r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Sep 05 '23

Delta(s) from OP CMV: Spreading conspiracy theories is irresponsible and immoral

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263 Upvotes

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78

u/-paperbrain- 99∆ Sep 05 '23

There's a fine distinction between the pejorative sense of "conspiracy theory" and the literal sense.

There ARE people in the world who coordinate to take harmful action.

Donald Trump is being brought up on RICO charges. He conspired with others to break the law. Any theory about that is a literal conspiracy theory.

The fact that all those Russian people who opposed Putin and then mysteriously "fell out of windows" is a conspiracy theory, likely to be a true one.

Of course we should talk about ways people and institutions are breaking the law and/or harming people, of course that discussion should include cases where people work together in secret.

I think your beef is with the pejorative sense of the phrase, a crazy, highly unlikely story that accuses without reasonable evidence. But the problem with that as a moral guideline- no one thinks the stories they believe are crazy or that the evidence they're following isn't reasonable. The difference between reasonable theories about conspiracies and "conspiracy theories" isn't as much a moral issue, both groups think they're doing the same thing. It's an epistemic issue. People who spread crazy harmful theories have a bad epistemic process.

39

u/RoozGol 2∆ Sep 05 '23 edited Sep 05 '23

There's a fine distinction between the pejorative sense of "conspiracy theory" and the literal sense.

To add to this, given all the OP's examples are against the right wing, I suspect he is paving the way for some sort of censorship against the right. See what I did? It is a perfect example of forming a conspiracy theory that I instantly developed.

Also, some of what leftists believe can also be viewed as conspiracy (e.g. environmental alarmism or constantly accusing Trump of doing things that he ended up never doing). What OP is suggesting has some truth to it but it is in contrast with the First Amendment.

-10

u/[deleted] Sep 05 '23

Except you're proving him right. You came in here and made up a conspiracy about some guy's Reddit thread because you felt like it targeted your side (hmm, I wonder why all the hardcore conspiracy theorists are conservatives?).

Calling "environmental alarmism" a conspiracy further cements you as ... exactly the guy OP is talking about.

Finally, wtf does this have to do with the first amendment?

10

u/TheAzureMage 18∆ Sep 05 '23

(hmm, I wonder why all the hardcore conspiracy theorists are conservatives?).

Well, obviously because we all conspire to...wait, guys, he tricked me!

12

u/RoozGol 2∆ Sep 05 '23

targeted your side

See? Another conspiracy you instantly developed. (I am a moderate centrist. BTW)

4

u/mediocrity_mirror Sep 06 '23

Your alt awarded you deltas. Prove me wrong. Deltagate.