Why are Conspiracy Sites the 1st Destination So Many Go to for Truth?
Why do conspiracy sites seem to be the first place so many go to for their facts?
This question came to my mind again today, after several people blasted me for being a “sheep” for suggesting that wearing masks in public places, as mandated in many jurisdictions, now, is probably a good idea.
Of course, they “know” I’m an idiot for believing all that scientific “nonsense,” a mindless drone blindly following the edicts of “the deep state…”
But the real truth is, I have the statements of people who are – surprise, surprise – actual scientists who are advising the politicians based on the way they are reading actual data.
Could the scientists be wrong? Of course they could! Sars CoV-2 (COVID-19) was unknown in the human population until 2019. Everything from the time it made its first jump to humans to date has been and will continue to be a learning curve, as are most diseases, even the ones that have been with us a long time.
But their source of “facts” are conspiracy sites and sites belonging to people who sometimes have a few credentials they like to flash to gain a level of credibility, even though they are not the ones actually studying the disease.
It is unfortunate that the top doctors, the chief medical officers or surgeon generals, etc., lied to the public at the beginning of this CCP virus (COVID-19) pandemic. They said that masks don’t or don’t help.
But those were lies told by political appointees under pressure from their bosses because their bosses had failed to prepare for such an emergency. There were not enough masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) to go around. So they lied, in an effort to have enough PPE for front line workers like doctors, nurses and other medical professionals.
It is not the real scientists
But it was not the real scientists who lied, because science has known for more than a century that masks DO work in the case of ANY airborne pathogen. They work, not so much because they protect the wearer from being infected, but because they keep the wearer from spreading droplets in the air from coughing or talking that could infect others.
This proven fact is a large part of the reason why a number of Asian countries, regardless of economic status, have been so successful at keeping the virus under control. Their citizens have been wearing masks for a long time for a variety of reasons, including air pollution. They wear them by choice, and do not need to be ordered to wear masks. They just wear them when they are in public and everyone stays healthier.
It is also a fact that in places where more people wear masks, fewer people catch other viruses, like colds and the flu. Social spacing and washing hands obviously helps, too, because these are all highly infectious, highly communicable diseases.
Isn’t it interesting that “communicable,” “communicate,” and “community” come from the same root. A communicable disease spreads faster in a community when people communicate. That’s because little droplets are always coming out of our mouths when we communicate!
The simplest of all solutions for this is a simple light barrier, like a cloth or disposable non-medical mask.
But masks won’t stop a virus!
Let’s, for the sake of argument, return to the “fact” so often spread through these conspiracy sites, that “masks won’t keep you from getting sick?”
That is also mainly false. No known virus will pass through a proper N95 mask. The N95 designation means that it will prevent 95% of all particles from passing through it. No known virus is small enough to pass through an N95 mask. The reality is, the only reason it is called an N95, rather than an N100 is because there is always a possibility of there being a smaller particle we don’t yet know about.
So an N95 mask in good condition WILL prevent you from breathing in any known virus, including Sars2 Coronavirus (COVID-19).
There are two other things to be aware of that are true:
If the mask is worn too long and begins to get moist, it becomes less and less effective and can actually cause more problems, so they have to be changed often.- Some airborne viruses can get in through other pathways other than the mouth and nose, such as the eyes. This is why people working in high-risk areas during any pandemic where a full hazmat suit.
The weight of science
But the scientific evidence for mask wearing during a viral pandemic is pretty overwhelming. So is the anecdotal evidence. Any disease that is spread from person to person via droplets expelled from the mouth or nose is very effectively controlled by mask wearing, but only if everyone wears a mask when around other people.
Why do conspiracy sites thrive?
I understand why the conspiracy sites are thriving and able to keep spreading false information about mask wearing and the motive behind government mandates to wear masks. The fault lies squarely with governments around the world who lied to their populations rather than just say, “We’re sorry. We messed up. We don’t have enough masks to go around and are asking that you leave them for the front line workers until we can ramp up production.”
Instead, they told everybody that masks don’t work, and now they’re having a really hard time getting some to believe them when they say they do.
But governments alone are not the only ones at fault for feeding the conspiracy sites. Far too many people, a really large number of people, make conspiracy sites their “go-to” for their “facts.” Instead of doing their own research, finding credible sources that can back up their claims with solid facts and data, they prefer to believe the con artists with the conspiracy sites.
These con artists are good at what they do. Alex Jones of Infowars and Prison Planet is a real master, but there are others who do pretty well, too.
They seldom blatantly lie – not the successful ones, anyway. They present a lot of facts that are actually common knowledge or exceptionally easy to check, which is the bait. Then they add their own little twist, creating a narrative that fits the suspicions of those who tend to follow conspiracy sites, and that is the hook. It is a very successful strategy. It has made Alex Jones very wealthy!
Do your own research!
The antidote is for people to do some research. Dig deep, until you find something that can be backed up with real, hard data. Don’t just take someone’s word for it. Never believe everything anyone tells you, just because they have a doctorate or say they do.
Unfortunately, more and more people with a PhD in medicine, physics, mathematics or some other discipline have learned that they can use their credentials far more lucratively by conning people, so they do.
Yet others are just very smooth, charismatic communicators who know how to push the right buttons to gain a large following.
The common thread among all these charlatans with their conspiracy sites is their complete lack of ethics, indeed of morals, period. They just don’t care who they hurt. The will say anything to become famous and/or make lots of money.
Why do people use conspiracy sites?
Why is it that conspiracy sites are the first place so many go to for their “facts?” Again, it’s because it’s so easy to let someone else do the heavy lifting, the research, and because they’re so good at telling people what they already want to believe.
Don’t be a sucker. Be smart. Do your own research. Live another day.