Why is everyone so quick to call conspiracy theorists crazy?

Question

Most of the time when I view debates online regarding things like 9/11, the new world order, and the Federal Reserve, people defending the government are so quick to call the conspiracy theorists lunatics, crazy, or plain ol' retarded?

It is not only what keeps our government on its toes, but also a right that our Founding Fathers gave us to question the government. Questioning the government is essential in order to keep an honest one, and I believe the media has done a great job at casting a shadow on theorists whereas it should be the other way around.

So, why is everyone so quick to call conspiracy theorists crazy? ...often times without doing research to intelligently debate them?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Because those behind the real conspiracies, the Federal Reserve, the New World Order, including the North American Union, and the drive to destroy the Bill of Rights using the threat of "terrorism", have created a bunch of whacky, conspiracy theories.  These crazy conspiracy theories include chem trails, the gold fringe on the American flag, and the idea that the income tax is vounutary.

If we are to be taken seriously, we need to differentiate between the two.  I don't know why it is so hard for some people to understand.  When criminals are being exposed, if they can muddy the waters, by introducing off-the-wall conspiracy theories, nobody will believe the truth about them.

People who continue to claim that "the government" put explosives in the World Trade Center, are not taken seriously.  By making such a claim, they guarantee that millions of Americans will not be able to see the connection between our foreign policy, and these terrorist attacks.  So, by making a ridiculous charge, they guilty are able to excape the scrutiny of the natural consequences of the foreign policy they have created.

There are real criminal conspiracies at work.  They need to be exposed.  We need to explain how the American people have been defrauded by the Federal Reserve.  This is not conspiracy theory, there is no disputing the purchasing power of the dollar in 1913, and what it will buy today.  

The North American Union is real.  We have video of former Mexican president Vicente Fox admitting it.  The secret meetings between our politicians, and those of Mexico and Canada are a matter of record.

And when it comes to terrorism, we have the CIA, as well as Osama bin Laden telling us why we have been attacked.  It is because of our interventionist foreign policy.  I have no sympathy with the terrorists, but at the same time, I am pointing out that it was our own politicians who made us, the target of the terrorists.  And it is THEY, who are going to "protect" us, by demolishing the Bill of Rights.

These are real conspiracies.  Let's stick to what can be demonstrated, and avoid the crazy conspiracy theories that are being created to make us all look crazy.

Answer 2

Not all people who call conspiracy theorists "crazy" support the government. I'm not too crazy about the US government as it is now, but i still have trouble believing some of the more radical conspiracy theories out today. Yes, it is every man's right to question the government, its written in the constitution. But other people also have that same right to debate him. And if im gonna be really frank, the idea that 9/11 was in part carried out by Jews is just dumb. Muslims and Jews working together in today's society? Not gonna happen. I dunno this is just my opinion, believe what you want.

Answer 3

You are correct that questioning the government is not just a good thing but also vital and necessary for a thriving democracy.

Using the label 'conspiracy theorist' is a way to marginalize and dismiss people like the labels "bleeding heart liberal" or "right wing extremist".

But that does not mean such people don't exist...

You hit upon the key differentiator in your remark "often times with doing research to intelligently debate"

Maintaining a respectful open dialog is a great way to find new truths. However, some people become so blinded by their belief systems that they close the door to new and/or contrary evidence.

The 9/11 theories is an excellent example of people all over the spectrum. (First, let me say that questioning the official government version of anything is a patriotic duty and something the press should do as a matter of course anyway. This, of couse, would include the 9/11 commission findings)

There are those that have a genuine interest in discovering new truths wherever they are. On the other extreme are those who have made up their minds and just looking to shore up their own beliefs.

I think the derisive label "conspiracy theorist" becomes appropriate when a person's belief system becomes so sacrosanct that they shut down dialog and begins to label all counterarguments as 'being part of the conspiracy'.  At that point, 'intelligent debate' becomes pointless.

Answer 4

There are conspiracy theories that arise from evidence. A conspiracy theory is born only because evidence exists to disprove the government's explanation, or at least call it into question. There's nothing insane about that, unless the definition of sanity is believing everything the government and/or media says.

However, if the conspiracy theory fails the most basic logical tests, then any "links" and "benefits" are liable to be irrelevant, and the possibility that those theories  can be constructed around virtually any series of events.

Answer 5

Not all "conspiracy theories" are false on their face just because someone labels them as conspiracy theories. Conspiracies do occur, as has beem well documented throughout history. However, some conspiracy theorists see everything as part of a conspiracy and don't allow for other factors, which is just as foolish as believing that all conspiracy theories are inherently false. They also frequently rely on questionable evidence to support their claims. Unfortunately, many "truthers" are doing a disservice to the pursuit of truth in many cases, including 9/11. As one poster wrote, many conspiracies are supported by documented evidence. It just sucks that they are often advanced by uninformed people with too much time to spend online and too few critical thinking skills.

Answer 6

They say it because it's just an easy defensive measure and also to support  their position...

Answer 7

Labels distract from the truth and the louder spoken the greater the distraction .

Answer 8

Because some of the claims that conspiracy theorists make are ludicrous.

One example is that the steel in the twin towers could not have been "Melted by the burning of the jet fuel be cause the jet fuel would not burn hot enough to cause it to turn molten. A true enough statement in itself; however, the jet fuel in an unconfined environment has been hot enough to take the temper out of the steel and titanium skeletons or aircraft and to ignite both magnesium and aluminum in the skins of the aircraft both of which burn plenty hot enough to totally melt steel. So why wouldn't those substances have ignited in the trade center and at least heated the steel girders in the skeleton of the towers to the point they had no more structural strength than freshly made spaghetti?  That does not take into account the physical damage to the buildings skeleton that was done by the planes impact.

As a metallurgy student I have done blacksmith work where using charcoal we got steel hot enough that one guy held the ingot with a pair of tongs and I grabbed the other end with another pair and we stretched a 2 pound piece of steel about 21 inches.

This is a perfect example of how some people will believe anything that is "scientific proof " of what they want to believe. When you cherry pick a few scientific facts and ignore the majority of the rest to prove a pet theory then you are either crazy, ignorant, or just blind stupid in most people's opinion.

Answer 9

Because as history has proven they generally are 9 out of 10 times

Answer 10

You can't have an intelligent conversation with them.  When you provide them with evidence, substantiated by research, they accuse you of being brainwashed.

Answer 11

Proudly wearing my heavy-duty Aluminum Foil hat.... The rich and/or powerful get richer and/or more powerful and the poor and/or powerless get more poor and/or more powerless! I have read and studied every conspiracy book, pamphlet and tract I could lay my hands on, studied the 'source' materials of secret societies and 'histories' and the bottom line is this: the rich and/or powerful get richer and/or more powerful and the poor and/or powerless get more poor and/or more powerless! There is no 'conspiracy'. 'THEY' and 'THEM' are a closed society of rich and powerful people who could frankly give a d**n about the rest of us except as statistical data. The poorer and less powerful we are (to a point) the richer and more powerful they are (to a point). 'THEY' and 'THEM' learned a thing or two from the French Revolution, and do not intend to let things get THAT out of whack again..... It there fore follows that there are no FEMA Prison Camps or most of the other crazy stuff that most 'conspiracy theorists' believe exists. Dismising them out of hand is an all too common response...

Answer 12

Because conspiracy theorists need to understand Occam's Razor a little better (when you have two competing theories that make exactly the same predictions, the simpler one is the better)...then they would realize why the rest of the world perceives them the way we do.

Answer 13

they say we exploded the twin towers because there were explosions inside the building.

think of all the propane in the building for heating and cooling, duh! They ARE crazy.

Answer 14

Some conspiracy folks are crazy if they believe everything on those typical websites. However there is great benefit in trying to educate yourself and not take everything the government says as truth.

There are some theories that are based on fact and there are some that aren't.

The trick is to keep an open mind until you know which one is correct.

Answer 15

Because these are the same accusers who kept a man in office, who was under qualified to lead this country into melt down mode.

They will do or say anything to defend themselves and try to make a loud enough noise to distract from the facts.