Author Topic: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?  (Read 20392 times)

Offline Zakalwe

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Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« on: May 04, 2013, 05:40:39 AM »
Is the Apollo lunatic fringe gradually dying out?  There's a thread over on the UK Yahoo site called "Visions of the Universe".
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/photos/visions-of-the-universe-1367509568-slideshow/
now the UK Yahoo site is, IMHO, infamous for the poorest quality of reporting going. It also seems to attract comments from the hard of thinking (ie, any mention of politics seems to result in a flurry of posts about UKIP :-[ ). This particular item has the usual time-worn rubbish about dust, shadows, blast craters, yet most of these seem to get pounced on. To me, it looks like the Apollo conspiracist is a dying breed?
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Offline Glom

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2013, 06:02:16 AM »
It is now very much relegated to the tin foil hat wearing element. That tends to diminish its credibility so that even those who are sympathetic to the message won't touch it with a barge pole.

Offline Inanimate Carbon Rod

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #2 on: May 04, 2013, 07:07:35 AM »
The Apollo program was over 40 years ago is so removed from the modern generation that it doesn't factor into their world view. If a new race to the moon ever starts I predict the ApolloHoaxers will grow in number again.

On the subject of hoaxers, it's becoming quite common to accuse the SpaceX videos of the Grasshopper as been faked. I wonder why?
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Offline Zakalwe

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #3 on: May 04, 2013, 07:29:56 AM »
On the subject of hoaxers, it's becoming quite common to accuse the SpaceX videos of the Grasshopper as been faked. I wonder why?

It seems to be that, for some people, the default position is "its a fake". They adopt that position and then seek out what they call anomalies that they they use to support their original position. Its confirmation bias gone crazy for people with almost zero critical-thinking skills.
"The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.' " - Isaac Asimov

Offline darren r

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #4 on: May 04, 2013, 08:07:45 AM »
Oddest comment was from the woman who asked "I thought everyone agreed these photos were fake?" You've got to wonder what sort of circles she moves in.
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Offline RAF

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #5 on: May 04, 2013, 10:20:25 AM »
If a new race to the moon ever starts I predict the ApolloHoaxers will grow in number again.

I don't know...perhaps initially, but I can't imagine returning to the moon without taking even higher resolution images of the landing sights.

Not to "prove" anything...just out of curiousity...



edit to add...of course "higher res images" won't convince those who steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the evidence...so I do agree with ICR.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2013, 10:25:33 AM by RAF »

Offline gillianren

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2013, 11:32:20 AM »
I read a book not long ago about conspiracism, and while it mentioned Pearl Harbor and anti-Stratfordianism (still going strong after four hundred years!), Apollo wasn't mentioned in the book once.
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Offline Noldi400

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #7 on: May 05, 2013, 03:12:54 AM »
Their numbers do seem to be waning. There was a recent poll by Public Policy Polling (an up-and-coming polling company rat cheer in Nawth Ca'lina)  on the subject of Conspiracy Theories.

Surprisingly (to me), only 7% of those polled believed in the moon hoax, putting it way behind most of the other common CTs.

Full Results here:

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/04/conspiracy-theory-poll-results-.html

Oh, and by the way... Jay, you and the others of your ilk have been caught out!  I suggest that you slink away before this unimpeachable source visits more humiliation on your heads!
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So There!
« Last Edit: May 05, 2013, 03:20:14 AM by Noldi400 »
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Offline smartcooky

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #8 on: May 05, 2013, 05:14:32 AM »
If a new race to the moon ever starts I predict the ApolloHoaxers will grow in number again.

I don't know...perhaps initially, but I can't imagine returning to the moon without taking even higher resolution images of the landing sights.

Not to "prove" anything...just out of curiousity...



edit to add...of course "higher res images" won't convince those who steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the evidence...so I do agree with ICR.

Of course, upon return to the moon with astronauts of all nations taking part and with HD video and live feeds from the old Apollo landing sites, the true HB's will just say that the Apollo sites were "set up" just prior to arrival, by secret NASA missions.

If I were were a high-up in NASA, and I knew the Apollo missions were faked, I'd be just a bit worried about all these other countries sending high resolution imaging satellites and possibly manned missions to the moon. Wouldn't you?
If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong.

Offline Glom

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Re: Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2013, 05:59:37 AM »
If I were were a high-up in NASA, and I knew the Apollo missions were faked, I'd be just a bit worried about all these other countries sending high resolution imaging satellites and possibly manned missions to the moon. Wouldn't you?

And I'd be cursing my predecessors for their short sightedness and wondering why they didn't bother just landing on the bloody moon and save us all this trouble.

Offline smartcooky

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Re: Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2013, 08:31:15 AM »
And I'd be cursing my predecessors for their short sightedness and wondering why they didn't bother just landing on the bloody moon and save us all this trouble.

If you're not a scientist but you think you've destroyed the foundation of a vast scientific edifice with 10 minutes of Googling, you might want to consider the possibility that you're wrong.

Offline gillianren

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2013, 10:58:57 AM »
Their numbers do seem to be waning. There was a recent poll by Public Policy Polling (an up-and-coming polling company rat cheer in Nawth Ca'lina)  on the subject of Conspiracy Theories.

Yes, I remember discussing that poll on what I still stubbornly call BAUT.  I'd really like to know more about their methodology.  Especially given the "alien" question.
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Offline Noldi400

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #12 on: May 05, 2013, 11:38:31 AM »
Their numbers do seem to be waning. There was a recent poll by Public Policy Polling (an up-and-coming polling company rat cheer in Nawth Ca'lina)  on the subject of Conspiracy Theories.

Yes, I remember discussing that poll on what I still stubbornly call BAUT.  I'd really like to know more about their methodology.  Especially given the "alien" question.
I think - not certain - that I've fielded one of their surveys before, and it so happened that I had the time and inclination to answer a few questions. It was a computerized voice response "Say 'Yes' or 'No' or 'Not Sure'" type thing.

I don't know much about polling methodology but their website seems to have a pretty detailed account of their process, FWIW.
"The sane understand that human beings are incapable of sustaining conspiracies on a grand scale, because some of our most defining qualities as a species are... a tendency to panic, and an inability to keep our mouths shut." - Dean Koontz

Offline Noldi400

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #13 on: May 05, 2013, 11:47:03 AM »
If a new race to the moon ever starts I predict the ApolloHoaxers will grow in number again.

I don't know...perhaps initially, but I can't imagine returning to the moon without taking even higher resolution images of the landing sights.

Not to "prove" anything...just out of curiousity...



edit to add...of course "higher res images" won't convince those who steadfastly refuse to acknowledge the evidence...so I do agree with ICR.

Of course, upon return to the moon with astronauts of all nations taking part and with HD video and live feeds from the old Apollo landing sites, the true HB's will just say that the Apollo sites were "set up" just prior to arrival, by secret NASA missions.

If I were were a high-up in NASA, and I knew the Apollo missions were faked, I'd be just a bit worried about all these other countries sending high resolution imaging satellites and possibly manned missions to the moon. Wouldn't you?

That seems to sum up the hopelessness of ever changing the mind of the committed HB. All evidence is "faked" or "planted", all witnesses are "lying" or occasionally "brainwashed".  If they can make up a story - no matter how far-fetched - to account for something (like, oh, 380kg of 'moon rocks' collected from Antarctica or by robotic probes) they think that proves the hoax. Oh, someone who was about to blow the whistle mysteriously died just before they could go public.

ETA: I was watching the interview that Neil Armstrong did for the Australian CPAs last night and I still get a chuckle when the interviewer asks him about the CTs and he says "I'm not worried. I'm certain someone will eventually return to the moon and pick up the camera I left there."  Class act, that one was.
« Last Edit: May 05, 2013, 11:51:38 AM by Noldi400 »
"The sane understand that human beings are incapable of sustaining conspiracies on a grand scale, because some of our most defining qualities as a species are... a tendency to panic, and an inability to keep our mouths shut." - Dean Koontz

Offline RAF

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Re: Hoax "theorists" becoming scarcer?
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2013, 12:42:41 PM »
I was watching the interview that Neil Armstrong did for the Australian CPAs last night and I still get a chuckle when the interviewer asks him about the CTs and he says "I'm not worried. I'm certain someone will eventually return to the moon and pick up the camera I left there."  Class act, that one was.

For it not being "planned" that way, he was the perfect person to be the first...his almost complete lack of ego has always empressed me.


But your post inspired a notion...I imagine the camera was handled before the gloves were put on, so shouldn't Neil, and Buzz's fingerprints be all over that camera?

Although as irrational as Moon hoax bats are, it would mean nothing to them...