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By Alex P. Vidal
“Incompetence is a better explanation than conspiracy in most human activity.”—Peter Bergen
I HAVE warned some friends in the Philippines to ignore and not to share the videos being circulated mostly through the social media’s private message by merchants of conspiracy theory.
Most decent and educated people in America aren’t anymore deceived by these fallacious videos, and they are aware these videos only add fuel to the conflagration and propagate innuendos, outright lies and disinformation meant to confuse and subjugate the minds of the people.
For instance, a friend from Lambunao, Iloilo recently shared via private message a conspiracy theory-inspired video he received from friends in the social media, which repeated and enabled the lies and a very familiar canard that circulated before and after the November 3, 2020 U.S. presidential election: the election (will be) was rigged and “several prominent oligarchs from all over the world” conspired to cheat former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The video alleged that the “massive cheating” was “traced” from Rome, Italy and that several prominent world leaders, including Pope Francis and Queen Elizabeth of U.K., “conspired” to deny Mr. Trump a second term.
I know a Filipino woman and a Latino man in Queens who swallowed hook, line, and sinker all the absurd conspiracy theories authored and spearheaded by the weird QAnon group and tried to convince me to believe their myopic views to no avail.
Even after President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had already been sworn in as president, the couple continued to badger relatives and friends in the Philippines and Mexico that “(President) Joe Biden will soon be arrested for being an impostor and Mr. Trump will soon return in the White House to serve his second term.”
A conspiracy theory can actually be defined as the belief that a secret, but influential organization or individual is responsible for a circumstance or event.
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People often think that these beliefs are rare or sometimes absurd, but research shows they may be more common than we thought.
A study has been found that about 50% of Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory.
“Conspiracy theories come in all forms, but most theories involve political and social events. Some examples include the belief that certain celebrities are immortal vampires, and controversial topics such as the belief that a small group of people are planning to overthrow the government,” explained the Addiction Center.
“Often, one theory will have accompanying and sometimes contradictory conspiracy theories which can be dangerous if not challenged. On the other hand, it can be noted that some conspiracy theories have been proven to be true. With the increased popularity of conspiracies and exposure to information, it is possible to harm your mental health and relationships by developing a conspiracy theory addiction.”
The study indicates that “conspiracy theory addiction is a behavioral addiction that can have a hidden impact on the way you perceive events and has been linked to having more negative attitudes.”
Rather than helping one cope with their negative feelings, the belief in conspiracy theories can reportedly create “a cycle of distrust and disempowerment.”
As a person encounters different sources, it is important to be able to analyze the information and distinguish between false theories and real threats.
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Meanwhile, Addiction Center explained that people who strongly believe in conspiracy theories and become addicted may experience some of the following:
-Feeling anxious or fearful for no particular reason.
-Feeling a loss of control.
-A need to make sense of complex topics or unrelated events, even with little or no topical knowledge.
-Low self-esteem.
-Strong urge to make connections between a series of unrelated events or behaviors.
-Belief in paranormal explanations for scientific phenomenon.
A sense of not belonging or isolation.
A great alienation, disengagement, or disaffection from society
If the presence of the previous feelings and behaviors significantly impact a person’s ability to function in their daily lives, they may have a conspiracy theory addiction.
Why Do People Believe in Conspiracy Theories? Addiction Center explained that conspiracy theories occur when people create links between one or more unrelated events, emerging from the need for the human brain to find “patterns”.
New research also shows that people with certain personality traits such as low self-esteem are more likely to have a conspiracy theory addiction. Researchers have studied the different reasons why people believe in conspiracy theories and many of the explanations include the following factors:
-A need for understanding and consistency.
-A need for control.
-A need to belong or feel special.
-Need for Understanding
When a person experiences distress over uncertainty or witnesses a large-scale event, the mind will reportedly start to look for explanations that connect the dots.
Those with lower analytical abilities and less tolerance for uncertainty are more likely to believe a conspiracy theory.
“This is because conspiracy theories can often provide explanations for events that seem confusing or frightening and believers can assume that they are being intentionally deceived. People are also naturally inclined to search for information that confirms their existing beliefs, this is known as a confirmation bias,” explained the Addiction Center.
The ability to easily share and spread information over the internet has increased belief in certain conspiracy theories.
Someone with a conspiracy theory addiction may reportedly “seek out information to support something they already think is true, rather than seek out new information or challenge their beliefs.”
A need for understanding and consistency can reportedly lead to addictive behaviors such as spending excessive time on the internet and ignoring relationships and responsibilities.
(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)
