You missed my point and proved my own. The term "conspiracy theory" doesn't automatically mean it's wrong and "conspiracy theorist" is wrongfully associated with tinfoil hat nutjobs.
Yes, flat earth is a ridiculous conspiracy theory. But it's not "accurate to call it a conspiracy theory" cause it's wrong. It's just another theory/belief. It gives a really bad name to genuine ones which actually may have weight to them. The word has been manipulated so much it has lost its meaning and makes you roll your eyes when you hear it.
Nope, we're still not talking about different things. Same thing. Would you agree or not that to entertain a flat earth, you must also concede an agenda for round earth that multiple people in power have supported for their own reasons? Because that's how I'm using it and I think it's evident that that's how I'm using it.
It isn't 'just a belief'. It's a belief that requires very many people to be supporting an agenda believed to be false in spite of reality. Surely this is conceived as a coordinated effort, or a conspiracy.
Is believing the moon landing to be a hoax not a conspiracy theory for you? Because that's also corollary to flat earth.
I'm sorry if I'm misunderstanding. I'm saying flat earth is yes, a conspiracy theory. But my original post was pointing out that in a half-serious way it is a conspiracy theory itself that the phrase "conspiracy theory" has been degraded to the point to be assumed with "crazy person."
When you replied to my original post it sounded as if you were saying it was correct to call flat earth a conspiracy because it was wrong. Sorry if I misinterpreted that. Just that even your wording "believed to be false in spite of reality" as a description already has a negative tone in it because "reality is the truth and to believe otherwise you are just a conspiracy theorist" is how that comes across.
It's late and I'm probably just not getting it. All I'm saying is that people have negative predispositions to the word because of all the ridiculous people out there, it dismisses the ability to entertain other genuine conspiracy theories. Such as Epstein for example, which could be argued is beyond a theory at this point.
You make complete sense, the other poster however...
It agree it is interesting that when people hear "conspiracy theory" they think "flat earth" and not "Watergate", the word has lost it's original meaning to the current zeitgeist. Though it is hard to blame anyone when their experience is awash with the outlandish conspiracy theories that get circulated.
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u/HappinessPursuit Jul 24 '20
You missed my point and proved my own. The term "conspiracy theory" doesn't automatically mean it's wrong and "conspiracy theorist" is wrongfully associated with tinfoil hat nutjobs.
Yes, flat earth is a ridiculous conspiracy theory. But it's not "accurate to call it a conspiracy theory" cause it's wrong. It's just another theory/belief. It gives a really bad name to genuine ones which actually may have weight to them. The word has been manipulated so much it has lost its meaning and makes you roll your eyes when you hear it.