1hundredsixty8

I came across an interesting thread on Twitter last weekend. The author is Caroline Orr,  “a social sciences scholar studying human interactions on the Internet. Orr [has] watched the cyber-war continue unabated in real time. Her Twitter feed plays an invaluable role in decoding the cyber-mysteries of Trump and Russia for the amateur sleuth and average reader alike.” You can check out a full interview with Dr. Orr at National Observer. Her knowledge is impressive.

This thread, presented without comment, deals with the perils posed by conspiracy theories, a subject made more topical because of the recent resurrection of the television career of Roseanne Barr, herself a noted subscriber to a panoply of wild intrigues.

Caroline O.‏ @RVAwonk   7:34 AM - 31 Mar 2018

Conspiracy theories are dangerous for many reasons. Among other things, they provide a way to reduce mental distress by changing our perception of a problem without actually doing anything to solve the problem. They're the mental equivalent of a pacifier. 1/

Spreading conspiracy theories about Trump using hidden codes to signal that he's closing in on a secret plan to break up child trafficking rings isn't just absurd — it's harmful. It lulls people into complacency & lets them feel like they're helping when they're doing nothing. 2/

Conspiracy theories also lead to a dangerous cycle of scapegoating because the regressive logic of conspiratorial thinking can only be maintained by implicating an ever-expanding group of "conspirators" involved in the conspiracy and/or the "cover-up". 3/

Conspiracy theories are appealing b/c they claim to provide explanations for otherwise inexplicable or uncontrollable events. But this comes at a cost. Maintaining the belief leads to 'crippled epistemology' — a rigid style of thinking that rejects disconfirming information. 4/

Conspiracy theories serve a palliative function by allowing people to attribute external events/circumstances to some person or group, which produces a sense of control over one’s environment (b/c the risk is less random when it’s attributed to a powerful, nefarious actor). 5/

Social motives also drive people to believe in conspiracy theories. They allow people to maintain a positive image of the self & social group by formulating their own understanding of reality. This also comes at a price. It turns the "outgroup" into an enemy. 6/

That's where scapegoating comes in. Instead of looking for real answers to problems, people who are invested in conspiracy theories identify "enemies" and blame the problem on them. Ultimately, inflicting punishment on these "enemies" becomes the goal. 7/

And that in turn, allows people to feel like they're solving something when in fact, all they're doing is putting a bandaid on their own mental distress. And because the bandaid stops the bleeding, people no longer feel that they need to take meaningful action. 8/

For example: Believing in 4chan conspiracy theories about Trump secretly dismantling child trafficking rings lets people feel okay about doing nothing to end child trafficking. And it lets Trump supporters feel morally superior for "caring" about child trafficking. 9/

(Research shows that collective narcissism and belief in conspiracy theories often go hand-in-hand. Hence the appeal of using a conspiracy theory to bolster feelings of group superiority.) 10/

On a related note: This is also why it's harmful to believe in grand conspiracy theories about Trump's impeachment being imminent or certain. It's not. And believing that it is reduces the sense of urgency to vote & engage in other civic actions. 11/

<A few more comments on the consequences of conspiracy theories> Society depends on trust in shared sources of knowledge. Much of what we "know" is based on the testimony of others, rather than firsthand experience or observation. 12/

For example: Most of us have never seen Antarctica. But we know it exists b/c we trust in the knowledge & testimony of others. This is true about nearly all of our collective knowledge. Conspiracy theories ask you to discard this trust. 13/

Functioning societies depend on shared, socially-mediated sources of knowledge. It's the glue that holds societies together. Conspiracy theories ask us to give up more & more of our trust in each other, and in our knowledge-generating mechanisms. 14/

Conspiracy theories come at a cost. They ask us to give up on our trust in knowledge, in knowledge-producing institutions, and in each other. And so ultimately, they ask us to give up on the fabric of society altogether. 15/