew , has seen or has read about Icke, that’s why I used him. My mistake.
He was debunked, but more for his radical approach, even though some of his conspiracies could not be debunked…

I was saying that if someone does NOT care about who is to blame, it can not be said that he is conspiring - just because he makes a reference to the “so called” conspiracy.
Knowledge of does not equate acknowledgement or approval.

Still don’t know If I can drink Tab…

Luthon…Do you know anything about the aspartame saga??

Well, I have encountered David Icke’s name several times in the past, but haven’t kept up to date with his comings and goings. There are higher profile crackpots out there. And, just as a point of order, it would be a mistake to assume that because a few conspiracy theories of Icke’s (or anyone else’s) could not easily be shown to be duff, that those are the ones that are true.

I’m afraid I don’t. The sum total of my knowledge in this context is what I have heard some time ago about the furore through the proverbial grapevine - and that is very little, apart from such titbits being generally unreliable. You see, it’s a topic that isn’t of any great consequence to me or mine as we hardly ever consume such beverages. Here are some search results from Quackwatch - you may find some useful info there.

'Luthon64

I have got a few videos on David Icke, and in the beginning he sounded quite enigmatic and convincing, but when he started to attack/belittle people instead of issues, I lost Interest. He did a series of 3 videos on Credu Mutwa, the Zulu Historian, which I found quite interesting…

Thanks for the link… will check it out…

BTW.

we hardly ever consume such beverages

Do you always talk like that, or do you occasionally have a drink? ;D

Glo dit of dan nie - soms raak ek selfs getrek!

'Luthon64

;D

You surprise me!!!


Which part? The Afrikaans, or the thought of an ostensibly pompous ass getting platzed? ::slight_smile:

'Luthon64

I think it was the Afrikaans!!! ::slight_smile:

Mm, plenty has been written about the subject of Aspartame. What you’ll find on Quackwatch is pretty much what you’ll find on the official Aspartame website that the manufacturer provides. They claim that the product is safe, and that the FDA has approved it, so one need not be concerned about the ravings of a few loonies.

Of course, that does not reveal that the process by which Aspartame was approved by the FDA was highly irregular. It also happens that Donald Rumsfeld was hired by G.D. Searle to get the product through the FDA because of his contacts on the Capitol.

Most of the time, Aspartame is ok. One tends to consume it in small quantities, and the vast majority of people are not sensitive to the metabolic breakdown products of the ingredient that is not on the label, methanol, in particular formaldehyde and formic acid. Methanol is 10% of Aspartame. Some people are highly sensitive to the methanol metabolites and get symptoms ranging from headaches to those mimicking MS and Lupus.

The problem with the FDA and the approval process in general is that of lack of transparency. “Trust us. We are experts”.

Why do you believe that the WTC was demolished by terrorists? Because you saw it on TV? Because George W. Bush said so?

What proof have you seen that it was a group of Al Queda terrorists sent by Osama bin Laden that hijacked aircraft and flew them into the twin towers?

Either way, it was a conspiracy. People think that it’s smart to label ideas that originate outside of the mainstream media “Conspiracy Theories”, pronounced with a sneer.

It isn’t smart at all to be closed minded and believe only what you see on TV or read in YOU magazine. Or Popular Mechanics, for that matter.

Neither is it smart to hold forth, sans offering any evidence, with belligerent finger-pointing and lukewarm mockery, and expect to be taken seriously. Especially when there’s a confluence of evidentiary lines.

It’s just a thought, though.

'Luthon64

It is incumbent upon those who make the first claim to prove their claim, not upon others to disprove it.

You’re dodging the bullet here. Please provide proof that it was Al Queda and Osama bin Laden who demolished the WTC and part of the Pentagon on 9/11. The FBI, the White House and the State Department have failed to provide any substantial proof of their allegations even after 5 years have passed. Why should anyone believe them?

No, and I never actually said I believe that. Although most indications point in that direction.

I never said I had any. But still it’s a likely explanation.

We’ve been through this in the other thread haven’t we? Please stay on topic. What do you get out of believing it was the US Government and not Al Queda terrorists?

If they publish good evidence in YOU magazine, I’ll believe it. Same goes for Popular Mechanics.

Which is what they have done to the satisfaction of many experts from a diversity of disciplines. But not, apparently, sufficient to your exacting standards.

No, I’m afraid you are. You contest the official version of events with nothing so far but loose conjecture, a suitably affected mien of righteousness and lots of hot air. It is, as you say, “incumbent” on you to provide evidence that the current account is wrong. In this regard, it works the same way science does: a new theory must be thoroughly convincing before the old one is abandoned.

I’m not an investigator, and so no doubt will fail to provide you with evidence you consider compelling (“proof” is the domain of mathematicians, logicians and philosophers). Nevertheless, there’s much been written on the Internet about the subject that a sincere search will reveal. Google exists for this purpose.

And doubtless they have good strategic reasons for withholding certain items of evidence.

You may wish to direct that question at yourself.

'Luthon64

So we’re back at “Trust us. We’re experts”.

These are the same people who told the world that Saddam Hussein had WMD.

Not quite. What you conveniently disregard, as pointed out to you before before, is the multitude of independent experts’ assessments. I’ll grant you that any one of them may be mistaken, but all of them together and in the same way? Or, worse yet, they’re colluding to deceive the world? I think not. The other thing you seem to forget is that history has shown that it takes only a single whistleblower to expose a huge cover-up like the one you’re suggesting. Where is he or she?

And, more importantly, you keep shying away from presenting a credible alternative. You expect that you will be taken seriously when all you can do is keep shouting, “Liars!” without offering any evidence that your accusation is in fact sustainable.

You’re starting to sound like a stuck record.

'Luthon64