Waubonsee Community College

Conspiracy, why the rational believe the irrational, Michael Shermer

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 317-348) and index (pages [349]-355)

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Conspiracy

bibliography

1333438186

Michael Shermer

why the rational believe the irrational

The author discusses how we should think about conspiracy theories, who believes them and why, which conspiracy theories are likely to be true or false and what criteria we can use to assess them, and what we should do to combat dangerous conspiracism and reestablish trust in our democratic institutions, in the media, and in one another -- Provided by publisherBest-selling author Michael Shermer presents an overarching theory of conspiracy theories--who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Nothing happens by accident, everything is connected, and there are no coincidences : that is the essence of conspiratorial thinking. Long a fringe part of the American political landscape, conspiracy theories are now mainstream : 147 members of Congress voted in favor of objections to the 2020 presidential election based on an unproven theory about a rigged electoral process promoted by the mysterious group QAnon. But this is only the latest example in a long history of ideas that include the satanic panics of the 1980s, the New World Order and Vatican conspiracy theories, fears about fluoridated water, speculations about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and the notions that the Sandy Hook massacre was a false-flag operation and 9/11 was an inside job. In Conspiracy, Michael Shermer presents an overarching review of conspiracy theories--who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Trust in conspiracy theories, he writes, cuts across gender, age, race, income, education level, occupational status--and even political affiliation. One reason that people believe these conspiracies, Shermer argues, is that enough of them are real that we should be constructively conspiratorial : elections have been rigged (LBJ's 1948 Senate race); medical professionals have intentionally harmed patients in their care (Tuskegee); your government does lie to you (Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Afghanistan); and, tragically, some adults do conspire to sexually abuse children. But Shermer reveals that other factors are also in play : anxiety and a sense of loss of control play a role in conspiratorial cognition patterns, as do certain personality traits. This engaging book will be an important read for anyone concerned about the future direction of American politics, as well as anyone who's watched friends or family fall into patterns of conspiratorial thinking. -- Provided by publisher

Prologue: The conspiracy effect : why smart people believe blatantly wrong things for apparently rational reasons -- Why People Believe Conspiracy Theories. Conspiracies and conspiracy theories : the difference in thinking and the difference it makes -- A brief history of conspiracy theories and conspiracists : toward a science of conspiracism -- Proxy and tribal conspiracism : how conspiratorial beliefs are reinforced as truths -- Constructive conspiracism : paranoia, pessimism, and the evolutionary origins of conspiracy cognition -- A case study in conspiracism : the sovereign citizens conspiracy theory -- How to Determine Which Conspiracy Theories Are Real. The conspiracy detection kit : how to tell if a conspiracy theory is true or false -- Truthers and birthers : the 9/11 and Obama conspiracy theories -- JFK blown away : the mother of all conspiracy theories -- Real conspiracies : what if they really are out to get you? -- The deadliest conspiracy in history : the trigger of World War I and how conspiracies really work -- Real and imagined enemies : conspiracies in reality and in our imaginations -- Talking to Conspiracists and Rebuilding Trust in Truth. How to talk to conspiracy theorists : engaging with people with whom we disagree -- How to rebuild trust in truth : reason, rationality, and empiricism in reality-based communities -- Coda: What people believe about conspiracy theories and why : results of the Skeptic Research Center survey

Why the rational believe the irrational