Why are Conservatives more susceptible to believing conspiracy theories?

[taxme]

12 hours ago, reason10 said:

Conservatives have jobs and pay taxes so liberals can live on welfare.

Be careful what you wish for. That basement apartment in your parents' house might not be there if too many Democrats are calling the shots in the economy.

Conservatives are paying the price big time for liberal socialist stupidity. But with the house going to the Republicans now, that may change very soon. The GOP will now control the purse strings and the demonrats are not going to like not getting any more free money from the taxpayer's any longer. Many of those liberals may have to go out there and look for a job. Oh no!!! 

[reason10]

10 hours ago, taxme said:

Conservatives are paying the price big time for liberal socialist stupidity. But with the house going to the Republicans now, that may change very soon. The GOP will now control the purse strings and the demonrats are not going to like not getting any more free money from the taxpayer's any longer. Many of those liberals may have to go out there and look for a job. Oh no!!! 

Only time will tell. Both sides of the aisle like to spend money. If the HOuse can at least impeach Biden and send him to prison, it'll be worth it.

[impartialobserver]

My theory is that it comes down to deep distrust of government and/or large companies. The distrust is not always founded in objective fact.. such as profit goes up to 45 million or whatever. Some of it is just somewhat innate. 

[reason10]

On 7/15/2022 at 11:47 AM, Luz P. said:

From 9/11 was an inside job, to false flags, NWO, deep state, stolen election to Covid and vaccinations. 

Is it because they are critical thinkers or more gullible and easily manipulated?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conspiracy_theories#Trump,_Biden,_and_Ukraine

Conspiracy theories tend to drift more to left wingers, particularly the goose stepping Woke crowd.

There are a few on the far right (VERY FEW) who harbor conspiracy theories.

Rush Limbaugh (who spoke for MOST OF AMERICA) referred to conspiracy theories as "products of the intellectually lazy." Pretty much sums it up. One thing for certain, there is NO SUCH THING as a left wing liberal critical thinker. One has to THINK before one can add the adjective "critical."

[Americana Antifa]

On 7/15/2022 at 11:47 AM, Luz P. said:

From 9/11 was an inside job, to false flags, NWO, deep state, stolen election to Covid and vaccinations. 

Is it because they are critical thinkers or more gullible and easily manipulated?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conspiracy_theories#Trump,_Biden,_and_Ukraine

Conservatism as a whole is built on feels over reals. It's partly in the name, as conservatives want to "conserve" traditional values. But this often means disregarding evidence that shows us something traditional is harmful or objectively wrong. In order for people to be conservative, they have to be anti-reality to varying degrees. Basically, it's just not about facts.

Another thing is that since conservative economic policies are so unpopular, right-wing politicians have to lie a lot, even by political standards. All politicians lie about their record and how trustworthy they are, but only conservative politicians lie about the entire foundation of their politics. After all, their politics are about using nostalgia and "tradition" to create economic policy that benefits the rich at the expense of the poor. That's not exactly easy to sell to the public. So they need to create an alternative universe based on emotion. Again, feels over reals.

[Americana Antifa]

On 4/7/2023 at 11:57 PM, reason10 said:

Conspiracy theories tend to drift more to left wingers, particularly the goose stepping Woke crowd.

There are a few on the far right (VERY FEW) who harbor conspiracy theories.

Rush Limbaugh (who spoke for MOST OF AMERICA) referred to conspiracy theories as "products of the intellectually lazy." Pretty much sums it up. One thing for certain, there is NO SUCH THING as a left wing liberal critical thinker. One has to THINK before one can add the adjective "critical."

The link you included is to right-wing conspiracy theories. ?

[Guest]

I don't think conspiracy theories are followed by one political ideology.

Either can be susceptible to believing them.

I think the political temperament of a country will dictate which side will get more press for doing so.

For every right wing conspiracy, there will be some equivalence on the left.

I think the true question is what brings one to believing a conspiracy theory.

That answer can be found within the far fringes of either ideology. Where beliefs become extreme, IQ tends to be lower, and as a result the susceptibility to believing what you are fed, is likelier (without questioning it).

[eyeball]

On 4/25/2023 at 2:08 AM, Perspektiv said:

For every right wing conspiracy, there will be some equivalence on the left.

Every one?

List 10 of them.

[reason10]

On 7/15/2022 at 11:47 AM, Luz P. said:

From 9/11 was an inside job, to false flags, NWO, deep state, stolen election to Covid and vaccinations. 

Is it because they are critical thinkers or more gullible and easily manipulated?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conspiracy_theories#Trump,_Biden,_and_Ukraine

Let wingers believe in CLIMATE conspiracy theories, and they have been proven WRONG every time.

The election WAS stolen. Covid came from a Chinese lab, funded by Obama.

Jamie Foxx has developed brain disease from a Covid jab.

Just because a left wing rag tries to refer to the truth as a conspiracy theory doesn't make it so. WIKI isn't exactly FoxNews when it comes to credibility.

[impartialobserver]

It is my impression that conservatives are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. as for why... not sure. Typically, conspiracy theories arise when there is not enough information and someone has to fill in the blanks. 

[Guest]

On 6/1/2023 at 4:24 PM, eyeball said:

Every one?

List 10 of them.

So you're telling me the far left doesn't believe in conspiracy theories? 

[Guest]

Any political alignment that pushes "your truth" and victimhood, can't talk about other alignments pushing BS as fact. I mean they can, but that would be hypocritical. 

Anyone starving for common sense and the lack of drama, will not feel dissilusioned by the far right only. They will feel the same towards the far left. 

I used to be a liberal voter, until Trudeau's far left views had me seeking more conservative politicians, that came across as more rational, as long as they weren't MAGA conservatives. 

[Michael Hardner]

On 6/1/2023 at 8:34 PM, impartialobserver said:

It is my impression that conservatives are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. as for why... not sure. Typically, conspiracy theories arise when there is not enough information and someone has to fill in the blanks. 

This is a new feature of Western politics definitely, in that the left have been the audience before very recently.

But if you want the full scope of how this works, the analysis of record is a book called the paranoid style of American politics by Richard Hofstadter.

Therein he posits that America was founded on an unbelievable conspiracy theory, that there were forces conspiring to rebel against the king and establish an independent republic for the first time.  That turned out pretty well for them. And created a cultural cornerstone of sorts.

 

37 minutes ago, Perspektiv said:

So you're telling me the far left doesn't believe in conspiracy theories? 

The JFK conspiracy theory, anti-vaccine theories prior to the pandemic are the first two that come to mind.

[OftenWrong]

In terms of OP you did not prove that conservatives are. You simply "felt" that way, and asked a one-sided question. Is it just possible what you feel too is just a... conspiracy? 

In other words welcome to the Matrix. Look in mirror.

[eyeball]

2 hours ago, Perspektiv said:

So you're telling me the far left doesn't believe in conspiracy theories? 

No. I'm asking you to provide 10 left wing conspiracies that are equivalent to 10 right wing conspiracies.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, eyeball said:

No. I'm asking you to provide 10 left wing conspiracies that are equivalent to 10 right wing conspiracies.

Put ten far right conspiracies. 

[reason10]

On 6/1/2023 at 8:34 PM, impartialobserver said:

It is my impression that conservatives are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. as for why... not sure. Typically, conspiracy theories arise when there is not enough information and someone has to fill in the blanks. 

Conservatives represent the highest educated and smartest Americans alive today. We're not the IDI0TS who think humans can change the climate of a planet. That's YOUR goose stepping side of the aisle.

[eyeball]

2 hours ago, Perspektiv said:

Put ten far right conspiracies. 

Sorry you're the positive claimant here.

[Guest]

52 minutes ago, eyeball said:

Sorry you're the positive claimant here.

Ok.

[Michael Hardner]

1 hour ago, eyeball said:

Sorry you're the positive claimant here.

A lot of people here don't buy into that, because they write their own rules don't you know.

The one you're arguing with says he wouldn't compromise his own comfort at all to help the planet, regularly moralizes about sex education in the classroom.

That's what you're dealing with.

[SNOWFLAKE]

On 6/24/2023 at 1:00 PM, reason10 said:

That's YOUR goose stepping side of the aisle.

You can always tell how bright one side is by the terms they use in a debate. 

Now, for a REAL answer to the question posed in this thread, here is a real answer:

https://medium.com/transgender-soapbox/science-proves-again-that-watching-fox-news-makes-you-dumber-than-not-watching-any-news-at-all-6783ac48a348

[Nationalist]

When the government and its vaunted institutions, lie obsessively and constantly to the public...people are forced to read between the lines in order to determine some semblance of truth. Any effort to do so is met with Tweenkie-calls accusing people of being conspiracy freaks.

Yet...the government and its vaunted institutions continue to lie daily.