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The term "conspiracy theory" is a slur intended to blur two distinct concepts into one. On the one hand, it means "insane school of thought". i.e. the Earth is
by throwaway22032 5y ago
The term "conspiracy theory" is a slur intended to blur two distinct concepts into one.
On the one hand, it means "insane school of thought". i.e. the Earth is flat. Something which is either totally off the wall, or at least unfalsifiable.
On the other hand, it means "non-mainstream school of thought" i.e. phones are being used to track people. It might be true, might not (well, now we know it is), but it's totally plausible.
Once you realise that you basically come to the conclusion that people who waffle on about "conspiracy theories" aren't using sound reasoning, because they're not interested in being understood.
- klyrs 5y agoPhones being used to track people: duh, both corps and govts are doing it. Vaccines contain 5G chips being used to track people: conspiracy theory. I think it's important to distinguish these two groups.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- mbg721 5y agoMore specifically, both schools of thought that you mention involve powerful people taking intentional action, while the point of the slur is to convince you that a phenomenon is coincidence.
- core-utility 5y agoI agree with you mostly, with the exception that I think it used to mean "insane school of thought", but more recently people have been mislabeling those who have a non-mainstream school of thought the same in an attempt to slander. The effect seems to have weakened the term, and given power to some ideas which may have rightfully been conspiracy theories in the traditional sense.