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How did we get so casual about conspiracy theories? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 2 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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How did we get so casual about conspiracy theories?

I was talking with someone today about nutrition. This person has a PhD in material science. They mentioned eating beef daily and I asked about the cholesterol implications. The answer was about a vague 'they' wanted us to think that, but it wasn't true anymore.

I hear the vague 'they' so frequently now it's just a normal conversation. In truth, as soon as I hear the vague they I dismiss the speaker's credibility on the subject, but how did we get here? Vague they wanted us to think X is a valid counter argument by the most highly educated people in our society?

This sounds like more of a rant than a question, but I do truly want to know how this happened? Was it pop culture like the X Files that made conspiracy theories main stream? Was it social media? When will the vague they stop being an accepted explanation? Has it always been this way and I didn't notice?

Thanks, love you!

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

At some point we all got smart enough to realize that, even if everybody believes it, it still might be totally wrong.

1000 years ago that kind of thinking would get you burned at the stake.

So ya, progress.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 18 hours ago

The funny thing is that 3000 years ago you wouldn't get burned at the stake for thinking like that.