Poll of the Day > How do yoh rehabilitate a conspiracy theorist?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I have a friend I'd really love to make normal again

CarefreeDude posted...

I have a friend I'd really love to make normal again

You can't.

I have no idea. Radical acceptance therapy maybe.

Beat them up

That's the neat part, you don't

You give them the means to find out and leave them to do it. If they're just having fun with the idea of conspiracies then they don't have any need to find out, if they genuinely believe it then they'll do their research and due to not having it forced on them, be able to trust the conclusions, and you for not forcing them. If they have further beliefs, this can be done ad nauseum until reality looks most likely.

Conspiracy theorists are like alcoholics and other addicts. They will never change no matter what you do, until they choose to change.

It's a proven psychological phenomenon that the harder you try to prove them wrong, the more you're actually reinforcing their own beliefs. You may think that constantly confronting them with evidence or proof or facts that show why their wrong will slowly convince them, but you're actually making them worse.

Kyuubi4269 posted...

You give them the means to find out and leave them to do it. If they're just having fun with the idea of conspiracies then they don't have any need to find out, if they genuinely believe it then they'll do their research and due to not having it forced on them, be able to trust the conclusions, and you for not forcing them. If they have further beliefs, this can be done ad nauseum until reality looks most likely.

The reason I want to help them is because these conspiracy beliefs is causing them to destroy their life and hurt their family.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Man, i forgot you've had to deal with this crap already

CarefreeDude posted...

The reason I want to help them is because these conspiracy beliefs is causing them to destroy their life and hurt their family.

Which you'd think would be motive to be open to not believing, presuming they care about themself and their family.

You can't force it, as PO said. You state your beliefs, you show your reasoning, you don't come in with the goal of changing their mind. A person coming with the goal to change your mind will look as genuine as a representative for coke trying to convince you coke is good for your teeth. Since it's a conspiracy theory, you're safe approaching it honestly since they're always dubious af, your goal is the natural conclusion of honest debate.

Kyuubi4269 posted...

You give them the means to find out and leave them to do it. If they're just having fun with the idea of conspiracies then they don't have any need to find out, if they genuinely believe it then they'll do their research and due to not having it forced on them, be able to trust the conclusions, and you for not forcing them. If they have further beliefs, this can be done ad nauseum until reality looks most likely.

Eh? What do you mean by "the means to find out"? Because I work with several conspiracy theorists and they all believe they have done exhaustive research and know the truth. It's not like I haven't tried one day a guy tells me all about how the IRS is a private corporation which is unconstitutional and how we don't actually have to pay taxes. So I fucking research it. 16th amendment I tell him about it next time I see him and he stops talking to me.

They already think they've found out, how do you give someone the means to find out when they already have the means to find out?

But it's you, so I'm pretty sure you're not talking about how to help conspiracy theorists as you're on the conspiracy theorist side of the aisle. So are you suggesting a method to teach people who perceive reality how to stop doing so?

You don't. You can't just make other people change how they see the world. They will believe what they want to believe, no matter how illogical or irrational it might be. I suggest you either cut ties with the person, as stated previously stated in this topic, or never broach the subject of their latest conspiracies whenever you see them. If the conspiracies begin to affect you, as well, then just cut the person out of your life. If you try to further challenge their beliefs, they might think you're brainwashing them and decide to cut you out of their life.

CarefreeDude posted...

I have a friend I'd really love to make normal again

This statement disturbs me somewhat; it reminds me of an individual who feels the need to control others, even if is out of good intentions.

BlackScythe0 posted...

Eh? What do you mean by "the means to find out"? Because I work with several conspiracy theorists and they all believe they have done exhaustive research and know the truth. It's not like I haven't tried one day a guy tells me all about how the IRS is a private corporation which is unconstitutional and how we don't actually have to pay taxes. So I fucking research it. 16th amendment I tell him about it next time I see him and he stops talking to me.

16th Ammendment says they can, it doesn't say a private corporation can do it on their behalf, however the IRS themselves do have a citation of a supreme court decision that does allow the IRS to act on the Treasury's behalf.

BlackScythe0 posted...

They already think they've found out, how do you give someone the means to find out when they already have the means to find out?

By having information that effects loose ends of their theory. It's the kind of thing that leads to religious zealots becoming disillusioned. But as with everything, the person requires a reason to stop. If a person is happy with the conclusion they have, the truth isn't useful to them.

BlackScythe0 posted...

But it's you, so I'm pretty sure you're not talking about how to help conspiracy theorists as you're on the conspiracy theorist side of the aisle. So are you suggesting a method to teach people who perceive reality how to stop doing so?

Hmm, I wonder why conspiracy theorists don't listen to you when you're so level-headed and open-minded. Surely they would be impressed by your compassionate approach to conflict.

What conspiracy do they believe? Why is it harmful to them?

My friend recently had a mental breakdown and he claimed I brought him back, convinced him he needed help because I just sat down with him and let him explain the whole thing.

Can't say I'm an expert, but I was very focused on accepting and staying on their level while giving pushback on certain things, keeping it humorous, then they showed me the same courtesy. I was like 50/50 "yeah I guess that makes sense" and "I can prove that one's not true". Obviously I know I'm 100% right but if I present myself that way I'll get shut out for not understanding them.

I think by genuinely trying to understand they might relate to and understand your confusion, feeling some of the confusion that they themselves are missing vicariously, which can lead them to some realization that something's not right.

Also there's a suspicious correlation between the increasing amount of people smoking weed and conspiracy theorists... I'm not saying lock pot smokers up like we used to, but also if your friend is smoking every day that's really not helping. It's a confusing enough world when you're thinking at full capacity.

CarefreeDude posted...

The reason I want to help them is because these conspiracy beliefs is causing them to destroy their life and hurt their family.

Then the best thing you can do is to talk to the family instead since there's no hope for the conspiracy theorist directly.

Yellow posted...

Also there's a suspicious correlation between the increasing amount of people smoking weed and conspiracy theorists... I'm not saying lock pot smokers up like we used to, but also if your friend is smoking every day that's really not helping. It's a confusing enough world when you're thinking at full capacity.

The irony of posting that in this thread.

That other topic is an absolute trash fire.
Let's talk about non political conspiracy theories ITT
What's the deal with skinwalkers?

You probably can't, the best you can likely do is to get them to not care about the conspiracies so much. That would be my approach, don't argue the conspiracy with them, ask how it affects them on a day to day basis and if said conspiracy is true, is there anything they can really do to change it. Reinforce that their life may be better if they just try to ignore and enjoy themselves instead of constantly worrying about the conspiracy they believe. Ask them to take a week off from it and see if it improves their mental state.

AltOmega2 posted...

That other topic is an absolute trash fire.
Let's talk about non political conspiracy theories ITT
What's the deal with skinwalkers?

Nothing since they don't exist.

If only those "reeducation camps" the far right is always going on about actually existed...

You can't really. I love conspiracy theories but I'm also a dire skeptic. Like flat earthers. I like to pretend stuff like that is true and imagine what it would be like. I like to ask people for their reactions. But the idea that you just shit all over science and think all 195 countries are simultaneously fucking with us is stupid.

There are plenty of conspiracy theories that are real, but they are all boring involving the rich and powerful trying to fuck the rest of us over.

I actually was in a conspiracy rabbit hole recently and it got pretty bad. My mental health and cognitive thought was in complete shambles. Luckily I realized what was going on and Ive made some dramatic changes which have helped tremendously.

Unfortunately I dont have any advice for how you can help your friend. It took a rather intense mental episode to shake me hard enough to realize how far I had fallen.

Be a good friend and try to be supportive but absolutely step in if you think he might be a threat to anyone. My childhood friend killed himself a few years back because of stuff like this

I spent two years living with a conspiracy theorist. It took a lot of patience over those 2 years to even move the needle a tiny bit. I tried to be intense but with humour.

I love tiktok for funny videos, but the conspiracy shit on there will have you thinking the water is poisoned, the government is about to enslave us all, all unorthodox pet animals are weird looking dogs, and the second coming of Christ is literally happening today.

If anything it makes it all look silly, but you'd be surprised how many people believe it.