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I hate how "conspiracy theory" has become synonymous with "fictitious myth that crazy/irrational people believe in" - yet conspiracies do exist. Organizations c

by umvi 5y ago

I hate how "conspiracy theory" has become synonymous with "fictitious myth that crazy/irrational people believe in" - yet conspiracies do exist. Organizations conspire all the time in the pursuit of money, power, etc. But to theorize on whether an organization is conspiring labels you a crazy person these days I guess. Lab leak theory is probably the most mind boggling example of how even speculating that the Chinese government was covering up a mistake to save face got you branded a "conspiracy theorist" (crazy person). Now I'm wondering if the original lab leak theory shutdown was itself the result of pressure on the media from China (i.e. a meta-conspiracy theory).

ssklash 5y ago
Words change, and when society uses certain words changes. In a vacuum the phrase "conspiracy theory" would apply to a theory about the existence of a conspiracy. Now it means "fictitious myth that crazy/irrational people believe in". That's fine. Words develop new connotations over time. No one is saying you can't theorize about the existence of actual conspiracies, ala Snowden and government surveillance, it's just that the terminology has changed. And in my opinion, it changed because of so many nutjobs that believe in patently crazy theories. I don't think normal people object to the theorizing about the existence of conspiracies, like the origins and intentions behind the Iraq invasion. But they do object to lizard people and flat earth and Hilary Clinton drinking the blood of babies. But as in many other things, extremists can ruin things for the average people.
skybrian 5y ago
The lab leak hypothesis seems like a good example of a theory that is apparently very entertaining but a complete waste of time for non-specialists to think about. Whether or not it turns out to be true in the end, we’re not going to figure it out without evidence, and we’re not likely to find that evidence online.

by umvi 5y ago

ssklash 5y ago

Words change, and when society uses certain words changes. In a vacuum the phrase "conspiracy theory" would apply to a theory about the existence of a conspiracy. Now it means "fictitious myth that crazy/irrational people believe in". That's fine. Words develop new connotations over time. No one is saying you can't theorize about the existence of actual conspiracies, ala Snowden and government surveillance, it's just that the terminology has changed. And in my opinion, it changed because of so many nutjobs that believe in patently crazy theories. I don't think normal people object to the theorizing about the existence of conspiracies, like the origins and intentions behind the Iraq invasion. But they do object to lizard people and flat earth and Hilary Clinton drinking the blood of babies. But as in many other things, extremists can ruin things for the average people.

skybrian 5y ago

The lab leak hypothesis seems like a good example of a theory that is apparently very entertaining but a complete waste of time for non-specialists to think about. Whether or not it turns out to be true in the end, we’re not going to figure it out without evidence, and we’re not likely to find that evidence online.