create account

Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins by mada

View this thread on: hive.blogpeakd.comecency.com
· @mada ·
$14.11
Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins
![uoYmFIe2vCPSbd1NxVmY--11--pjb9v_2x.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmeX9PC9aKwHXWQxUqz2HVFFmnJ5Jb7f7n5rwBYnk6jjCh/uoYmFIe2vCPSbd1NxVmY--11--pjb9v_2x.jpg)

_The above image was made with stable diffusion using the prompt 'a person afraid of a conspiracy computer colorful.'_

The moon landing probably wasn't faked. Global leaders probably aren't reptilian extraterrestrials in disguise. The Earth probably isn't flat. I've heard people make claims to the contrary and I think they're mistaken. At the same time, some of what I believe is admittedly controversial. And my job for many years has been to document real conspiracies as they come to light.

The main thing that separates a true conspiracy from a false one is evidence. Yet the powers that be tend to presume falsehood and exert pressure on the information space to make it conform to this expectation. The playbook for this was outlined in the 2008 paper [Conspiracy Theories](https://ia800304.us.archive.org/22/items/CassSunstein/cass_sunstein_infiltration.pdf) by Cass R. Sunstein and Adrian Vermeule. Sunstein has serious [policy influence](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/author/cass-sunstein), championing both cognitive infiltration and 'the nudge.' Here's some of what the paper says about conspiracy theories:

> "Such theories typically spread as a result of identifiable cognitive blunders, operating in conjunction with informational and reputational influences. A distinctive feature of conspiracy theories is their self-sealing quality. Conspiracy theorists are not likely to be persuaded by an attempt to dispel their theories; they may even characterize that very attempt as further proof of the conspiracy. Because those who hold conspiracy theories typically suffer from a β€œcrippled epistemology,” in accordance with which it is rational to hold such theories, the best response consists in cognitive infiltration of extremist groups."

This paper's stated focus was false conspiracies and how to fight them. It paid special attention to 9/11 conspiracy theories, considering all of these false. The Saudi government was [later found](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/911-hijackers-video-saudi-intelligence-official-omar-al-bayoumi/) to have supported the plot, which made evident that there had in fact been a conspiracy to conceal official Saudi involvement in the terrorist attack. David Coady at the University of Tasmania wrote [a rebuttal to the paper](https://www.argumenta.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Argumenta-David-Coady-Cass-Sunstein-and-Adrian-Vermeule-on-Conspiracy-Theories.pdf) that includes:

> "There are many true, justified, and/or beneficial conspiracy theories. This is because people often conspire, we often have good reason to believe that people are conspiring, and there is often a significant public benefit in exposing their conspiracies. I compare conspiracy theories to scientific theories, arguing that just as most of us regard bad scientific theories (i.e. false, unjustified and harmful ones) as an acceptable price to pay for good scientific theories, we should regard bad conspiracy theories as an acceptable price to pay for good conspiracy theories." 

## Armed Dolphins

If I told you that dolphins armed with dart guns escaped a military facility to roam the oceans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, you might think I was kidding, but that [actually happened](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/25/usa.theobserver). The world is big and it's weird. For that reason alone, I try not to dismiss even strange claims too easily. 

Where it gets dicey is when a conspiracy theory begins interfering with a person's life. A good friend became convinced that he was a government programmed assassin and then he became a street person who didn't even recognize me when I said hello. A friend of a friend ruined all of his relationships in part because he couldn't stop talking about Flat Earth. Another friend once told me he was being chased around the city by a gang of extremely fashionable Europeans, which he found upsetting. 

Beyond these extremes, even a small glimpse into the control regime's corruption can give rise to paranoia and dark imaginings. I've met many people who blame the state of the world or their lot in life on evil conspirators. But I've met many more who are earnestly looking for the truth, even when that truth is uncomfortable. And the general truth that's emerged in recent years is very uncomfortable indeed. As more and more covid lies are uncovered, more and more people are discovering that they were misled by their leaders. They're starting to question the narrative.

This is hard in a psychological sense. Entertaining prohibited stories about reality involves breaking societal rules, and rule breaking has a [cognitive cost](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010027715301086). Noncomformity can also be hard socially, leading to intractable arguments and other drama. We can question the narrative, but it doesn't like being challenged.

It also seems worth mentioning that our baseline is mass surveillance, propaganda, and censorship. Every one of us is being watched by our devices. Our realities are manipulated at every turn by ads and compromised news sources and elected officials. These facts alone naturally call the official story into question. Where exactly are we being steered?  

___

**Read my novels:**
- **Small Gods of Time Travel** is available as a [web book on IPFS](https://rstory.mypinata.cloud/ipfs/QmVt9kp8CJKwUm2cvD1mhMVtswsdFh3iEH8AFGEUxnrMu1/) and as a 41 piece Tezos [NFT collection on Objkt](https://objkt.com/collection/KT1TJEWFRDcudZYwPVfm2j1HAANen3TL7fof).
- **The Paradise Anomaly** is available in [print via Blurb](https://www.blurb.com/b/10994168-the-paradise-anomaly) and [for Kindle on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NLB95NZ).
- **Psychic Avalanche** is available in [print via Blurb](https://www.blurb.com/b/10891426-psychic-avalanche) and for [Kindle on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JS6CV9X).
- **One Man Embassy** is available in [print via Blurb](https://blurb.com/b/9876573-one-man-embassy) and for [Kindle on Amazon](https://amazon.com/One-Man-Embassy-Mark-Bailey-ebook/dp/B0836SRC8K).
- **Flying Saucer Shenanigans** is available in [print via Blurb](https://blurb.com/b/10002213-flying-saucer-shenanigans) and for [Kindle on Amazon](https://amazon.com/Flying-Saucer-Shenanigans-Mark-Bailey-ebook/dp/B0863FRJN2).
- **Rainbow Lullaby** is available in [print via Blurb](https://blurb.com/b/9330918-rainbow-lullaby) and for [Kindle on Amazon](https://amazon.com/Rainbow-Lullaby-Mark-Bailey-ebook/dp/B07P4MYTGT).
- **The Ostermann Method** is available in [print via Blurb](https://blurb.com/b/9660167-the-ostermann-method) and for [Kindle on Amazon](https://amazon.com/Ostermann-Method-Mark-Bailey-ebook/dp/B07Y6RDTJF).
- **Blue Dragon Mississippi** is available in [print via Blurb](https://blurb.com/b/10192086-blue-dragon-mississippi) and for [Kindle on Amazon](https://amazon.com/Blue-Dragon-Mississippi-Mark-Bailey-ebook/dp/B08C54F99R).

**See my NFTs:**
- **Small Gods of Time Travel** is a 41 piece Tezos [NFT collection on Objkt](https://objkt.com/collection/KT1TJEWFRDcudZYwPVfm2j1HAANen3TL7fof) that goes with my book by the same name.
- **History and the Machine** is a 20 piece Tezos [NFT collection on Objkt](https://objkt.com/collection/KT1KmnSSXykx4SA6pdVVh9PweSqK5tkDRsLX) based on my series of oil paintings of interesting people from history.
- **Artifacts of Mind Control** is a 15 piece Tezos [NFT collection on Objkt](https://objkt.com/collection/KT1Fc7naXm8XApN1EHoJXkC1Tggv2jK9eeZK) based on declassified CIA documents from the MKULTRA program.
πŸ‘  , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 387 others
properties (23)
authormada
permlinkconspiracy-theories-and-armed-dolphins
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata"{"tags":["conspiracy","psychology","blog"],"image":["https://images.hive.blog/DQmeX9PC9aKwHXWQxUqz2HVFFmnJ5Jb7f7n5rwBYnk6jjCh/uoYmFIe2vCPSbd1NxVmY--11--pjb9v_2x.jpg"],"links":["https://ia800304.us.archive.org/22/items/CassSunstein/cass_sunstein_infiltration.pdf"],"app":"hiveblog/0.1","format":"markdown","description":"Thoughts on conspiracies and the information space."}"
created2023-03-29 01:58:54
last_update2023-03-29 01:58:54
depth0
children8
last_payout2023-04-05 01:58:54
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value7.102 HBD
curator_payout_value7.011 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length7,734
author_reputation177,063,592,167,045
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id122,054,438
net_rshares25,816,518,402,120
author_curate_reward""
vote details (451)
@amberjyang · (edited)
$0.43
Wow. Great post! Dolphin armed with dart guns?! I had no flippin clue that was happening. Wild!

You write with such precision. I like David Coady's rebuttal. Rule breaking definitely has a cognitive cost, like with the Yale study on strategies to get the covid vaccine (before it was even available) where they found that evoking embarrassment or shame, or how non-vaccination might negatively affect one's social image, was the most effective strategy.

Also, when conspiracy theories interfere with a person's life, there's usually a sense of isolation and loneliness in that person. This is why we need more media that inspires and emphasizes the best of humanity and the greater good. And that efforts are made within these alternative communities to help revive appropriate forms of the Commons. And create a culture (within these movements) that fosters belonging and relationships, including with the general public. Without fostering the higher aspects of human nature as well as looking at the darkest aspects, we are left to make sense of the world in narrow, fearful ways. This skews our perception of things.
πŸ‘  , ,
properties (23)
authoramberjyang
permlinkrs9lgh
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata{"app":"hiveblog/0.1"}
created2023-03-29 04:21:54
last_update2023-03-29 04:24:45
depth1
children1
last_payout2023-04-05 04:21:54
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.215 HBD
curator_payout_value0.218 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length1,121
author_reputation34,570,664,669,841
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries
0.
accounthiveonboard
weight100
1.
accountocdb
weight100
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id122,056,862
net_rshares796,676,164,773
author_curate_reward""
vote details (3)
@mada ·
Yeah no one expects the dolphins to be armed.

We do need more media that connects people instead of driving them apart.
properties (22)
authormada
permlinkrs9lyx
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata{"app":"hiveblog/0.1"}
created2023-03-29 04:32:57
last_update2023-03-29 04:32:57
depth2
children0
last_payout2023-04-05 04:32:57
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.000 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length120
author_reputation177,063,592,167,045
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id122,057,034
net_rshares0
@edje ·
$0.04
Hahahaha I like the Ai generated fear of computers, though to me this image shows not the fear too much. But that could be just my few brain cells trying to see the positive in much we see, hear and feel.

These days the truth is not what it once was. These days even blunt lies are declared as the truth. It is to me hilarious to see public figures, or less public figures, confronted with proof (like a video with some action or statement made) while the 'accused' for lying, either run away or continue stating something didn't happen, or something wasn't said by the accused.

All of us are exposed to mainstream news, in one or the other way. Though it seems more peeps also turn to alternative media channels and sources, to me it feels like only a small group of society is trying to find the truth, whatever the truth may be. The growing group of peeps that are seeking more information, seems to be mostly those who like to believe in conspiracies. Don't have numbers though, so it's just a feeling I have.

You rightly say the problems when friends or family are becoming hardcore conspiracists. Generally, this causes breaks between peeps. I have two examples myself. An older friend. Every single conversation we had during Covid, regardless of the topic, turned into conspiracy theories within a minute. She was also very pushing her ideas onto mine and didn't want to listen to anything I had to say. She even deleted chat histories when we used a chat app. I very much hope she will find her way. I do still regard her as a friend, but the friendship is put in the fridge for now. On occasion, we do talk. But to be honest, quite rare. Maybe a few times a year. Sad, but what can I do?

A family member, relatively close by in the family. I believe, becoming a more hardcore believer in all sorts of conspiracy theories, but still quite fun to talk with. When approach a gentle way, he listens, We can also talk about different topics without the conversation going the wrong way. he doesn't really push his views, though he likes to talk about what he believes. Or better said, he usually asks a question which is against his theory, phrased in such a way it also holds a kinda accusation. Any response he will throw into the bin though. Unless it is vouching for the theory. Although I still continue the conversations with him, he lost some friends. Sad, again.

I have no idea what the future will hold. How much of a problem the growing number of people who believe in conspiracy theories (the wrong ones) will become. I do know we have to find ways to deal with this. Any ideas?
πŸ‘  
properties (23)
authoredje
permlinkrsag6d
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata{"app":"hiveblog/0.1"}
created2023-03-29 15:25:24
last_update2023-03-29 15:25:24
depth1
children2
last_payout2023-04-05 15:25:24
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.020 HBD
curator_payout_value0.021 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length2,599
author_reputation173,514,201,351,756
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id122,068,163
net_rshares79,344,506,136
author_curate_reward""
vote details (1)
@mada ·
$0.04
Thanks for sharing your experience. Stories are how we make sense of the world, and the world doesn't always make sense, so some of our stories naturally veer into fantasy. The first question I ask when someone tells me a nonsensical story is how is this story meeting this person's needs? And could those needs be met in a better way, in conversation? Oftentimes the person just wants to feel heard, recognized, or like they're important. Once they feel these things, it becomes much easier to challenge their story on logical/factual grounds.
πŸ‘  
properties (23)
authormada
permlinkrsalte
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata{"app":"hiveblog/0.1"}
created2023-03-29 17:27:12
last_update2023-03-29 17:27:12
depth2
children1
last_payout2023-04-05 17:27:12
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.021 HBD
curator_payout_value0.021 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length544
author_reputation177,063,592,167,045
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id122,071,249
net_rshares81,531,315,844
author_curate_reward""
vote details (1)
@edje ·
$0.04
That's a great way of approaching, the question: "how is this story meeting this person's needs?"
If you don't mind, am gonna steal that from you and will try and apply.
Thanks πŸ™‡<div><a href="https://engage.hivechain.app">![](https://i.imgur.com/XsrNmcl.png)</a></div>
πŸ‘  
properties (23)
authoredje
permlinkre-1680111770751
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata{"app":"engage"}
created2023-03-29 17:42:51
last_update2023-03-29 17:42:51
depth3
children0
last_payout2023-04-05 17:42:51
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.020 HBD
curator_payout_value0.021 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length268
author_reputation173,514,201,351,756
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id122,071,595
net_rshares78,071,178,730
author_curate_reward""
vote details (1)
@poshtoken ·
https://twitter.com/481423241/status/1640896591715352578
<sub> The rewards earned on this comment will go directly to the people sharing the post on Twitter as long as they are registered with @poshtoken. Sign up at https://hiveposh.com.</sub>
properties (22)
authorposhtoken
permlinkre-mada-conspiracy-theories-and-armed-dolphins525936314
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata"{"app":"Poshtoken 0.0.1","payoutToUser":[]}"
created2023-03-29 02:00:18
last_update2023-03-29 02:00:18
depth1
children0
last_payout2023-04-05 02:00:18
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.000 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length244
author_reputation3,941,657,352,408,001
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries
0.
accountnomnomnomnom
weight10,000
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd0
post_id122,054,470
net_rshares0
@tarotbyfergus ·
$0.25
Amongst the many conspiracy theories that I believe are conspiracy truth, I had not conceived of military trained, gun toting dolphins. It looks like I have more speculating to do...
πŸ‘  , ,
properties (23)
authortarotbyfergus
permlinkrs9xdk
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata{"app":"hiveblog/0.1"}
created2023-03-29 08:39:21
last_update2023-03-29 08:39:21
depth1
children1
last_payout2023-04-05 08:39:21
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.127 HBD
curator_payout_value0.127 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length182
author_reputation139,115,433,108,560
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id122,060,841
net_rshares476,579,725,005
author_curate_reward""
vote details (3)
@mada ·
Right. If we know about the armed dolphins, what don't we know about?
properties (22)
authormada
permlinkrsalau
categoryconspiracy
json_metadata{"app":"hiveblog/0.1"}
created2023-03-29 17:16:06
last_update2023-03-29 17:16:06
depth2
children0
last_payout2023-04-05 17:16:06
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.000 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length69
author_reputation177,063,592,167,045
root_title"Conspiracy Theories and Armed Dolphins"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id122,070,894
net_rshares0