A few simple questions for conspiracy theorists

[LunarOrbit]

I've got a few simple questions for those of you who consider yourselves "conspiracy theorists", "truthers", or "hoax believers".

Why do people, like you, feel the need to lie to make your case? Why do you pretend to be engineers, scientists, or doctors when you very clearly are not? Why do you create multiple sockpuppet accounts in order to give us the impression that people actually agree with you? Why do you take information out of context to make it look like it supports you? Why do you misrepresent images from movies like "Capricorn One" as "real fake" pictures? Why do you keep making the same claims even after they have been debunked?

I guess all of that can be summed up with just one question:

Why are you so dishonest?

If you have the facts on your side you don't need to lie. Something to think about.

[RAF]

Wow, LunarOrbit...that was cool.

[LunarOrbit]

Thanks, RAF.

[RAF]

You are quite welcome.


Your post is extremely relevant to the hoax believer question...it you've got the truth on your side, why lie in an effort to prove that you have the truth on your side?

Why am I reminded of certain religious leaders and politicians.

[peter eldergill]

LO hove you been watchin Rick Mercer or something?

Heh

Was there anything in particular to bring this post on?

Totally agree but Curious

Pete

[LunarOrbit]

I think it's mostly just the endless sock puppets that lead to that Mercer-like mini rant.

I mean, people like Patrick must realize they are lying when they create multiple identities... so why do they do it? How does it help their cause?

[Sus_pilot]

Thanks LO.

Along those lines, I'd like to ask a question that was moved to the Abandon All Hope forum at JREF when I asked it of PK1000:  why are you, the hoax believer, so emotionally invested in proving that we didn't go to the moon?  Why won't you accept reasonable explanations from reasonable people that it happened? 

As I said then, it's OK to disagree with the program, the money and effort spent and so on.  But going to nearly the same effort to fit the Apollo record into a hoax theory as it does to make a geocentric model of the Solar system fit observations just makes no sense...

[AtomicDog]

I believe that it's Projection.  The HB believes that we are lying,  since it is obvious that going to the moon is impossible. Therefore he feels that he is jusitfied to fight lies with lies.

[Count Zero]

The question reminds me of a recent article in the British Journal of Social Psychology:

Does it take one to know one? Endorsement of conspiracy theories is influenced by personal willingness to conspire

[Glom]

Another question would be, why, when you seem something that seems wrong to you, do you not consider that maybe the problem is your understanding and not that the world is wrong?

[Jason Thompson]

My question is:

Why, when you present your argument and someone points out the flaws, do you immediately go into childish, ranting, personal attacks, sarcasm, insults, and then run away? What do you have invested in your own idea of 'being right' that it is so fragile and must be protected at all costs? Why can't you even acknowledge the possibility your understanding may wrong? Why is it the more people try to show you where the information you need is and explain it to you, and the more and more impossible it becomes to honestly maintain your position, the more violently you fight against us? Why is it, when faced with this opportunity to learn more about something you seem to have such a great an interest in, the more stubbornly you refuse to do so?

[Andromeda]

My question is:

Why, when I agree with "mainstream" views, do you assume it is because I am brainwashed and stupid?  Why can you not consider the possibility that my education and experience, examined with my critical thinking skills, have led me to conclude that the mainstream view is correct simply because it is?

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Surely "believer" would be a more appropriate word than "theorist"?

[Echnaton]

It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place. ~H. L. Mencken

HBs justify lying due to of the belief that all people in power lie, which follows from the knowledge that they, themselves, would be deceitful if they actually had any power.

[Chew]

The question reminds me of a recent article in the British Journal of Social Psychology:

Does it take one to know one? Endorsement of conspiracy theories is influenced by personal willingness to conspire

I was looking for that to post it, too. Thanks.

My question is what would happen if I asked the government, "Do you always lie?" Would the paradox cause time to stop? Would the universe re-collapse on itself?