Mastodawn

Hey Mastodon I ned some help.

An increasing number if people in my life are becoming #conspiracytheory nutjobs and I don't know what to do.

At first it was just one or two peripheral friends so I could just stop talking with them or ignore the crazy stuff they said, but now its closer friends and family.
Does anyone have any good resources or tips on how to handle this?

I know a fair bit about the theories as I have been interested in them for a long time, but it has been from a debunking POV since nothing ever seems solid enough to warrant any belief.
This knowledge doesn't seem to be relevant though since "you can't reason someone out of an oppinion they didn't reason themselves into".

I would appreciate any and all input on deprogramming techniques, support groups etc.
Feel free to boost for visibility.

Thanks in advance 😚

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Alexis Bushnell Dec 26

@bno Philosophy Tube's video on antivaxxers digs into this from that specific angle and is based on research done with antivaxxers: https://youtu.be/Va0RCgbywGc?si=kKp07Lcm1gpOyKxN

As others have mentioned, it's often a response to feeling a lack of control in one's life. It can also be lack of community or feel excluded/mocked/unwanted in the groups you're a part of.
Conspiracy theories offer community and affirming "yes you're right" regardless of what you say and evidence, that is powerful.

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Vaccines & Freedom | Philosophy Tube

YouTube

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Alexis Bushnell

@bno finding ways to connect with the emotions they're feeling & why they're going that way is important. Mocking or challenging the beliefs is only likely to push them further into them.
Asking them to explain their beliefs to you with genuine interest, offering genuine compassion, demonstrating that it's ok to change your mind, finding ways to connect with them on other things to give them that connection & support is powerful.

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Alexis Bushnell Dec 26

@bno Not an expert & also very not good at this myself, so kudos to you, it is really hard.

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