How to Love Conspiracy People – Arthur C. Brooks

In these times of polarization, one of the complaints I often hear from readers and friends is that people close to them have fallen prey to conspiracy theories. This is a surprisingly widespread phenomenon; in fact, some scholars estimate that, in recent years, half of Americans have adhered to at least one of these theories.

Perhaps you are shivering ahead of Thanksgiving, when a loved one will explain the “truth” about the midterm elections or the “real” origins of Covid-19. It can be really upsetting to hear a friend or family member say things that seem obvious, manipulable nonsense – it can almost feel like they have joined a cult.

You may have tried in the past to respond to these beliefs by using evidence and reason. Perhaps you have lost patience and have chosen the path of derision and ridicule. Most likely, you have not made progress and have just strained your personal relationships. Arguing over hard facts is unlikely to convince anyone. The truth is that, often, the substance of conspiracy theories – what they actually claim – is not why people cling to them so vigorously. In some cases, these beliefs can make people happier. They can give their supporters a sense of belonging, control and even fun. Understanding this can help you approach their views in a more compassionate and persuasive way.

A survival mistake
A conspiracy theory is the belief that powerful people plotted to obtain a particular circumstance or event, and that they did so in secret. Those who believe these theories often have what psychology calls a “conspiratorial mentality,” which is a general tendency to suspect that the powerful are acting in secrecy.

A big mistake we make in dealing with conspiracy theories is to assume that they only cause harm to those who support them. In reality, the tendency to support these beliefs may be rooted in ourselves, because they may have been useful, in certain circumstances, for our survival. Some scholars have theorized, for example, that conspiracies actually organized by hostile forces in the past – before the emergence of modern institutions such as civil rights and police protection – could be so deadly that to save oneself it was better to join a paranoid idea, which could very well be false.

Conspiracy beliefs can also bring tangible benefits to people’s well-being. They can, for example, provide the feeling of being in control of the situation in a chaotic world. Research has shown that people who feel they have little control over their lives are more likely to harbor superstitions (such as being convinced that the number 13 is bad luck), seeing non-existent correlations (for example in the stock market) and believing in conspiracies. Likewise, people who need to feel unique and special can adhere to unusual beliefs, such as conspiracies, supported by a minority of people.

These beliefs can also provide a sense of community, as Kelly Weill wrote earlier this year in The Atlantic, in an article about who believes the Earth is flat. While conspiracy theories can create divisions between those who believe them and their friends and family who do not believe them, at the same time these unpopular views can create a sense of community among the people who support them, a bit like the people who support them. unpopular tastes or esoteric knowledge. For more than a century some social scientists have called this phenomenon the “sociology of secret societies”. genre. Although not conspiratorial, hopefully).

News and entertainment
Plus, conspiracy theories can be – yes – funny. Think of all the movies you’ve enjoyed where the hero has to get to the bottom of something powerful and evil characters are doing in secret. People find conspiracies amusing even in real life. In an article published this year in the British Journal of Psychology, researchers described experiments in which people were offered conspiratorial and non-conspiracy positions to explain major events, such as the Notre-Dame fire. The former were judged to be more fun and aroused stronger emotions than the latter. Conspiracy theories are a meeting point between current events and entertainment; it’s easy to see why they’re a great deal for television and social networks.

Understanding the benefits conspiratorial beliefs offer their adherents does not mean ignoring or minimizing the danger they can sometimes bring in terms of radicalization, prejudice or even violence. If someone you know and love adheres to conspiracy theories, it is reasonable to worry about these threats. Or perhaps it is simply mortifying to see someone you love fall prey to ideas that seem not only wrong but absurd. But understanding why certain people develop these beliefs can make them more empathetic and therefore more effective in dealing with them.

Taking into account the benefits of conspiracy theories, here is a two-step plan – first the behaviors to resist, and then the things to do in their place – to help a person change course (or at least contribute to a change of heart). subject and the protection of your personal relationship).

I remember arguing with a colleague years ago about what I considered a patently absurd conspiracy while we were at work. The feeling was that all my attempts to prove his theory ridiculous only reinforced his belief. Eventually he said to me, “The more you say I’m wrong, the more I think I’m right.” I thought he was just closed-minded, but then I stumbled upon the studies of psychologist Rob Brotherton, author of Suspicious minds. Because we are all conspiracy theorists. Brotherton writes about the so-called boomerang effect, whereby a person who believes conspiratorial ideas supports them more strongly when confronted with alternative explanations or evidence that refutes them. The debunkingdebunking myths, is often an undertaking doomed to fail.

You may remember the feeling of having gone to live away from home for the first time, feeling lonely and insecure. Imagine that in this vulnerable state you met a group of people who made you feel better and less alone. They had very different points of view from those of your family and old friends, a difference that you clearly understood when you returned home. If your family attacked your new way of thinking, they would in effect attack the one thing that made your life tolerable during a time of loneliness. The homecoming would have been so much sweeter if they had just welcomed you, and focused on the things you still had in common. Or not?

Do the same with your loved ones who have strange or wrong beliefs. Talk about your mutual loves and fondest memories, not the things you disagree with. Do the things you liked together and go back to the old, silly jokes that only you understand. At the very least, this will make the moment you spend together easier, and could open the door to a return to reality for your loved one, if and when it is ready.

A final point worth considering is the costs and benefits for you of focusing on the conspiratorial beliefs of a loved one. One thing that amazes me about human beings is our ability to ruin the things we love by focusing solely on what we hate. From an evolutionary perspective I can understand this: survival often requires paying attention to the only dot of threat that exists in a large space of well-being. I also understand this from a practical perspective: it is terrible to see someone you love become prey to something that you consider insane or even dangerous.

But this trend is sadly doomed to ruin our Thanksgiving dinners if we persist in investigating Aunt Marge’s odd opinions about fluoride, instead of focusing on the affection and beauty of family togetherness. Sometimes the problem with conspiracy theories is not that others are supporting them, but that we only focus on them, making things unnecessarily unpleasant. Come to think of it, we might conclude that being right is less important than enjoying a little love in our life.

(Translation by Federico Ferrone)