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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
 Posted - 04/02/2013 : 20:30:37
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12 Million Americans Believe Lizard People Run Our Country
Public Policy Polling has raised weird polls to an art form. During last year's presidential campaign, the firm earned a bit of a reputation for its unorthodox questions; for example, "If God exists, do you approve of its handling of natural disasters?"
Today PPP released the results of a national survey looking at common conspiracy theories. Broken down by topic and cross-referenced by political preference, the results will not inspire a lot of patriotism. If you need to defend your fellow countrymen, be sure to note that the margin of error is 2.8 percent.
We took the findings and arranged them from most- to least-believed. And, just to inspire additional shame, figured out how many actual Americans that meant must believe in things like the danger of fluoride in water. (28 million, if you're wondering.) |
Read on. This should probably not shock any of us, but seeing them ranked and how the politics fall is interesting.
And I happen to believe at least one of the conspiracies they name.
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 05:20:22 [Permalink]
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| Well, if they are a viable third party I welcome them. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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moakley
SFN Regular
USA
1888 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 09:59:49 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
And I happen to believe at least one of the conspiracies they name.
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Is it the same one that I do? That aliens exist. They just haven't visited. |
Life is good
Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned. -Anonymous |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 10:53:20 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by moakley
Originally posted by Kil
And I happen to believe at least one of the conspiracies they name.
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Is it the same one that I do? That aliens exist. They just haven't visited.
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So how does that add up to conspiracy? Is there a shadow group keeping their non-visiting exiatance from us? |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 11:27:21 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by moakley
Originally posted by Kil
And I happen to believe at least one of the conspiracies they name.
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Is it the same one that I do? That aliens exist. They just haven't visited.
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Naaa. I don't consider that a conspiracy. It's a big universe.
But I do think that Bush and company used 9/11 to get us into Iraq. That's on the list.
Of course, that doesn't mean the "truthers" aren't full of crap. They are. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 13:40:29 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
But I do think that Bush and company used 9/11 to get us into Iraq. That's on the list.
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I can't understand how that qualifies as a conspiracy theory. It's so blatantly obvious, it's a Conspiracy Fact.
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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moakley
SFN Regular
USA
1888 Posts |
Posted - 04/03/2013 : 15:06:46 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by BigPapaSmurf
Originally posted by moakley
Originally posted by Kil
And I happen to believe at least one of the conspiracies they name.
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Is it the same one that I do? That aliens exist. They just haven't visited.
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So how does that add up to conspiracy? Is there a shadow group keeping their non-visiting exiatance from us?
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Odd that the full question from the PPP PDF is "Do you believe aliens exist, or not?" Even though the questions are identified as conspiracies without adding words to the question, which I did initially, I don't see the conspiracy.
BPS "That aliens exist" is the conspiracy as identified by the link. "They just haven't visited" is an opinion. |
Life is good
Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned. -Anonymous |
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energyscholar
New Member
USA
39 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 13:33:04 [Permalink]
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Thanks for posting this, Kil. Good reading! I confess that I believe several of these 'conspiracy theories'. Given that I'm currently posting on this site to Conspiracy Theories, this should surprise no one.  In the interest of giving my fellow skeptics insight into my particular beliefs, and my methods of reaching them, I shall enumerate them. Specifically, I believe:
JFK was killed by a conspiracy - check. The official story is preposterous.
Bush intentionally misled on Iraq WMDs - check. Overwhelming evidence shows this is so.
Aliens exist - check. As Kil said, it's a big universe.
The government controls minds with TV - Sort of, in that TV is effective at manipulating minds, and this potential is not entirely going to waste. Aka Propaganda.
The government allowed 9/11 - check, my views are summarized here http://oilempire.us/911.html#p7EPMc1_1 by a friend who is a much better researcher than I. This friend has clashed many times with 'truthers', at least some of whom seem to be professional disinformation artists (e.g. Alex Jones).
Regarding Fluoride is dangerous, well, duh, that's basic chemistry. Fluoridation of drinking water is a fine idea, though, says this human with no tooth decay at age 44. |
"It is Easier to get Forgiveness than Permission" - Rear Admiral Grace Hopper |
| Edited by - energyscholar on 04/04/2013 14:23:15 |
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ThorGoLucky
Snuggle Wolf
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 18:27:03 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by energyscholar
Thanks for posting this, Kil. Good reading! I confess that I believe several of these 'conspiracy theories'. Given that I'm currently posting on this site to Conspiracy Theories, this should surprise no one. In the interest of giving my fellow skeptics insight into my particular beliefs, and my methods of reaching them, I shall enumerate them. Specifically, I believe:
JFK was killed by a conspiracy - check. The official story is preposterous.
Bush intentionally misled on Iraq WMDs - check. Overwhelming evidence shows this is so.
Aliens exist - check. As Kil said, it's a big universe.
The government controls minds with TV - Sort of, in that TV is effective at manipulating minds, and this potential is not entirely going to waste. Aka Propaganda.
The government allowed 9/11 - check, my views are summarized here http://oilempire.us/911.html#p7EPMc1_1 by a friend who is a much better researcher than I. This friend has clashed many times with 'truthers', at least some of whom seem to be professional disinformation artists (e.g. Alex Jones).
Regarding Fluoride is dangerous, well, duh, that's basic chemistry. Fluoridation of drinking water is a fine idea, though, says this human with no tooth decay at age 44.
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JFK was killed by a single gunman. The Warren Commision was correct - check. New photographic evidence has confirmed the official story.
Aliens MIGHT have existed, exist, or will exist somewhere in the universe. - No evidence...at least not yet. Regarding aliens on Earth. No evidence and improbable.
The government, corporations, special interests, etc. ATTEMPT to control minds with TV - Not that it matters, as TV is soooo 20th century. Pshaw!
Hurrah for cost-effective fluoridation! |
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energyscholar
New Member
USA
39 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2013 : 23:09:56 [Permalink]
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| The government, corporations, special interests, etc. ATTEMPT to control minds with TV - Not that it matters, as TV is soooo 20th century. |
I'd like to point out that, despite the internet, Americans still watched 293 minutes per day of TV in 2011. The TV addiction is pervasive and tough to kick. I'd say nearly five hours per day per person of TV viewing time still matters, from a propaganda perspective. I got this statistic here http://tinyurl.com/d2xpsoy .
| Aliens MIGHT have existed, exist, or will exist somewhere in the universe. |
Thanks for correcting my words re. alien life, which only might exist. We have no evidence as to whether or not alien life exists.
In the absence of evidence, scientists and others have long argued about the likelyhood of alien life existing. If the emergence of life from un-life is very unlikely, then Earth may be the only place in the universe with life. We the improbable. On the other hand, if the emergence of life from un-life is inevitable under certain common conditions, then the universe is probably seething with life.
Complex System Biology demonstrates one plausible mechanism by which life can emerge from un-life. This author argues in the New General Technology? thread that this mechanism may have been used in secret to develop a working technology. In At Home in the Universe Biologist Stuart Kauffman says of this mechanism
"Most important of all, if this is true, life is vastly more probable than we have supposed. Not only are we at home in the universe, but we are far more likely to share it with as yet unknown companions." - Stuart Kauffman, At Home in the Universe, pp 69. 1995. ISBN 0-19-509599-5.
[Edited: Shortly after posting this I saw a 'teaching moment', so I added the bit about CSB and Stuart Kauffman. It seemed relevant.] |
"It is Easier to get Forgiveness than Permission" - Rear Admiral Grace Hopper |
| Edited by - energyscholar on 04/05/2013 01:01:32 |
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2013 : 06:16:50 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by energyscholar
| The government, corporations, special interests, etc. ATTEMPT to control minds with TV - Not that it matters, as TV is soooo 20th century. |
I'd like to point out that, despite the internet, Americans still watched 293 minutes per day of TV in 2011. The TV addiction is pervasive and tough to kick. I'd say nearly five hours per day per person of TV viewing time still matters, from a propaganda perspective. I got this statistic here http://tinyurl.com/d2xpsoy .
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I dunno. The Hulu commercial with one of the Baldwin brothers was pretty spot on. Hollywood types are aliens and they eat brains. They prefer them softened up so they can scoop them out with a melon baller. Ergo, the vapid wasteland that is television. |
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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ThorGoLucky
Snuggle Wolf
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2013 : 07:40:38 [Permalink]
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My TV comment was on the silly side with its "pshaw".
Alien life in the form of single cells may indeed be very prevalent, as there is evidence that it appeared shortly after Earth cooled down enough. But then it took happy accidents (oxygen creation for one thing) and over a billion years before colonies of cells could form organisms. And then over 500 million years of careless evolution to contingently produce brains good enough so that some of their population can understand and acknowledge their humble beginnings. With all that could have gone wrong, intelligent life luckily eked out in a hostile universe. We could be the only intelligent life in the universe and perhaps even in it's entire history. |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2013 : 09:57:45 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by ThorGoLucky
...We could be the only intelligent life in the universe and perhaps even in it's entire history.
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Or maybe it has yet to happen! |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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moakley
SFN Regular
USA
1888 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2013 : 10:11:10 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by ThorGoLucky
... We could be the only intelligent life in the universe and perhaps even in it's entire history.
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I hope not. As an initial gut reaction I think I prefer a universe with a smattering cognizant life forms.
Well 1800 posts and it only took 11 years. |
Life is good
Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned. -Anonymous |
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sailingsoul
SFN Addict
2830 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2013 : 02:05:24 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by energyscholar
The government controls minds with TV - Sort of, in that TV is effective at manipulating minds, and this potential is not entirely going to waste. Aka Propaganda.
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"Sort of"? I think clearly so but I don't see a need to single out the government or TV. I'd think the facts do show people's minds are manipulated by outside influences from people and organizations with many agenda's through every means, quite successfully but not everyone. |
There are only two types of religious people, the deceivers and the deceived. SS |
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sailingsoul
SFN Addict
2830 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2013 : 02:20:15 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by moakley
Well 1800 posts and it only took 11 years.
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Watch out! Keep this up and in less than two years you'll be a "SFN Addict". |
There are only two types of religious people, the deceivers and the deceived. SS |
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Conspiracy and strange belief poll
