Conspiracy Theories

[APM]

Saw this today and thought it was a fantastic way of looking at conspiracy theories / believers - albeit there is a subjective element to it.  Makes you realise that this is a slippery slope.  A bit like the way they say that marijuana is like a gateway to hard drugs, so too is crossing the speculation line and leaving reality.   

Thankfully I have no family members buying into any of this crap; but if you had a loved one who was succumbing to conspiracy theories, how would you respond.  I have some friends that I think are are falling into the trap and I know people who are full-on believers in the most extreme stuff. 

It's cult-like and I think people need to be deprogrammed if they are totally invested in these beliefs. Scary stuff. 

[Evil Genius]

The Legion of Mary and Opus Dei, for instance were/are more right wing than Oliver Cromwell.

And then there's the Legion's offshoot:
"Maria Duce (Latin for With Mary as our Leader) was a small Catholic Integrist group active in Ireland, founded in 1942 by Fr Denis Fahey.

Like its founder, Maria Duce was avowedly anti-communist. They picketed a visit by film star Danny Kaye and campaigned against a visit by actor Gregory Peck, both of whom they accused of being communists.

Though Maria Duce's membership probably did not much exceed one hundred, its monthly journal Fiat enjoyed a fairly wide circulation in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

As Fírinne [Irish for "truth"] it remained in existence until the early 1970s, publishing FIAT and organising pilgrimages to Fr. Fahey's grave in the belief that he would one day be canonised as a saint.

John Ryan, the long time editor of The Irish Catholic Newspaper, was secretary of Maria Duce for a time. The IRA member Sean South (killed in the 1950s border campaign) founded a local branch of Maria Duce in Limerick."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Duce

Maria Duce was also fiercely anti-Semitic. Well why not - it was very fashionable in the early 1940's after all...

Anyhow, I suspect that there was little call for extreme Far Right politics in ROI back in those days, since the main political parties, the Catholic Church and virtually all the other organs of state were pretty right wing, conservative (small "c" and large "C") themselves and had things pretty well sewn up. (Also kept the Far Left down)

Still, maybe if the Fascists had had a few more good tunes, recruitment might have gone better:
https://anphoblacht.com/contents/25584

[screenexile]

The recent Qanon documentary from HBO is fascinating... absolutely bonkers I mean really it is batshit but worth a watch.

People start commenting on it then get some followers, monetise it and then it's basically a vicious circle of people saying mad shit to get more views which in turn convinces more people to believe it's true.

It's very dangerous and I fear we'll see a few more of these movements which will get even more extreme than the Capitol storming.

Violent I mean I suppose you can't get much more extreme than believing a series of high powered figures including politicians and celebrities are involved in a paedophile ring that trafficks babies around the world to be eaten for their regenerative properties!

[trailer]

Saw this today and thought it was a fantastic way of looking at conspiracy theories / believers - albeit there is a subjective element to it.  Makes you realise that this is a slippery slope.  A bit like the way they say that marijuana is like a gateway to hard drugs, so too is crossing the speculation line and leaving reality.   

Thankfully I have no family members buying into any of this crap; but if you had a loved one who was succumbing to conspiracy theories, how would you respond.  I have some friends that I think are are falling into the trap and I know people who are full-on believers in the most extreme stuff. 

It's cult-like and I think people need to be deprogrammed if they are totally invested in these beliefs. Scary stuff.

Wait. What? Finland doesn't exist? LMFAO!

People who believe this need to be locked up for the benefit of society and their own safety. Many of them go crazy and commit violent crime.

[Itchy]

Is there not missing a whole segment of the triangle for Jim Corr and Gemma O Doherty? Bat Shit Crazy conspiracy theorist I think its called

[GetOverTheBar]

Celebs moisturise with childrens foreskin.

That's a new one for me.

[BennyCake]

The thing you have to understand when people (particularly the media) go on about conspiracy theories, is that they always mention the most outrageous one, so that people immediately roll the eyes and say "what a nut!", and stop listening.

Heard it discussed lately on RTE Radio. Presenter says, sure some of these people believe that the RTE presenters are being injected by lizard blood to keep them young looking on the TV, or something along those lines. Cue the eye rolling and head shaking.

It already happening on this thread.

[trailer]

The thing you have to understand when people (particularly the media) go on about conspiracy theories, is that they always mention the most outrageous one, so that people immediately roll the eyes and say "what a nut!", and stop listening.

Heard it discussed lately on RTE Radio. Presenter says, sure some of these people believe that the RTE presenters are being injected by lizard blood to keep them young looking on the TV, or something along those lines. Cue the eye rolling and head shaking.

It already happening on this thread.

OK the floor is yours. Which do you think are true?

[Louther]

The great thing for conspiracy theorists is that they don't have to prove it.....as it's all a cover up.

Some bonkers stuff gets passed off as fact on social media.

[GetOverTheBar]

Just reading about the Denver International Airport here, never heard that one either. Very odd.

Passing my day rightly now.

[general_lee]

My favourite conspiracy theory is that the BBC is so heavily influenced by the IRA to the extent that it is a vehicle for Irish Republican propaganda (BBCIRA)

This has manifested itself within the hardline Unionist narrative since at least 2012 & the failed Fleg protests. It has remained an almost constant ever since as this thread on Twitter exemplifies. Some of the tweets from Unionist fanatics are hilarious and a fascinating insight into Unionist ipsedixitism (hat tip to Chris Donnelly in yesterday's Irish News).

https://twitter.com/emeraldunion/status/1381734909467840512?s=21

[imtommygunn]

Psnira

People believe this crap and now I think the thought is that nationalists are favoured by the police

[BennyCake]

The thing you have to understand when people (particularly the media) go on about conspiracy theories, is that they always mention the most outrageous one, so that people immediately roll the eyes and say "what a nut!", and stop listening.

Heard it discussed lately on RTE Radio. Presenter says, sure some of these people believe that the RTE presenters are being injected by lizard blood to keep them young looking on the TV, or something along those lines. Cue the eye rolling and head shaking.

It already happening on this thread.

OK the floor is yours. Which do you think are true?

As I said earlier, anything that could be credible is lost among the 'Elvis is still on tour' bullshit.

[RedHand88]

My favourite conspiracy theory is that the BBC is so heavily influenced by the IRA to the extent that it is a vehicle for Irish Republican propaganda (BBCIRA)

This has manifested itself within the hardline Unionist narrative since at least 2012 & the failed Fleg protests. It has remained an almost constant ever since as this thread on Twitter exemplifies. Some of the tweets from Unionist fanatics are hilarious and a fascinating insight into Unionist ipsedixitism (hat tip to Chris Donnelly in yesterday's Irish News).

https://twitter.com/emeraldunion/status/1381734909467840512?s=21

Jesus Christ. Has he considered the possibility that unionists just aren't funny? Who does he want on a comedy panel... Jim Allister?

Actually come to think of it, that would be funny.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

The thing you have to understand when people (particularly the media) go on about conspiracy theories, is that they always mention the most outrageous one, so that people immediately roll the eyes and say "what a nut!", and stop listening.

Heard it discussed lately on RTE Radio. Presenter says, sure some of these people believe that the RTE presenters are being injected by lizard blood to keep them young looking on the TV, or something along those lines. Cue the eye rolling and head shaking.

It already happening on this thread.

OK the floor is yours. Which do you think are true?

As I said earlier, anything that could be credible is lost among the 'Elvis is still on tour' bullshit.

Houl yer whist. Ive a £1million bet on this with an old mate. Im on the wrong side of this but im refusing to pay