Psychological Profile of Conspiracy Theorists

[arayder]

A Psychological Profile of Conspiracy Theorists by Tom Jacobs

The research looks at two elements that have been cited as playing a role in conspiracy beliefs: unstable self-esteem (the uncomfortable state of feeling unsure about one’s abilities, attitudes, or value to society), and a strong sense of belongingness (which leads to intense identification with some social group). The study finds that these two factors are indeed strong predictors of such a mindset — when they interact in a specific way.

Source https://psmag.com/a-psychological-profi ... .acp9j1akf

The strong sense of belongingness to a social group seems to me to be the "other side of the coin" of the social isolation discussed in an earlier thread.

So what does this tell us about the fotl/sovcit/tfl/goodf subculture?

[arayder]

Several Christmases ago my wife and I visited relatives out of state who took us to a friend’s house for a big pre-Christmas party. The host’s father was a conspiracy theorists who wouldn’t shut up about his theories, thus breaking the old don’t-talk-politics-or-religion-at-gatherings rule.

The result was that the old guy spent most of the party in a corner with his daughter who in effect guarded him and made sure anyone who came by to talk to him didn’t get into it with him over his theories.

Last year we were at a birthday party in the same town, with the same crew. The daughter and the father were there, both a few years older and heavier. He had lost some hearing and thus was even more isolated. The only time anybody talked to him was when a close family member left the party and walked by to say a brief good by the old guy.

[Number Six]

In one word "sex" is one missing element in tax protesters, conspiracy theorists, and other "nuts" of the same type. Being in a relationship with another person no matter how lacking, rough edges get worn down. That isn't to say there is anything good or moral with sex, actually much of sexual behavior is unhealthy, manipulative and fraught with addictive tendencies. Freud wrote a lot about how that is a key to overcoming various neuroses, sense of isolation which can lead to a pandora's box of social problems. If you interviewed them at length you would find a lot of tragic, pathetic, unfortunate and other deprivations that led to these non-normal problems. When every able bodied person just got up in the morning to go off to work and be around others to get more normal, the rabbit holes of madness were less extreme. Computers, machines, and robots have made that less likely for the masses in the future.

[arayder]

In one word "sex" is one missing element in tax protesters, conspiracy theorists, and other "nuts" of the same type. Being in a relationship with another person no matter how lacking, rough edges get worn down.

Yeah, being asked sweetly asked by your wife to "Pay the parking ticket, darling." so you'll have the time to take her out to dinner is a real conspiracy killer.

[Number Six]

Telegraph, telephone, tell a woman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEG5ZHyXuQw

Good luck to any tax deadbeats or conspiracy nuts with women in their lives.

[Burnaby49]

This discussion is getting too far afield for a Quatloos discussion. Unless it starts getting relevant to something I'm going to lock it notwithstanding a link to one of my favorite C&W stars.

[arayder]

If you interviewed them at length you would find a lot of tragic, pathetic, unfortunate and other deprivations that led to these non-normal problems. When every able bodied person just got up in the morning to go off to work and be around others to get more normal, the rabbit holes of madness were less extreme.

I have to agree. If some of the folks pushing and falling for these freeman/sovcit/tfl/goodf scams kept themselves busy at work, in school, with their families or in their communities they wouldn't have time for the subculture's pointless, endless and arcane scribblings.

[Number Six]

OK, here are some links for further study across the internet: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c ... tal+health&*

[arayder]

OK, here are some links for further study across the internet: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c ... tal+health&*

Thanks for the links. They are interesting reads.

I am mainly interested in why freemen, sovcits and the like think the way they do. I hope you would agree that attempts to diagnose them from afar as having mental health disorders is usually a questionable practice.

Having said that I don't think there is much question that many in the subculture can't think things through and have a habit of denying any facts that don't fit their preconceived notions.

This isn't necessarily mental illness. . .but it's certainly a really a poor thought process.

[The Observer]

This isn't necessarily mental illness. . .it's just a poor thought process.

I doubt it. A great number of these people have shown they can live productive lives up to a point, so they are capable of making relatively good decisions on any given day. I think it all boils down to the fact that (1) they do not like having to respond to and obey authority and (2) a reluctance to take responsibility for their lives, such as they are.

I have seen many of these people fall prey to the "keeping up with the Joneses" to some degree. They have decided that life is to be valued by materialism, but they are unable to maintain that standard due to their income level, education, natural ability, social class, and other factors. But instead of being able to admit that their life is about as good as it is going to get (unless they commit to working harder, better, or improving their current standards of performance) they opt to take a shortcut. Which usually means either getting involved in a hare-brained scheme that results in a lowering of their wealth/income level (such as investing in a Ponzi scheme) or deciding to bend or break the law to improve their lot in life (by refusing to pay taxes as another example).

It all boils down to the most destructive weapon in the human arsenal - the ego. And that is why you find so many of these people on the De Nile River. Their egos rarely allow them to own up to the fact that they are the reason why they are sitting in the koolade barrel.

[arayder]

This isn't necessarily mental illness. . .it's just a poor thought process.

. . .I have seen many of these people fall prey to the "keeping up with the Joneses" to some degree. They have decided that life is to be valued by materialism, but they are unable to maintain that standard due to their income level, education, natural ability, social class, and other factors. But instead of being able to admit that their life is about as good as it is going to get (unless they commit to working harder, better, or improving their current standards of performance) they opt to take a shortcut. Which usually means either getting involved in a hare-brained scheme that results in a lowering of their wealth/income level (such as investing in a Ponzi scheme) or deciding to bend or break the law to improve their lot in life (by refusing to pay taxes as another example).. . .

I have always thought that the world is full of different people with often widely divergent skills and abilities.

IMHO, the modern western world, beginning with the industrial age, has narrowed the set of skills which are valued by society. I think this phenomenon has stressed individuals with different, less valued skills sets who remain sold on the idea of keeping up wth the consumer society.

It's enough to make a person crazy. The "different" folks, with different skills, who can walk away and live alternate life styles are to be lauded.

I can see why freemen who can't be who they are would be upset with the corporate world and blame the government for its role in promoting the consumer society. But, I can't count the times I have told freemen who don't fit society's mold that they need walk away from the 21st century's corrosive hyper capitalism.

The problem with current freeman/sovcit thought is that putting a load of freemen woo into a document isn't going to help one bit.

[littleFred]

I'm not a psychologist so I'd just call it STS: Sulky Teenager Syndrome, although adults can also catch it. It is infectious, spreading by close proximity or the internet.

Some people deal with pressures of materialism, consumerism, conformity, economic growth etc in an adult way: by opting out, and doing other activities. But the sulky teenager stamps his feet and complains about the unfairness of life, society and most especially authority, and most especially when the teenager depends on the authority for sustenance.

It is inevitable, to a degree. Some folk grow out of it. Others find themselves later in life in a group of STS sufferers, and they fall victim to the syndrome and, in turn, pass it along to others.

[arayder]

I'm not a psychologist so I'd just call it STS: Sulky Teenager Syndrome, although adults can also catch it. It is infectious, spreading by close proximity or the internet.

Some people deal with pressures of materialism, consumerism, conformity, economic growth etc in an adult way: by opting out, and doing other activities. But the sulky teenager stamps his feet and complains about the unfairness of life, society and most especially authority, and most especially when the teenager depends on the authority for sustenance.

It is inevitable, to a degree. Some folk grow out of it. Others find themselves later in life in a group of STS sufferers, and they fall victim to the syndrome and, in turn, pass it along to others.

Well said, littlefred.

Hey, I made a rhyme!

[bmxninja357]

This discussion is getting too far afield for a Quatloos discussion. Unless it starts getting relevant to something I'm going to lock it notwithstanding a link to one of my favorite C&W stars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0QMLJA ... TtG4leu2bk

so there.
ninj

[Burnaby49]

Conway Twitty? You compare Conway Twitty to the co-author and performer of this masterpiece?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_-vNtWLLs

Really?

[bmxninja357]

well its good of you to use such psychological warfare on me considering i was forced to cease my favorite habit on january 13. but its ok. i had a plan. so in case you should start smoking and thusly need to quit smoking here is what ya do....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUzvI3B55GM

peace,
ninj

[Burnaby49]

well its good of you to use such psychological warfare on me considering i was forced to cease my favorite habit on january 13. but its ok. i had a plan. so in case you should start smoking and thusly need to quit smoking here is what ya do....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUzvI3B55GM

peace,
ninj

Note those ashtrays at the beginning. Back in the days when the CRA allowed smoking in the office there was a guy working near me whose ashtray looked exactly like that. He only needed one match a day since he never stopped, he could have lit the next cigarette from the current one. His face was bright red, massive blood pressure issues, and his voice was so shot it was just a broken rasp. He ended up being invalided out. The best day of my working life was when they banned smoking in the office.

[bmxninja357]

oh c'mon burnaby. being outspoken on smoking is literally like being hitler. people banning smoking is literally worse than hitler. hitler did after all run the first real anti smoking campaign.

i love smoking. its just my doctor ,the bastard made that decision.

worse than hitler i declare!
peace,
ninj

[Burnaby49]

I hope he didn't ban you from your whisky. If so my profound sympathies. Life would hardly be worth living with that and ciggies gone.

[bmxninja357]

i had quit drinking altogether for a couple months due to testing out a new medication however it was a failure so which way to the tavern, pub, gin joint, cabaret, tap-house, watering hole, air conditioned beer parlour or other room of arseholes with the intent on imbibing far more than medical science believes possible. or behind door number two maybe i will just stay home. all alone. just me and the dog. well, that, the internet and my still running out more than i could drink in a month of friday nights....

peace,
ninj