515 - Why People Become Conspiracy Theorists: Quillette Editor Jonathan Kay Explains How People Get Persuaded to Cross the Line of Logic

The James Altucher Show

James Altucher

Education, Business

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 17 December 2019

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Who makes you think what? So many people come on my podcast and say, "Freewill is a myth." We've heard this from Yuval Harari who wrote "Sapiens." We heard it from Robert Greene, author of "The Laws of Human Nature." And now we're learning about it from a different perspective... Jonathan Kay wrote a book in 2011 called, "Among the Truthers: A Journey Through America's Growing Conspiracist Underground." He studied 9/11 conspiracy theorists, people who believe in UFOs, secret societies running the world and more. I wanted to know what makes someone cross the border from skeptical to radical. And he told me it has to do with a lot of elements... fear, control, desire to create hope and fight evil in the world. I was surprised to learn the psychology behind it. AND to learn how you can avoid the trap. I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast. Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify Follow me on Social Media: YouTube Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram Check Out The Altucher Book Club Series: Apple Podcasts YouTube Instagram ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I've had to switch entire careers and doing that is a lonely and scary feeling.
0:10.2	Reinvent yourself.
0:11.2	The book is all about taking action, no matter where you are starting from.
0:15.8	And in this book, I disclose how we've turned our lives around and how I know you can't
0:20.3	do no matter where you're starting from because I've started from the bottom.
0:24.3	Whether you want to supplement your income with a little extra cash or replace your job,
0:28.4	the book Reinvent yourself will show you how.
0:30.9	I've reserved a copy for anyone listening to this today.
0:34.4	All you have to do is go to www.reinventbook.net.
0:37.8	That's www.reinventbook.net to learn more.
0:40.8	That's www.reinventbook.net.
0:45.8	This isn't your average business podcast and he's not your average host.
0:50.6	This is the James Altiger Show on the Choose Yourself Network.
0:56.6	Today on The James Altiger Show.
0:59.5	People need an explanation for evil.
1:01.9	And the normal explanation for evil or bad things often is very unsatisfying.
1:06.1	It's strangely comforting to think that no evil things don't happen by accident.
1:12.9	They happen because there's this evil group of people which sounds terrifying except that
1:18.8	if it's caused by an evil group of people, you can unmask them.
1:21.5	You can go defeat them.
1:22.7	The conspiracy theories as dark as they are provide a sort of hopeful backstory because
1:33.8	if virtuous people in our society heroically unmask like Dick Cheney or the Illuminati
	...

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