Rick, As you know the boys over on The Corner like to brand me a "conspiracy theorist" even if I'm posting actual medical information even if it is from Falci himself. They're sort of a "lost cause". They even branded the "UnHerd" YouTube channel as a conspiracy theorist channel even though the interviewer, who is very smart, interviews scientists from Stanford, Harvard, Oxford and elsewhere. Some of them are Nobel Prize winners. One Stanford social scientist recently interviewed said that US should have comprised a team of scientists instead of just a couple like Falci and Birx. Of course knowing scientists that team would just be finishing up their conclusions. 😉
You seem think that conspiracy theorism is a mental health disorder. And I think that fearing conspiracy theories a mental health disorder. Some of us are amused at reading conspiracy theories and we take them in their context. There is nothing wrong with speculation even if it is for fun. Let's give the public a little more credit for sorting it out though I have my doubts about that given how easily they fell under the spell of government officials who are not even doctors. Researchers are learning all kinds of things about this Covid-19 virus. One Oxford epidemiologist when interviewed on UnHerd when asked what was learned from this pandemic replied "that people die". On 9/6/20 11:42 AM, Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com [FairfieldLife] wrote: > > Fairfield is full of crazy people who think they KNOW. And also plenty > of sane ones. There are a few guys on Purusha who believe (or maybe > they would say they KNOW) that the earth is flat. 50 years of > meditation does not insure sensibility. This might add to the discussion: > > TWELVE STEPS ON HOW TO DISTINGUISH AN ACADEMIC THEORY FROM A > CONSPIRACY THEORY by James D. Rietveld and his daughter Kristina V. > Rietveld > > Originally my daughter and I posted this in August of 2016--this > figures in her academic field as well (Communications), but with all > the CONSPIRACY THEORIES going on as related to the CORONA VIRUS I've > seen on Facebook and other places, this information is relevant again. > Obviously, I am not doubting the legitimacy of the Virus itself or > what it is doing, but I see many additional "spins" that are the > product of conspiratorial thinking! > > I am teaching a course on Conspiracy Theories as related to the Social > Sciences in the Fall at Cal Poly Pomona. > > So let's get started: > > 1. A Scientific Theory can be proven false, while a Conspiracy Theory > can become more elaborate to accommodate new observations and so > is difficult to disprove, morphing so as to circumvent possible > challenges to the legitimacy of the theory. > > 2. A Scientific Theory is not necessarily based upon a distrust of > authority, while a Conspiracy Theory often has the distrust of > authority and expert opinion at its central root. “Expert opinion" > here is defined as opinions as expressed by government studies, > academic research, and privatized think-tanks. They avoid evidence > that goes through any legitimate peer review process. > > 3. A Scientific Theory always examines the totality of the body of > evidence within the context of any given proposition, while a > Conspiracy Theory will typically “cherry pick” through the > evidence, finding what supports the already pre-believed and > conceived proposition and disregard evidence that goes contrary to it. > > 4. Conspiracy Theories often involve what is called a “monological > belief system,” whereby any and all events can be explained by a > web of interconnected conspiracies, often reflecting the > individual’s personal sense of paranoia. They often operate like a > web, where there is a central truth, but the Conspiracy Therapist > focuses upon the interconnectedness of everything as opposed to > going through a step-by-step process. > > 5. Scientific Theorists apply critical thinking skills and are often > skeptics, while Conspiracy Theorists are NOT Skeptics but > “selective doubters”, already favoring a worldview, which they > uncritically defend (and so have already made up their mind of > what the “truth” is, with no plans to change that part of their > proposition). > > 6. Those who have trust issues with other people in general are more > likely to believe others are colluding against them, and so are > often more susceptible to Conspiracy Theories than others. > > 7. Conspiracy Theorists often omit situational factors and chance, > believing everything has deliberate intention behind it, creating > imaginary links to fill in the gaps in order to make the > conspiracy idea “fit” and often entertaining ideas outside the > realm of logical deduction in order to do so. > > 8. Those who entertain Conspiracy Theories often enjoy mystery and > intrigue in general, seeking something sensational and thrilling > to relieve mundane daily affairs. The fact that they know > something others do not makes them feel special and important. A > Conspiracy Theorist's goal is typically not the advancement of > knowledge, but to shock or impress you with information that will > demonstrate how intelligent they are, seeing factors that the > so-called experts failed to note. At the center of those who > design such theories is ego, as opposed to benefiting others. > > 9. The simplification of complex events to human agency and evil in > Conspiracy Theories overrides not only their cumulative > implausibility (which, perversely, becomes cumulative plausibility > as you buy into the premise) but also, in many cases, their > incompatibility. Morality is applied to Conspiracy Theories, where > there is a right or a wrong. > > 10. Timothy Melley (Empire of Conspiracy [2000]) asserts that > Conspiracy Thinking arises from a combination of two factors, when > someone: a) holds strong individualist values and b) lacks a sense > of control. The first attribute refers to people who care deeply > about an individual's right to make their own choices and direct > their own lives without interference or obligations to a larger > system (like the government). But combine this with a sense of > powerlessness in one's own life, and you get what Melley calls > agency panic, “intense anxiety about an apparent loss of autonomy” > to outside forces or regulators. Conspiracy Theorists at no point > will accept fault but will displace responsibility to factors > outside of themselves. > > 11. Conspiracy Theorists often gravitate to “echo chambers” in which > they often expect to have their own opinion parroted back at them > rather than have it challenged as it would be in the academic > community. > > 12. Conspiracy Theorists attempt to create an alternative reality, > whereby they legitimize themselves and their theories by creating > supportive networks that seek to displace mainstream consensus. In > the age of the Internet, they will create a webpage that provides > them with more credibility than they already have—but this > credibility is “implied” having not undergone a peer-review process. > > Rick Archer > > Buddha at the Gas Pump > > https://batgap.com > > *From:* FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com> > *Sent:* Sunday, September 6, 2020 11:59 AM > *To:* FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > *Subject:* Re: [FairfieldLife] New York Times: College towns around > America becoming coronavirus hot spots, including Iowa City > > Teresa, > > I am not impressed by your degrees. Meaningless really! The only real > knowing comes from within and not from academic training. If you think > the New York Times is a reputable news source I am helpless in > assisting you to understand how wrong you are! Half the country would > disagree with you, at least. > > The quality of my discerning mind qualifies me to know Truth and > falsehood when I see it. Isn't that the point of our meditation, to > really SEE, and know the difference? That is the result of my > dedication, discipline and devotion to the Ishtadeva! I state this not > to gloat but simply to state a fact. That is precisely why I have > meditated all these years; to acquire this intuitive faculty of mind, > so I could KNOW! > > Best Wishes, > > Peter Rousseau > > Meditator 50 years Nov.19, 2020 > > On Sun, Sep 6, 2020 at 12:11 PM Theresa Olson > theresaolson...@gmail.com <mailto:theresaolson...@gmail.com> > [FairfieldLife] <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > <mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>> wrote: > > Thank you Dick for this most informative article. When my husband > and I go to Iowa City these days, I can sense sickness in the air. > Before it was not so bad. I think there is only one case so far. > > I read what Peter wrote you. I do not think he is qualified to > comment on the quality of journalism. NY Times is excellent and > engaging and investigative. The paper has the reputation for > ferreting out the truth that remains hidden underneath. Right now > the country needs truth, not conspiracy theories. > > Please continue to share such stories with the community. You are > a valued source of accurate information. > > Sincerely > > Theresa Olson, ma, ms, mdci, PhD. > > > > On Sep 6, 2020, at 10:08 AM, Dick Mays dickm...@lisco.com > <mailto:dickm...@lisco.com> [FairfieldLife] > <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com > <mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>> wrote: > > From today’s New York Times > > > > <06weekend-briefing-slide-SVYS-articleLarge.jpg> > > Kathryn Gamble for The New York Times > > *4. College towns around America *are becoming coronavirus hot > spots. > > About 100 college communities > > <https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/oB9GIrPM31lCjnonSZWZ3w~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhNz_5P4QDAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMjAvMDkvMDYvdXMvY29sbGVnZXMtY29yb25hdmlydXMtc3R1ZGVudHMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD05JmVtYz1lZGl0X25uXzIwMjAwOTA2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxOTYxJm5sPXRoZS1tb3JuaW5nJnJlZ2lfaWQ9NjE4NzQxNzYmc2VjdGlvbl9pbmRleD0xJnNlY3Rpb25fbmFtZT1iaWdfc3Rvcnkmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzUzMyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MjNmNGZkNDQzOWQyOTQzZDc2M2RiNDJjZDliYzJkZTNXA255dEIKAB35ulRf22qhSlISZGlja21heXNAbGlzY28uY29tWAQAAAAA> > across > the country, including Iowa City, above, have seen an increase > in coronavirus cases in recent weeks as students return for > the fall semester. The potential spread of the virus > off-campus has deeply affected workplaces, schools, > governments and other institutions in local communities. > > In the U.S., at least 51,000 coronavirus cases and at least 60 > deaths from the virus can be traced to American colleges and > universities, a Times survey found > > <https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/2EtaL-1YNgp__y23W3fsgQ~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhNz_5P4QHAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tL2ludGVyYWN0aXZlLzIwMjAvdXMvY292aWQtY29sbGVnZS1jYXNlcy10cmFja2VyLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9OSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ubl8yMDIwMDkwNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTk2MSZubD10aGUtbW9ybmluZyZyZWdpX2lkPTYxODc0MTc2JnNlY3Rpb25faW5kZXg9MSZzZWN0aW9uX25hbWU9YmlnX3N0b3J5JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9Mzc1MzMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTIzZjRmZDQ0MzlkMjk0M2Q3NjNkYjQyY2Q5YmMyZGUzVwNueXRCCgAd-bpUX9tqoUpSEmRpY2ttYXlzQGxpc2NvLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>. > > > -- > > *Thank You,* > > *Peter A. Rousseau**/Broker* > > *Rousseau Medicare Consultants LLC* > > *Phone: 804-564-1385* > > Metrofax: 1-804-533-1520 > > *rousseau...@gmail.com* <mailto:rousseau...@gmail.com> > > This electronic mail message contains information that (a) is of, or > may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED,CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR > OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) is intended only > for the use of the Addressee (s) named herein. If you are not the > intended recipient, an addressee, you are hereby notified that > reading, using, copying, or distributing any part of this message is > strictly prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message > in error, please contact us immediately and take the steps necessary > to delete the message completely from your computer system. Thank you. > >
