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Believing conspiracy theories might make you a criminal: study
New York Post ^

Posted on 02/27/2019 6:32:51 AM PST by MNDude

Go figure: If you’re a birther or a 9/11 denier, chances are you aren’t much fun to be around. Sure, we’ve been saying this about our wack-job uncle for years — but now it’s backed up by science.

With contemporary conspiracy theories targeting everything from myths surrounding the Mueller report to the chilling “secret” behind Disney’s “Frozen,” this cultural phenomenon is certainly ripe for clinical exploration.

As such, the new study measured participants’ “belief in general notions of conspiracy” as well as how much they agreed with specific theories (“There was an official campaign by MI6 to assassinate Princess Diana”). Those inclined to believe the theories were “more accepting of everyday crime,” such as demanding a refund for no appropriate reason.

In addition, exposure to conspiracy theories was found to make people more apt to engage in low-level criminal activity. Researchers found that this tendency was “directly linked to an individual’s feeling of a lack of social cohesion or shared values, known as anomie.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Conspiracy; Science; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: 911truther; birther; chat; criminals; flatearther; moonlandinghoax; qanon; scientism
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To: subterfuge

but labeling them as conspiracy theories is a great way to keep people from finding that out, there’s the added benefit of making people back down cause thyey don’t want to be judged as weird.


41 posted on 02/27/2019 8:10:47 AM PST by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: Snowybear; grey_whiskers

Meant to include youze two...
My reply #40


42 posted on 02/27/2019 8:11:58 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (Catastrophic, Anthropogenic Climate Alterations: The acronym explains the science.)
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To: a fool in paradise

It sounds like it because of the lynching legislation that got passed about the same time.

Like we need to make lynching a crime in these days.


43 posted on 02/27/2019 8:12:10 AM PST by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith...)
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To: escapefromboston

Creepy Cohen used that misdirected lie today at his hearing.

The allegation is that Trump’s joke about Russia releasing Hillary’s deleted emails being a coordination in releasing Hillary’s emails (which were on Huma-Weiner’s laptop and suppressed by the crooked FBI) has NOTHING to do with the wikileaked DNC emails (which Assange swears did not come from Russia, but perhaps a butthurt Bernie Bro who is now dead).


44 posted on 02/27/2019 8:12:44 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Denounce DUAC - The Democrats Un-American Activists Committee)
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To: pfflier

He’s a coworker here,Now.


45 posted on 02/27/2019 8:27:45 AM PST by Big Red Badger (Despised by the Despicable!)
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To: MNDude

Plenty of baseless conspiracy theories being proposed on YouTube.


46 posted on 02/27/2019 8:33:20 AM PST by 353FMG
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To: a fool in paradise

Yeah, the whole idea is ridiculous on its face. Even if Trump hadn’t obviously been joking in order to ridicule Hillary, he was speaking of the 30,000 “deleted” emails on her server, which were entirely different from the DNC and Podesta emails that were leaked.


47 posted on 02/27/2019 8:33:38 AM PST by Boogieman
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To: MNDude; SkyPilot; SaveFerris

One of the biggest conspiracies that the gubmit & military has held onto is the cover-up of UFO’s and like-kind Supernatural Occurrences.

I believe that President Trump in his on-going fight against the Deep State will disclose and leak all sorts of info before next year’s elections. In other words, make disclosure official.

Flame away....


48 posted on 02/27/2019 8:34:30 AM PST by Roman_War_Criminal (Like Enoch, Noah, & Lot, the True Church will soon be removed & then destruction comes forth.)
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To: null and void

Ruh roh


49 posted on 02/27/2019 8:36:53 AM PST by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: MNDude
What do you think about the birth certificate Obama released? Dont think some things seem fishy about it?

I haven't spent much time with this one - for whatever reason, it never really caught my fancy. There seemed to be some irregularities. However, reality is sprinkled with perplexities and situations that are hard to explain and their mere presence doesn't prove the existence of a conspiracy. It might but not necessarily.

50 posted on 02/27/2019 8:42:12 AM PST by CommerceComet (Hillary: A unique blend of arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.)
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To: metmom

Good points. I do have a good friend who is a flat earther. He is very serious about it and has done his own active “research.” He asked me if I could get him a laser rangefinder that could range out to 8 miles (I could have but didn’t) and he could prove the earth is flat. Now THAT’S a conspiracy theory!


51 posted on 02/27/2019 8:49:32 AM PST by subterfuge (RIP T.P.)
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To: MNDude

I’m unable to download the actual study from my current location. But, it is unlikely the study demonstrates causality. That said, working in several prisons during my career as a psychologist, I did encounter many criminals who did believe in a number of conspiracy theories.


52 posted on 02/27/2019 8:56:55 AM PST by PsyCon
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To: bitt

But of course. Here the progression:

1. Hate crime.

2. Hate Speech which includes Hate ideas, thoughts and viewpoints.

3. Hate face (smiling).

4. Hate garb (MAGA hat, Bible verse etc)

5. Hate thought.

Voila! They want us all criminals.


53 posted on 02/27/2019 9:39:24 AM PST by little jeremiah (When we do notTh punish evildoers we are ripping the foundations of justice from future generations)
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To: MNDude
In addition, exposure to conspiracy theories was found to make people more apt to engage in low-level criminal activity. Researchers found that this tendency was “directly linked to an individual’s feeling of a lack of social cohesion or shared values, known as anomie.”

"More apt." That sounds like they saying that believing in conspiracy theories will make people commit crimes.

What they may really mean is that people who are "anomic" and lack a feeling of shared values with other people are likely to believe in conspiracy theories or to commit low-level crimes.

In other words, while there may be a statistical connection between conspiracy theories and petty criminality because of a common underlying personality structure, there isn't a direct causal connection between conspiracy theories and criminality.

54 posted on 02/27/2019 9:49:09 AM PST by x
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To: MNDude

No, but fire-induced structural failure did.


55 posted on 02/27/2019 9:57:24 AM PST by ScottinVA (The most urgent gathering threat to America: the Democrat Party.)
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To: MNDude

I always love a good conspiracy theory. Some are quite intricate and imaginative. Years ago, before the internet was much of a thing (or at least the ‘www’ side of it), I was on a mailing list called “Conspiracy for the Day”. Every day you’d get a new conspiracy theory mailed to your inbox. I think it was run by a guy named Scolnik out of Chigago if I recall correctly. He was eventually done in by the deep state, though, so it eventually went away, like so many things on the internet.

I had a standard rule of thumb that I’d use with the conspiracies presented. I would read through it, and attempt to absolutely believe it completely for 30 seconds. If I could do so without laughing out loud, I’d file it away for future reference. Some of the ones revolving around Hillary and Bill were absolute classics. I remember LOLing about some of them hard enough to fall out of my chair. On the other hand, some are still current and relevant.


56 posted on 02/27/2019 10:08:00 AM PST by zeugma (Power without accountability is fertilizer for tyranny.)
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To: MNDude

I understand that perfectly. One should always believe what the Government tells them. Even if their lying eyes tell them differently. One’s eyes could/may/will/do lie to them. The Government never does.


57 posted on 02/27/2019 10:10:45 AM PST by sport
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To: MNDude
It used to be that conspiracy theories were associated with those who were interested in politics but lacked the power to do anything about it, and thought that nobody would ever be able do anything to shake the grip of the powerful. They didn't trust politicians and didn't fully connect with either political party.

Nowadays, even people in politics and people in power indulge in conspiracy theories. They aren't the refuge of the disconnected, the alienated, and the "anomic" anymore. Far from indicating that one doesn't trust or feel connected to any politician or part, believing in the pet conspiracy theory of the day may be a way of proclaiming that one's connection to a chosen party or faction is solid and unbreakable.

And then, among those in office, there may be those who profess not to believe in conspiracy theories, but who act as though they are true, and seek favor with shadowy, powerful figures, confirming by their behavior what they deny with their words.

58 posted on 02/27/2019 10:40:58 AM PST by x
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To: Big Red Badger

Lol! The only thing worse here is a “the Civil War wasn’t about slavery” thread.


59 posted on 02/27/2019 10:42:32 AM PST by Seruzawa (TANSTAAFL!)
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To: MNDude
What if a person believes in massive global warming but NOT ONE prediction by the alarmists has come true?

NOT ONE prediction in over twenty years... NONE NADA ZERO...

60 posted on 02/27/2019 10:42:41 AM PST by GOPJ (Same MSNBC and CNN fools who believed Jussie Smollett & Michael Avenatti will believe Michael Cohen.)
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