
English: 
- We've shown you a lot of
the weird and wild stuff
on the internet, but why do people
fall for conspiracy
theories in the first place?
(mellow music)
Hey guys, welcome to TRACKBACK.
Today we're talking about why people
fall for conspiracy
theories, and what you can do
if somebody like your Aunt Janet
starts to fall down the rabbit hole.
More and more conspiracy theories
are moving from the fringe
corners of the internet
into the mainstream because
technology makes it easier
to share and to find these theories.
We chatted with Mick West, an
expert in conspiracy theories
and the author of Escaping
the Rabbit Hole to learn more
about how and why people
fall for conspiracies.
- A lot of people get sucked
into conspiracy theories
simply because they saw
something on YouTube.
And this is something I've
come across time and again.
I ask them what their origin story was,
why did you get into conspiracy theories?
And they just say, I
just saw this one video,
and it really spoke to me,
and then I saw another video
and I saw another video
and I saw another video.

English: 
- We've shown you a lot of
the weird and wild stuff
on the internet, but why do people
fall for conspiracy
theories in the first place?
(mellow music)
Hey guys, welcome to TRACKBACK.
Today we're talking about why people
fall for conspiracy
theories, and what you can do
if somebody like your Aunt Janet
starts to fall down the rabbit hole.
More and more conspiracy theories
are moving from the fringe
corners of the internet
into the mainstream because
technology makes it easier
to share and to find these theories.
We chatted with Mick West, an
expert in conspiracy theories
and the author of Escaping
the Rabbit Hole to learn more
about how and why people
fall for conspiracies.
- A lot of people get sucked
into conspiracy theories
simply because they saw
something on YouTube.
And this is something I've
come across time and again.
I ask them what their origin story was,
why did you get into conspiracy theories?
And they just say, I
just saw this one video,
and it really spoke to me,
and then I saw another video
and I saw another video
and I saw another video.

English: 
- Anybody who's dealt
with a conspiracy theorist
knows it's incredibly difficult
to get them to change their mind.
This often has more to do
with someone's identity
rather than the information
being presented.
A person's belief system
is really hard to change.
- The belief is something that
overrides everything else.
If you present evidence
which contradicts the belief,
they'll just go with the
belief and they'll figure
there must be something
wrong with that evidence.
- This is why sending Aunt Janet
30 articles that prove her
wrong isn't gonna work.
Instead, try finding shared values
that helps Aunt Janet see
that you're on the same side
and therefore make her
more likely to listen.
We know it can be
frustrating to watch someone
fall down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole.
Believing in conspiracies
can negatively impact
your physical health, your finances,
your social life, or your mental health.
For example, if someone believes
in the anti-vaccination conspiracy theory,
their kid could suffer
the consequences of that.
Or if someone believes that chemtrails
are spraying poison from the sky,

English: 
- Anybody who's dealt
with a conspiracy theorist
knows it's incredibly difficult
to get them to change their mind.
This often has more to do
with someone's identity
rather than the information
being presented.
A person's belief system
is really hard to change.
- The belief is something that
overrides everything else.
If you present evidence
which contradicts the belief,
they'll just go with the
belief and they'll figure
there must be something
wrong with that evidence.
- This is why sending Aunt Janet
30 articles that prove her
wrong isn't gonna work.
Instead, try finding shared values
that helps Aunt Janet see
that you're on the same side
and therefore make her
more likely to listen.
We know it can be
frustrating to watch someone
fall down a conspiracy theory rabbit hole.
Believing in conspiracies
can negatively impact
your physical health, your finances,
your social life, or your mental health.
For example, if someone believes
in the anti-vaccination conspiracy theory,
their kid could suffer
the consequences of that.
Or if someone believes that chemtrails
are spraying poison from the sky,

English: 
they might spend way too much
money on bogus detox cures.
Conspiracy theories can
also isolate people,
as they're judged or
made fun of by others.
So then, what the hell can
you do to help Aunt Janet?
- Everybody has this idea
of this kind of spectrum
of ridiculous ideas,
and one side's sensible,
one's on the other side.
And they draw a line
somewhere on that spectrum.
For example, they might believe
that 9/11 was an inside job
but they don't believe in chemtrails,
or they might believe in chemtrails
but they don't believe in the flat Earth.
But you gotta find the things
where there's a bit of doubt,
find things where they might
be able to move their line
a little bit from one side to the other.
- If you're concerned your
friend or family member
may be becoming a conspiracy theorist,
there is no quick fix,
but that doesn't mean you should give up.
TRACKBACK tip, remember, it's all about
how you present the
information to Aunt Janet.
Don't be aggressive or judgmental
or expect it to happen right away.
She's gonna need time to
absorb the information
that you're giving her,
and that could take
weeks, months, or even years.
That's this episode of TRACKBACK.

English: 
they might spend way too much
money on bogus detox cures.
Conspiracy theories can
also isolate people,
as they're judged or
made fun of by others.
So then, what the hell can
you do to help Aunt Janet?
- Everybody has this idea
of this kind of spectrum
of ridiculous ideas,
and one side's sensible,
one's on the other side.
And they draw a line
somewhere on that spectrum.
For example, they might believe
that 9/11 was an inside job
but they don't believe in chemtrails,
or they might believe in chemtrails
but they don't believe in the flat Earth.
But you gotta find the things
where there's a bit of doubt,
find things where they might
be able to move their line
a little bit from one side to the other.
- If you're concerned your
friend or family member
may be becoming a conspiracy theorist,
there is no quick fix,
but that doesn't mean you should give up.
TRACKBACK tip, remember, it's all about
how you present the
information to Aunt Janet.
Don't be aggressive or judgmental
or expect it to happen right away.
She's gonna need time to
absorb the information
that you're giving her,
and that could take
weeks, months, or even years.
That's this episode of TRACKBACK.

English: 
Be sure to like, comment, subscribe,
and send this video to the
conspiracy theorist in your life.
(light music)

English: 
Be sure to like, comment, subscribe,
and send this video to the
conspiracy theorist in your life.
(light music)
