Is Conspiracy Theorism a new-age religion?

[Dizzie]

While it may be tantamount to heresy to post this article on a forum that deals in oddities, the story intrigued me and unnerved me. I found myself drawing some similarities in the benefits enjoyed by conspiracy theorists to my own experience with religious beliefs.

While this correlation does not produce a logical assumption that the two concepts (conspiracy and mainline religion) are in any way ethically or otherwise similar in nature, it does produce a question for me. Namely, does the idea that Conspiracy Theorism is a de facto religion merit further study and, if so, what might the implications of that be?

Some are hinted at in the article - https://www.wired.com/story/conspiratorial-thinking-qanon-beliefs/

 

[Cosmo]

does the idea that Conspiracy Theorism is a de facto religion merit further study

I've wondered the same thing, more or less, when I see stories where the person demolished their personal lives based on conspiracy theories. I watched most of the Q stuff and saw a few rant posts like this, where someone got so emotionally invested that it became the structure for their entire worldview and ended relationships/careers. When that happens, I think some sort of dogmatic thought process has taken over and it can't lead anywhere healthy.

It's easy to get emotional about some of the stuff that gets thrown around... And these chan sites are designed to make you angry, to get you invested. I think they can be used as tools to manipulate and radicalize (in both directions); they expose otherwise reasonable people to a kind of hyper-reality, where the absolute worst of humanity is magnified, perpetuated and memed until it becomes a mind virus. Like an earworm song that you'll be reminded of because of something unrelated. It's mental warfare, and people who haven't developed "armor" will take it home with them.

I don't know what the answer is. I feel like I can be interested in and examine something without having to believe it until something comes of it. I'm not special, plenty of people probably see it the same way - A fascinating storyline on the internet to follow and wonder about. People like the guy in the article certainly exist, but aren't much different than all the Facebook aunt Karens who blew up decades-long relationships of their own.

 

[Num7]

I was about to reply with something similar to Cosmo, but not as clean and eloquent.

Basically, some people become so invested in those conspiracy theories that they go berserk. They live in a parallel reality where common sense doesn't exist anymore. As for religion, it's nearly impossible to convince them otherwise and bring them back to the real world. It's like they're 100% brainwashed, or indoctrinated or something.

What seems scary to me, is that you never who these conspiracy berserkers are, and what crazy things they might do. Pretty wild.

 

[Classicalfan626]

I was about to reply with something similar to Cosmo, but not as clean and eloquent.

Basically, some people become so invested in those conspiracy theories that they go berserk. They live in a parallel reality where common sense doesn't exist anymore. As for religion, it's nearly impossible to convince them otherwise and bring them back to the real world. It's like they're 100% brainwashed, or indoctrinated or something.

What seems scary to me, is that you never who these conspiracy berserkers are, and what crazy things they might do. Pretty wild.

Are you saying conspiracy theories are always wrong or not based in reality? Well, some of these may be far-fetched, but I do think many of them are based in truth. What do you think?

 

[Num7]

Are you saying conspiracy theories are always wrong or not based in reality? Well, some of these may be far-fetched, but I do think many of them are based in truth. What do you think?

I agree with you. I believe that most, if not all conspiracy theories are based on events that really happened. Look at the moon landings. Some will tell you they're real. Others believe the US faked it to win the cold war.

Conspiracy theories are fine. But sometimes, people who investigate them and/or their followers lose their way and go nuts.

I mean, it's cool to consider the idea that Moon landings are fake, it's thought-provoking and entertaining. But going as far as to flat-out call Buzz Aldrin a liar, to his face? That's not okay.

An extreme example would be killing your kids because you believe they have serpent DNA. It's just as bad as a suicide bomber, killing himself and others for Allah, out of pure religious fanatism. Except here, the fanatism has to do with a conspiracy theory.

 

[Classicalfan626]

I agree with you. I believe that most, if not all conspiracy theories are based on events that really happened. Look at the moon landings. Some will tell you they're real. Others believe the US faked it to win the cold war.

Conspiracy theories are fine. But sometimes, people who investigate them and/or their followers lose their way and go nuts.

I mean, it's cool to consider the idea that Moon landings are fake, it's thought-provoking and entertaining. But going as far as to flat-out call Buzz Aldrin a liar, to his face? That's not okay.

An extreme example would be killing your kids because you believe they have serpent DNA. It's just as bad as a suicide bomber, killing himself and others for Allah, out of pure religious fanatism. Except here, the fanatism has to do with a conspiracy theory.

Oh, I see.

As for the people who do such crazy things as those you mentioned, like mass murder of innocent human life, that's bad, though it's just one side of the coin. Unfortunately, there are a lot of sick people out there.

However, just like there are mainstream propaganda followers who avoid crime and inappropriate behavior and those who don't, there are conspiracy theory believers who avoid crime and inappropriate behavior and those who don't. I bet you'll also agree with that.