[pierrec]

"because it means they're smarter than the others"

That may be part of the reason for conspiracy theories, but I think there's more to it. A lot of people take comfort in the idea that there is some grand order to the world (regardless of it being good or evil). It can be hard to accept the alternative - that the real world is chaotic and that no one is actually in control.

[coldtea]

There's also the fact that history, politics, business, etc. is full of actual conspiracies, just not of the "lizzards and aliens" kind, but of the people acting covertly, intimidating, bribing, working together, etc. to further their private interests kind...

[2devnull]

The most popular conspiracy theory is The Rich People Rule The World Conspiracy Theory. No amount of debunking seems to move the needle. People think a wealthy elite control everything and that all or most human problems can be solved by taking money away from them.

[coldtea]

Yeah, I can't understand how people can think that those in power and riches have power and riches!

[StanislavPetrov]

>No amount of debunking seems to move the needle.

Because it is hard to debunk something that is objectively true and backed up by thousands of years of history.

[chx]

Sometimes it's not even particularly covert just hard to see the big picture as the events unfold.

https://wwnorton.com/books/Invisible-Hands/

[DonHopkins]

Like the conspiracies Trump's going down for!

[coldtea]

This is your second off-topic comment to me, that focuses on Trump, in this thread.

I take it you have taken to some kind of crusade in the comment section, because I wrote something in some other thread and post, potentially months or weeks ago, in support of Trump? God forbid anybody ever does that. Then they are bad people, with bad ideas, and the good people must go from thread to thread to tell them so.

Not that it would be diffucult to just answer: "More like the wining and dining with business owners and oligarchs from several countries, to use your father's influence, with his full support and abuse of his position, to get bribes and do them favors, and then using the same power to thwart the story in the mainstream media for years". Seems like the world is more complex than bad guy vs good guy, "my side, right or wrong", but who cares when there's partisan fun to be had...

[StackOverlord]

Alain Juillet, former head of the French CIA (DGSE) recently claimed in a youtube interview that "if you do not know what is happening in the African freemason circles, you can't understand the current geopolitics of Africa". He was the head of several lodges/masonic confederations.

https://www.jeuneafrique.com/137763/politique/franc-ma-onner...

> discusses the power play between American and French controlled lodges in Ivory Coast.

https://www.jeuneafrique.com/141986/politique/franc-ma-onner...

> In the neighboring countries of Mali and Guinea, the same expansion phenomenon is observed. Amadou Toumani Touré, overthrown on March 21st, and Alpha Condé oversee the destinies of the Grand Lodge of Mali and that of Guinea, respectively. As for Blaise Compaoré, he was - until he gave way to Djibrill Bassolé, his head of diplomacy - grand master of the Grand Lodge of Burkina, which counts among its ranks numerous ministers, diplomats, and businessmen, notably a part of the management of the national chamber of commerce. Further south, Beninese Thomas Boni Yayi, a known evangelist, has always denied his affiliation to Freemasonry but maintains close relations in the field. Togolese Faure Gnassingbé keeps people guessing, causing some of his brothers to smile: "This young president quickly understood the means to control his elite," they note.

[throwaway290]

People who have a lot of money or some other influence do actually have more control. Doesn't imply they always put it to good use...

[stormfather]

And some people take comfort in the notion that there are no conspiracies and everything is as it seems on the surface.