How do you attempt to rationalise with the completely irrational?

[seer]

....thus they can't be trusted to be honestly evaluating the data according to the principles and methodology we call science.

Remember the scientific method and rationality are racist...

[seanD]

One reason is that many of the rational sources are themselves not trusted within those circles that buy into the conspiracies. The anti-vaxers, the young earth creationists, the AGW deniars, they all have been convinced that scientists are themselves engaged in 'covering up' the truth or perhaps that they have been 'bought out' or somehow forced to be silent about what the 'really know' and thus they can't be trusted to be honestly evaluating the data according to the principles and methodology we call science.

As ideological encroachment corrupts scientific establishments, one would possibly marvel why extra scientists aren’t defending the onerous sciences from this intrusion. The reply is that many lecturers are afraid, and for good purpose. They’re hesitant to disagree with scientific management teams, and so they see what has occurred to scientists who do. They see how researchers lose funding if they’ll’t justify how their analysis applications will explicitly fight claimed systemic racism or sexism, a requirement for scientific proposals now being utilized by granting companies.

I had no idea Lawrence Krauss was an anti-vaxxer, AGW denier creationist. Heck, I didn't even know he was a Christian.

[KingsGambit]

Conspiracy theories are comforting because they provide a neat explanation when things are spiraling out of control. And they're rhetorically difficult to dismiss out of hand because real conspiracies *have* occurred. (Some are easy to dismiss out of hand, like the Wayfair nonsense; that politicians are secret space aliens, etc., but I mean categorically).

[rogue06]

Remember the scientific method and rationality are racist...

A few decades ago some Ivy League professor proclaimed that linear logic was racist.

[Cow Poke]

Conspiracy theories are comforting because they provide a neat explanation when things are spiraling out of control. And they're rhetorically difficult to dismiss out of hand because real conspiracies *have* occurred. (Some are easy to dismiss out of hand, like the Wayfair nonsense; that politicians are secret space aliens, etc., but I mean categorically).

Hey, now, I saw Men in Black, and it's REAL!

[seer]

A few decades ago some Ivy League professor proclaimed that linear logic was racist.

They still are...

[Mountain Man]

I came across this during my news trawling.

It is laughable but also quite terrifying that people can believe such absolute nonsense.

From the BBC news website

QAnon, coronavirus and the conspiracy cult

A bizarre conspiracy theory has surged in popularity in the US since the pandemic, according to exclusive research seen by the BBC.

QAnon and its believers say that Donald Trump is here to save the world from an evil cabal of paedophiles and it’s had a surprising level of interest around the world from Brazil to Germany, the UK and Indonesia.

And this week Twitter announced it would delete 7,000 QAnon-related accounts, saying it hoped the action would help to prevent "offline harm".

BBC Population Correspondent Stephanie Hegarty has spoken to QAnon followers and their families to find out why this cultish conspiracy has gained so much traction.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-53...onspiracy-cult

I call this kind of stuff "Q droppings".

[KingsGambit]

Hey, now, I saw Men in Black, and it's REAL!

Come here, let me show you this pen.

[Cow Poke]

Come here, let me show you this pen.

Wait, who are you, and how did you get in here?

[Mountain Man]

I appreciate your laconic indifference but why in a society where serious and rational information is, quite literally, at our fingertips do these ridiculous conspiracy theories continue to flourish and whatever happened to common sense?

I assume you're referring to the internet when you say that "rational information is, quite literally, at our fingertips", but, I think, there's more garbage than useful information to found on the information superhighway, and it takes a degree of critical thinking to sort the wheat from the chaff, and people who have always been prone to being taken in by nutty conspiracy theories (for instance, those who believe that the moon landings were a hoax, or that Trump is a Russian agent) will continue along that path with plenty of sources "quite literally, at our fingertips" happy to prod them along and feed their delusions.

[seer]

Speaking of irrational...

Maxine Waters accuses President Trump of using feds in Portland as a 'trial run' to remain in power

https://www.theblaze.com/news/maxine...portland-power

[whag]

I call this kind of stuff "Q droppings".

You must have missed the part about Q followers being Trump supporters. They think he's a maverick who is secretly undoing the "deep state." Trump dog whistles to them by referring to the "deep state" department.

[whag]

Speaking of irrational...

Maxine Waters accuses President Trump of using feds in Portland as a 'trial run' to remain in power

https://www.theblaze.com/news/maxine...portland-power

Rand Paul sees that as a danger, as well, hence why he argues against militarizing the police:

https://reason.com/2020/07/21/rand-p...ze-the-police/

[seanD]

Conspiracy theories are comforting because they provide a neat explanation when things are spiraling out of control. And they're rhetorically difficult to dismiss out of hand because real conspiracies *have* occurred. (Some are easy to dismiss out of hand, like the Wayfair nonsense; that politicians are secret space aliens, etc., but I mean categorically).

Qanon is definitely a rightwing thing. I suspect the "secret space aliens" conspiracy theory was initially a leftwing thing. I doubt Christians in the 50s would have readily gravitated around the belief there are other intelligent organic lifeforms in the universe that is being covered up by the government. The Wayfair one I also doubt is exclusively rightwing, as I've seen some pretty leftist looking characters on YT endorsing it. The anti-vaxxer hoopla is definitely not JUST a rightwing thing. Contrary to what anti-Christian folks like Ox imply, conspiracy theories gravitate around both parties.

[seer]

Rand Paul sees that as a danger, as well, hence why he argues against militarizing the police:

https://reason.com/2020/07/21/rand-p...ze-the-police/

Paul thinks that this is trial run by Trump to remain in power if he loses?