Facts Don’t Beat Conspiracy Theories

Conspiracy theories and cancel culture are currently two newsworthy topics. Most people agree that something needs to be done about at least one of them. Unfortunately, meaningful conversation is being hindered by the assumption that sound, fact-based logic can change minds. Cases in point are the Harper’s Magazine anti-cancel culture letter signed by the likes of Noam Chomsky and J.K. Rowling and a recent episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on conspiracy theories. The hope that fact-based logic will prevail is wrong.

Simply put, many opinions and stances do not stem from reason. A study from 2008, which tested 46 people’s reactions to fearful stimuli, clearly demonstrates this. Participants were shown three frightening images (“a very large spider on the face of a frightened person, a dazed individual with a bloody face, and an open wound with maggots in it”) along with 33 other images and, separately, exposed to unexpected white noise while wearing headphones. Participants that had stronger fear reactions (sweating and rapid eye-blinking) were more likely to “support military spending, warrantless searches, the death penalty, the Patriot Act, obedience, patriotism, the Iraq War, school prayer, and Biblical truth; and… [oppose] pacifism, immigration, gun control, foreign aid, compromise, premarital sex, gay marriage, abortion rights, and pornography.” In short, the…