It isn't really difficult to understand conspiracy theorists. Being a part of a subculture of believers that makes them into heroes in a secret war is a very popular fantasy. Every time I hear one of them publicly engaging in a drivelanche, I want to shout "Ten points for Gryffindor!"
The believing is rewarded, and the more extreme the belief, the more "faith points" you get for believing it. Spouting insane nonsense further isolates the believer socially, making the ties with the group more emotionally necessary.
A certain type of person, who thrives on this sort of insularity and has a certain level of intelligence is powerfully drawn to this. They're smart enough to make up all this stuff, and to create incredibly complex and fantastic connections, but they don't have the intellectual discipline or training to weigh their conclusions against other sources or probability.
We don't do a very good job these days of educating people to the fact that the measure of a claim isn't how it makes you feel, it's the soundness of the argument and the quality of the data. When you've been told that your emotions are "your truth," then that which makes you feel good is true.
Since believing requires nothing but abdication of one's own intellectual autonomy; belief only asks that you accept what you're told, it's far easier than thinking seriously, which requires grappling with adverse evidence, questioning one's assumptions, and doing the homework. And since most people will choose, not the right answer, or the wrong answer, but the easy answer, most people will choose belief over knowledge.
All their “arguments” are self-sealing, of course. They quote each other as sources, and deride any external data as "part of the conspiracy." It's an epistemological blind alley. And it's very, very difficult to move them away from.
The problem isn't a lack of information. The problem is that they are getting an emotional and social need met. Until that stops, arguing with them only produces the "Backfire Effect," in which a flicker of doubt, or being contradicted by those they want approval from drives them deeper into the fantasy construct.
Generally, you can't do anything to return them to reality. You'll have to wait until something happens that distances them from the warm embrace of Wackdom. Like every group, there are internal politics, shunning, and "holier than thou" types and gatekeepers that can exclude them. Or their social and professional ambitions, if they have any, may collide with being publicly identified with a group of nutters. If and when that moment comes, they may be willing to listen.
And maybe they won't. In the end, everyone is responsible for the contents of their own mind. Despite the presence of the orbital mind control lasers, you can't make someone clarify their own thinking. Especially when they are deriving their sense of belonging and self-worth from believing self-serving untruths.
Own your head. Or someone else will.
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Some unfortunately believe it due to bad experiences, individual or collective.
Say the Arab World (conspiracy theories in politics)
Remember, if you argue with them, you’re a shill, an agent provocateur, or a dupe.
They believe that they, and ONLY THEY have the answers…