Tuesday, September 12, 2006

CONSPIRACY CRANKS By JAMES B. MEIGS - New York Post Online Edition: Postopinion

CONSPIRACY CRANKS By JAMES B. MEIGS - New York Post Online Edition: Postopinion: "very 9/11 conspiracy theory we investigated was based on similarly shoddy evidence. Most of these falsehoods are easy to refute simply by checking the original source material or talking to experts in the relevant fields. And yet even the flimsiest claims are repeated constantly in conspiracy circles, passed from Web site to book to Web site in an endless daisy chain. And any witness, expert - or publication - that tries to set the record straight is immediately vilified as being part of the conspiracy."

6 comments:

Unknown said...

It is like mass hysteria, they feed off each other.

Charlie Martin said...

Yes, that's exactly what it's like, Terrye --- going back to witch trials. It's easier for some people to have a conspiracy to believe in.

chuck said...

...going back to witch trials

I always thought it was more like the dancing mania of the middle ages. From wikipedia:

Dancing mania is the name given to a phenomenon that occurred mainly in mainland Europe from the 14th century through to the 17th century, in which groups of people would dance through the streets of towns or cities, sometimes foaming at the mouth or speaking in tongues, until they collapsed from exhaustion. The first major outbreak of the mania was in Aachen, Germany, in July 1374. The dancers went through the streets screaming of wild visions, and even continued to writhe and twist after they collapsed from exhaustion. The dancing quickly caught on, and spread rapidly throughout France and the Low Countries.

The mania reached its peak in 1418 in Strasbourg. At at least one point, so many people had either been afflicted with the dancing mania, or caught up in the dancing, or were trying to give assistance, or simply watching the events unfold, that the town was brought to a complete halt.

More here, with a putative connection to the Salem witch trials. Fifty years of progressive education and we have produced a large minority of nut cases who disavow the use of thought. But I really think something else is going on. It is the end times for a period of western thought characterized by industrialization, the end of Christian belief, utopian socialist visions, and vast ideological wars. Seems like too many folks may have invested their life in phantoms. How this will all end up I have no idea, but I think it is far from over.

Unknown said...

chuck:

I am not so sure it is the end of Christian belief, in fact I think there is a revival of sorts going on.

Dancing mania, how interesting. So you think it might have had something to do with the Plague?

Rick Ballard said...

Knuck,

It wasn't just Bush. He had help. Hell, when he was elected he didn't even know how to create and steer a hurricane.

I wish I could tell you who is really pulling the strings but it might get me

Syl said...

Look, they were all hit in the face by reality after living years of their transnational socialistic UN is the governance we are all in charge war is outlawed do-gooder peace is free mentality. They were free totally FREE to impose their beliefs on the world.

Ooops.

These are the deniers.

And THEY will be the first to convert to Islam.