3 ms·

There are a whole class of fallacious modes of thinking that revolve around assuming the world is smarter than it actually is and that people are more competent

by api 3y ago

There are a whole class of fallacious modes of thinking that revolve around assuming the world is smarter than it actually is and that people are more competent than they actually are. The most common these days is “conspiracy theory,” which is really an optimistic view that starts with the assumption that someone understands what is happening and can coherently control it. If these conspiracies were true it would mean that all we’d have to do to fix major problems is get “them” out of power or convince “them” to become the good guys. Very, very optimistic.

DropInIn 3y ago
I'd say the conspiracy stuff is more that either the individuals are ignorant of Hanlons Razor or simply refuse to accept it's applicability. Combined with supremacist beliefs (They are superior which gives them insight others can't possess) and we get pretty much all the conspiracy theories. Sadly, there are plenty of very real conspiracies in this world, doing immense harms, yet those are seemingly actively ignored by the theorists... Which I often presume to be a result of the inability for the theorist to hold the "special knowledge" card as any who looks at the evidence would come to the same position and thus the promulgation of such legitimate theories are "too mainstream" for those seeking to further thier self delusion of supremacy.
klabb3 3y ago
This is a popular meta-conspiracy theory. “It takes too many too keep a secret”. Yes, but not everyone has to stay silent. If you have a lot of resources you can buy silence, it is literally a product for purchase (not perfect, but close enough). How do you think Harvey Weinstein got his victims to shut up? How did numerous large companies suppress their own research that their products were harmful, for decades? How did Jeffrey Epstein build a jetset trafficking empire without getting caught (and when he did get caught – the first time – he got a slap on the wrist and no media coverage)? Worst case, if someone refuses to stay silent, you can just label them “disgruntled”, question their character, their mental well-being, claim that they’re in cahoots by some known evil agent, etc etc. Point is.. many conspiracies don’t require perfectly competent agents with perfect knowledge. > If these conspiracies were true Well, quite obviously all theories are not true. The bulk of random conspiracy theories are most certainly bogus, just like most low-effort theorizing by laymen in general. But aggregates don’t make conspiracies impossible.
kjkjadksj 3y ago
Some theories of mass propaganda rely on the fact that people who are complicit in it are merely acting on the nth higher level of incentives for themselves, and the end results we see reflect the pileups of these incentives. Its much harder to deincentivise an industry from certain behaviors they’ve organically grown into, than it is to even turn over the entire executive staff. It almost doesn’t matter who or what the company is if the incentives are still in tact, they will fill the untapped niche like a new species in an environment.

by api 3y ago

DropInIn 3y ago

I'd say the conspiracy stuff is more that either the individuals are ignorant of Hanlons Razor or simply refuse to accept it's applicability. Combined with supremacist beliefs (They are superior which gives them insight others can't possess) and we get pretty much all the conspiracy theories. Sadly, there are plenty of very real conspiracies in this world, doing immense harms, yet those are seemingly actively ignored by the theorists... Which I often presume to be a result of the inability for the theorist to hold the "special knowledge" card as any who looks at the evidence would come to the same position and thus the promulgation of such legitimate theories are "too mainstream" for those seeking to further thier self delusion of supremacy.

klabb3 3y ago

This is a popular meta-conspiracy theory. “It takes too many too keep a secret”. Yes, but not everyone has to stay silent. If you have a lot of resources you can buy silence, it is literally a product for purchase (not perfect, but close enough). How do you think Harvey Weinstein got his victims to shut up? How did numerous large companies suppress their own research that their products were harmful, for decades? How did Jeffrey Epstein build a jetset trafficking empire without getting caught (and when he did get caught – the first time – he got a slap on the wrist and no media coverage)? Worst case, if someone refuses to stay silent, you can just label them “disgruntled”, question their character, their mental well-being, claim that they’re in cahoots by some known evil agent, etc etc. Point is.. many conspiracies don’t require perfectly competent agents with perfect knowledge. > If these conspiracies were true Well, quite obviously all theories are not true. The bulk of random conspiracy theories are most certainly bogus, just like most low-effort theorizing by laymen in general. But aggregates don’t make conspiracies impossible.

kjkjadksj 3y ago

Some theories of mass propaganda rely on the fact that people who are complicit in it are merely acting on the nth higher level of incentives for themselves, and the end results we see reflect the pileups of these incentives. Its much harder to deincentivise an industry from certain behaviors they’ve organically grown into, than it is to even turn over the entire executive staff. It almost doesn’t matter who or what the company is if the incentives are still in tact, they will fill the untapped niche like a new species in an environment.