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People who casually read conspiracy and alternative news (e.g. not hardcore conspiracy theorists who read David Icke), might believe some crazy crap (that doesn't hurt anyone, just discredits themselves), but they are also more prone to questioning the mainstream narratives (and that is very much feared).

Not to mention that a lot of very true shit going on is indeed conspiracies -- it just doesn't involve aliens and illuminati, but established powers (e.g. the white establishment having FBI follow and discredit MLK and other civil rights activists), state agencies, rich private interests buying politicians and forming cartels, powerful elites pushing their agendas, big industries promoting their crap (e.g. big food and big tobacco buying their own "scientific research" and then promoting it in through the magazines they advertise in) and so on...




There are plenty of very harmful conspiracy nuts. Some Parents of children killed at Sandy Hook have had to go into hiding to avoid people accusing them of being part of a cover-up. Employees of Comet Pizza have been stalked and verbally attacked.


People who casually read conspiracy and alternative news (e.g. not hardcore conspiracy theorists who read David Icke), might believe some crazy crap (that doesn't hurt anyone, just discredits themselves)

Well that is simply not true.

For example, the Sandy Hook harassment brigade caused real harm, eg: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-florida-crime-sandyhook-i...


Yeah, a false story can cause such harassment, but that's not unique it conspiracy stories. An actual true fact could cause harassment as well (e.g. people attacking muslims after 9/11, because the perpetrators where muslims, and so on).

I'd say the problem lies more with people that find it acceptable to harass others, whether their actions are based on a true story or a hoax.


I feel you are stretching here. It seems everyone who ends up involved in a major internet conspiracy gets serious harassment. You can't disconnect conspiracies from the harassment they cause.


I'm glad you have conceded that it is harmful.

I agree there are many other things which are also harmful.


Rather cheap sarcasm, no? If those "many other things which are also harmful" apply equally to the opposite thing, then it's probably neither the thing nor the opposite that is the actual cause of the harm.

Someone wanting to harass someone else can do it over a true story (person X did X) just as well as over a conspiracy story (aliens made person Y did Z).

The fault lies with the harasser (who is acting badly) not with the reason why they harass.

Or maybe you think that if a story is true then it's OK to harass people over it?


People who casually read conspiracy and alternative news (e.g. not hardcore conspiracy theorists who read David Icke), might believe some crazy crap (that doesn't hurt anyone, just discredits themselves)

I think we agree that isn’t true.

Both the harasser and the person encouraging it can be at fault.

You can throw in all the strawmen you like.




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