[ExI] Take Off List (Re: Fascist America, in 10 Easy Steps)

[BillK]

On 10/8/07, Natasha Vita-More wrote:
>
>  Is there anyone beside Max and me who would like to see this thread be
> taken off list?
>


I agree.
I don't mind a bit of conspiracy theory nonsense, but this one has
gone on long enough.

There are thousands of conspiracy sites out there - It's like an
internet virus, spreading like the plague. But I don't understand how
all these people and sites enjoy knowing about this 'top-secret'
information. How can it be 'top-secret' when Google brings up
thousands upon thousands of pages of gossip about them?

Ref: Michael Shermer book
<http://www.amazon.com/People-Believe-Weird-Things-Pseudoscience/dp/0805070893>
'Why People Believe Weird Things :
Pseudoscience, Superstition & Other Confusions of Our Time'.

Shermer's conclusion is very simple. People believe weird things
because of wishful thinking and continue to believe in those things
despite contrary evidence because they are unwilling to alter
preconceived notions. The reasons for the unwillingness to shift
paradigms are many. People don't want to admit they are wrong. They
sometimes want something comfortable rather than something true (even
if they play a game of pretend by calling their fantasies and wishes
true). Racism and group think also play major roles. These weird
theories are propagated through 'feedback loops' which Shermer
explains by using the witch hunts as an example. Numerous other
feedback loops have been created recently. The media (especially now
with information being so easily exchanged on a national and global
basis) has been a major player in starting and defusing these loops.

Note: The latest edition includes a new chapter on why *smart* people
believe weird things.

Video talk here, if you can't get the book
<http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/22>


BillK