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The article mentions the "aha" moment when you finally understand something complicated by building a mental model of it. Are conspiracy theories the "fast food
by hibernator149 5y ago
The article mentions the "aha" moment when you finally understand something complicated by building a mental model of it. Are conspiracy theories the "fast food" version of this? You get a lot of (fake) understanding for minimal effort. Do people fall for conspiracies not because they are "stupid", but because they are curious and enjoy having these "aha" moments? When thinking about it in this way, I feel like I can empathize a lot more. Do I have the same weakness? Yes, certainly!
- paraschopra 5y agoYou just had your own "aha" moment :) But, yes, I think you're correct. Conspiracy theories provide intellectual stimulation and that's part of a reason why they're so popular (apart from the community/belonging aspects of it).
- lordnacho 5y agoHave a look for an essay called "Minor League Epistemology" for an examination of that thought. I'm out at the moment so can't spend the time summarizing.
- malf 5y agoGoogle didn’t find it without an author hint: https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/epistemic-minor-leagues https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/epistemic-minor-league...
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]