The Conspiracy Theory Detector

[Kai Frederik Lorentzen]

"Magicalization [?] of terrible social events" (Magisierung 
entsetzlicher Sozialität) is the formula,
Lars Clausen, my first sociological teacher, has to offer on conspiracy 
theories.

With Luhmann one can also put it like this: Verschwörungstheorien work 
as a "reduction of social
complexity". Well, it's the classic academic view, and now you could say 
--- this was that.

But then again ...

It's the old problem with all kinds of sociological and psychological 
contextualizations: Makes
perfectly understandable why people cling to conspiracy theories, but 
doesn't say one nano tiny
bit about the truth or falsity of the theory in question itself!

My favourite current conspiracy theory? MKUltra is back in town and 
keeps rocking since the
1990s! This time in combination with occult practices. Didn't happen to 
myself or anybody I know,
but one thing I do know for sure: Me would like to read about this in 
Pynchon's next novel.

KFL

PS: When I was back there at elementary school, there was a person there 
... sorry, wrong text.
Let me start again: When I was back there at elementary school, we all 
got - each and every morning for years - a little pastel pill which was 
said to contain fluorine. Not that I think that this was a conspiracy 
(rather money left to burn plus superstition in science). Yet what was 
really strange was that solemn, nearly Eucharistical way the teacher 
went with the pills from one pupil to the next.
Nobody ever spoke a word ...

On 24.11.2010 19:01, Dave Monroe wrote:
> The Conspiracy Theory Detector
> How to tell the difference between true and false conspiracy theories
>
> By Michael Shermer  | December 14, 2010 |
>
> http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-conspiracy-theory-director
>
>
>