One may be surprised to hear conspiracy theorists are not a new problem. In fact, they have existed since the emperor Nero’s time. Developed as an evolutionary trait, this way of thinking was designed to help us survive. It is not uncommon, but the rest of us, determined to establish ourselves as rational human beings, lock ourselves into ignorance, refusing to interact with the mere idea of conspiratorial thinking. This poses a problem, however, because we never fully understand this way of thinking, allowing it to run rampant and threaten our very existence. Conspiratorial thinking has had a hand in the rejection of science, which in turn has contributed to a sluggish response in climate change and the resurgence of diseases, which before had been brought under control. It is only through understanding this thought process, that we can stop its consequences.
It is a surprising and unsettling fact that no one is more prone to conspiratorial thinking than another. Age, gender, and education levels are not factors in whether or not one will have a conspiratorial view of the world. Meaning that you are no more prone than your teachers would be, and parents are no more likely than friends. In fact, conspiracy theories come from problems with pattern recognition. They arise when people start seeing patterns and connections in mundane events (Wal, Reine C. Van Der, et al.). They also come about as an attempt to justify a problematic behavior such as not getting vaccinated because of a fear of needles, or doctors. Sometimes they are also just an attempt to establish some control over our environment through delusional behavior (Hornsey, Matthew J., et al.). However, we can all fall victim to this kind of thinking, even if we are living in a perfectly normal and mundane world. That is why we shouldn’t be afraid of it, and it should not be stigmatized. Often when we stigmatize something in the way we have with conspiratorial thinking, then we refuse to acknowledge it for what it really is, and as a result, we fail to see it as a problem that requires solving.
If we are as sane as we say we are, then we cannot be afraid to look at this issue through a sane lens and attempt to find a sane solution.
The current stereotype of a conspiracy theorist as crazed, and not wanting our help-- almost dangerous in their essence is in itself dangerous. This is not helpful to us or them. The truth is that they don’t know anything is wrong with this way of thinking-- they aren’t yet aware that help is needed. Unaware of what a strain it is on them, they are continuously believing that someone is out to get us all. Nor do they realize that their thinking is harmful; most of the time they might have the thought in their mind that they are being helpful, thinking that they are educating people, or protecting them. They are not actually taking proper actions, and the thought process is harmful to our society and the world we live in. Yet they have been stigmatized to the point that we attempt to distance ourselves from them, but if we distance ourselves enough, we are only doing the same as them, thus perpetuating a cycle. They would be turning a blind eye, and so would we, just to feign sanity to ourselves. It is temporary comfort at most. If we are as sane as we say we are, then we cannot be afraid to look at this issue through a sane lens and attempt to find a sane solution.
To allow conspiratorial thinking to continue will be detrimental to our environment, on the largest of scales. Climate change has not been taken seriously by everyone since it’s discovery, and this is the result of the rejection of science. Our country has opted out of many opportunities to take responsibility for the damage it caused in the industrial revolution. We have opted out on the pretense that climate change is a hoax, or that it won’t continue to help us economically in the long run, which enables the United States as a whole to continue on its disastrous route unchecked, and unchallenged. It is not only the country but also its people. If the evidence of climate change is ignored, then the people will feel that they don’t have to change. If the people do not change, then nor will the companies that we employ. If the companies do not change, then we are foolish to expect it of our country. A study has shown that social norms affect how much energy we consume. So if neighbors are shown that a household has lowered their energy consumption, they will lower their own energy consumption to try to match the others. However, the effects go both ways, and if a household that consumes less energy is exposed to the knowledge that their neighbors consume more, then their energy consumption will rise (Schultz, P. Wesley, et al). Another study published by The British Psychological Society exposed subjects to conspiracy theories related to climate change. In their abstract they state, “[Our] results revealed that exposure to information supporting the conspiracy theories reduced participants' intentions to reduce their carbon footprint.” (Jolley, Daniel, and Karen M. Douglas.). Both studies highlight our vulnerability to this way of thinking. This laissez-faire way of handling conspiratorial thinking around climate change results in the normalization of climate change denial, and anti-environmentalist attitudes. It is because of this that an active role must be taken to use one’s own social influence to encourage more attentive habits of the rest of our society.
The same goes for the anti-vaxxer movement, which is conspiratorial thinking around the supposed effects of vaccinations on people and the harm pharmaceutical companies can do to us. People who hold anti-vaccination sentiment are putting themselves and others at risk by leaving humans open to preventable diseases, which is irresponsible because this leaves people who are not healthy enough to be vaccinated vulnerable. It also gives these diseases room to mutate and render our current cures and vaccinations useless against the new version of the virus. If we do not address the conspiratorial thinking around vaccinations then we might find ourselves in another medical dark age. A study done at the University of Queensland (Hornsey, Matthew J., et al.) says that conspiratorial thinking around the anti-vaccination sentiment is caused mainly by three things: conspiratorial beliefs, disgust toward blood or needles, or reactance which is the tendency for people to be resistant toward perceived infringements upon their freedom. The study says repeating scientific facts to attempt to diffuse these beliefs in an attempt to address the whole issue would be counterproductive. This is because the scientific fact is perceived as an attack on the ego, a result of the stigma that we have placed on conspiratorial thinkers.
Ironically, the real conspiracy is the fact that the conspiracy theorists of our society will not look at themselves, and the world, and notice that something is undeniably wrong.
In order to truly address the dilemma, the study suggests that we address the root of the problem and each individual’s concerns. Convinced that the risks associated with vaccinations are being hidden, the person who has conspiratorial views, have the impression that pharmaceutical companies will benefit from the birth defects caused by vaccinations. It would be more helpful to explain to them that if the pharmaceutical companies wanted to hurt us by making us sick, then they could just hide the benefits of vaccinations. The person who is disgusted by needles or blood might benefit from the knowledge that if they contract one of these preventable diseases they will be exposed to much more blood and needles in the hospital. The person who bristles at the thought of conformity should be reminded that anti-vaccination communities are often highly conforming groups that have little room for individuality or personal opinion.
Conspiratorial thinking not only affects the individual, but also the world we live in, rational or not. Conspiratorial thinking does the individual a disadvantage, as they are then living not only in a state of perpetual and encouraged ignorance but also full-on delusion. This allows them to go on suffering whether they might be aware of it or not, putting them at a disadvantage in society. They will be disregarded in the same way that people early on suffering from anxiety or depression once did, stigmatized and disregarded because of their condition. On a larger scale, it dilutes the impact of science and all of the evidence and rationality brought with it, pulling back on the progress that our society has worked so hard to obtain. In its worst form, left to go on for too long, conspiratorial thinking can destroy us through the spread of disease, or climate change. Anxiety is often a smokescreen for a very real issue, so it is logical that conspiratorial thinking on these matters is actually just a cover for the state of our world, our society, and our people in this very day. Ironically, the real conspiracy is the fact that the conspiracy theorists of our society will not look at themselves, and the world, and notice that something is undeniably wrong.
Thought patterns, like slang, or yawns, are actually contagious
That is where the rest of the world comes in. As truly rational people we have a responsibility to address these issues, as benign as they might at first seem. We should not be fooled by the lack of seriousness around the issue. This matter is as serious as climate change or infectious disease itself. It is our responsibility to patiently correct this matter. One solution is the Jiu-Jitsu style debate tactic described above. Another study shows that if we are more often made to engage in analytical style thinking, or even just exposed to analytical thinking, that this is a part of the mind that can be influenced (Swami, Viren, et al.). Social influence is an important factor here, as we learn most of what we do and know from other people. In fact, it is more than likely that the person engaging in conspiratorial thinking learned it from someone. Thought patterns, like slang, or yawns, are actually contagious (Linden, Sander Van Der.). This means without any doubt that the effects can be reversed, and all we have to do is look for the signs and symptoms, and nip them as they come.
Because analytical thinking, logic, and rational, healthy, thought patterns are essential to reverse the habit of conspiratorial thinking. This makes cognitive behavioral therapy the best working solution for this problem. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a kind of talk therapy effective in treating mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, which works by encouraging the patient to look at their own thoughts logically with the help of a psychologist. The psychologist helps them decide whether or not these thoughts should hold any sway over the patient, and if they’re logical useful thoughts, or not, helping them establish a more logical and healthier way of thinking. The thought process eventually becomes a habit, and the patient will find themselves liberated from their compulsive thoughts. John Malouf says in his review of the book, Cognitive-behavioral therapy for bipolar disorder and Cognitive therapy for delusions, voices, and paranoia, “We should not assume that because of the mental illness, assessing the thematic content of a client’s delusions or voices is a futile effort.” (Malouf, John.). This sort of logic can be practiced in a real-life setting by the subject or anyone around the subject. It could be an opportunity for them to exercise control over their own thoughts, and as a result, have less need for the conspiratorial thinking in the long run. Through this, no one should feel attacked, and both parties, even if polarized might feel understood as a result. It is certainly worth a try. It is certainly our responsibility to use our social influence where it matters. We are not being fair to those who think this way, and we are not being fair to ourselves either. The solution often sits in the middle, where we are asked to take action, and so are the others. In this type of situation, there’s no such thing as a ‘them’ problem.
Remember, this way of thinking did not come out of the ether; it was born of necessity, evolution, and social influence. It is completely normal to fall into this pattern of thinking and isn’t unique to any specific demographic. We all have an equal likelihood of having this problem, and it is not something that should be stigmatized. In fact, it should be addressed with logic and individual flavor, because if it is stereotyped it is slowly creeping away from the logic that is so desperately needed. If it can be addressed, it must be done so calmly, and empathetically, having to do with the individual rather than the stereotypical caricature, or we might as well be talking to a fictional character. If we do not, then we run the risk of the world as we know it being destroyed out of sheer ignorance. This way of thought becoming mainstream is a big threat to issues such as climate change and the spread of infectious disease.
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