The psychology of conspiracy theorists

[Peter B]

It's not unfamiliar on American streets, either.

Ah. I was giving them the benefit of the doubt because I thought it might be done differently in the US. Obviously they're just idiots.

Or the kind of people who only notice things that directly impact themselves personally.  "I never noticed this before, so it must be new!"

Now you're reminding me of a story from about a decade ago, which I think I saw on the old old BA forum. IIRC it was a YouTube video, and it featured an American woman freaking out at seeing a rainbow caused by a garden sprinkler - she'd never seen a rainbow that way before, so obviously it was scarily significant.

By contrast I keep a constant lookout for interesting things to show my sons (currently 5 and 2) so that hopefully they'll learn to do it naturally too. A little over a week ago, we saw a fairly narrow crescent Moon in the early afternoon, quite high in the sky - something I'm sure a lot of people have never seen.

[Allan F]

"Crazy Sprinkler Lady" -

[Glom]

"Truth Frequency Radio" is claiming it was a staged event, because of the lack of blood on the ground (a familiar claim by conspiracists), because people on the scene aren't behaving according to their limited understanding of human behaviour, and because there is paint on the road and pavement (sidewalk) that they have interpreted as actors cue markers (they're marks left by council and utilities workers indicating where repairs need to be made and are a familiar sight on British streets).

Hang on! The council were fixing the road? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Seriously though, the modern tendency to make the conspiracy theory that it was faked rather than just not what it seemed is a whole new level of illucidity.

The one about the Tavistock Square bus is still the funniest though.

[gillianren]

Now you're reminding me of a story from about a decade ago, which I think I saw on the old old BA forum. IIRC it was a YouTube video, and it featured an American woman freaking out at seeing a rainbow caused by a garden sprinkler - she'd never seen a rainbow that way before, so obviously it was scarily significant.

I actually thought about her as I was typing.

[Glom]

"Crazy Sprinkler Lady" -

Hilarious.

Was that meant to be ironic? You sometimes can't tell.

[darren r]

Seriously though, the modern tendency to make the conspiracy theory that it was faked rather than just not what it seemed is a whole new level of illucidity.

Obviously this is leakage from the Apollo Hoax believers. If you can swallow that, then I guess nothing is beyond the pale. According to this worldview, everything the media reports is fake and none of the threats we're told about is real, from terrorism to Global Warming and all the way up to nuclear weapons!

[Rob260259]

"Crazy Sprinkler Lady" -

Awesome... even the cops were responding and racing to the scene...

[smartcooky]

You mean those paint markers are left there for actors to see where to stand? Oh NO! I have a blue line across the street right in front of my house!

Some unknown covert New Zealand Government agency must be about to stage a terrorist attack outside the front of my shop!

[Allan F]

That's going to be a doozy. Did you see them rehearsing? Maybe you should set a few cameras up - you could make a fortune with the right footage. Unless you're one of the "innocent bystanders" targetted? Any strange people in the shop recently? In dark suits and sunglasses?

[smartcooky]

That's going to be a doozy. Did you see them rehearsing? Maybe you should set a few cameras up - you could make a fortune with the right footage. Unless you're one of the "innocent bystanders" targetted? Any strange people in the shop recently? In dark suits and sunglasses?

Hmmmm. There was a woman walking a pug dog past the shop on Saturday. She was talking to it, and I could have sworn I heard the dog say "If you don't like it you can kiss my furry little butt!!".

[qt]

Was that meant to be ironic? You sometimes can't tell.

That was my thought.

What is oozing out of our ground?  I think I know the answer to that question - it's water.

[Allan F]

Yes, the dreaded dihydrogen monoxide - a major factor in every drowning every year. A byproduct from cars and rockets and airplanes - it's chemtrails! It is in our alcohol! And our food!

[Trebor]

"Crazy Sprinkler Lady" -

Hilarious.

Was that meant to be ironic? You sometimes can't tell.

Sadly she was serious.
I had a look at her original youtube channel and it was full of the same type of stuff.
Although she did delete this one quickly enough...

Edit :
Here's the channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/dbootsthediva

[ka9q]

Some unknown covert New Zealand Government agency must be about to stage a terrorist attack outside the front of my shop!

Looks like you use much the same utility-marking colors as here:

Yellow - natural gas
Red - electric power
Blue - potable water
Green - sewer
Orange - telecom
Purple - reclaimed (nonpotable) water - common here in San Diego for landscaping

[smartcooky]

Some unknown covert New Zealand Government agency must be about to stage a terrorist attack outside the front of my shop!

Looks like you use much the same utility-marking colors as here:

Yellow - natural gas
Red - electric power
Blue - potable water
Green - sewer
Orange - telecom
Purple - reclaimed (nonpotable) water - common here in San Diego for landscaping

Makes sense. The only colours from your list missing are yellow (we don't have reticulated gas mains in this town) and red (power comes in at the back end of the shop) and while we don't have reclaimed non-potable water, we do have separate stormwater (purple) and sewer (green) drains.

All I know is, the real reason for all the markings is they are about to dig up the footpaths along the entire main st of Richmond to put in ultrafast broadband fibre-optic cables. Those two terminal boxes part way up the wall are where the telephone comes into my shop (on the left) and the shop next door (on the right).