How To Rescue Someone From a Conspiracy Theory

How To! with Mike Pesca

Peach Fish Projects

Education, How To

4.3 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2020

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Matt's dad believes some crazy conspiracy theories—that the moon landing was faked, that JFK's assassination was an inside job, and that QAnon is real. Matt can't stand talking about politics—or really anything—with his dad these days, but he's desperate to preserve their relationship. In this episode of How To!, we bring on Colin Dickey, cultural historian and author of The Unidentified, to explain why conspiracy theories are more popular than ever. To get through to a loved one, Colin says, don't dismiss the conspiracy theory outright. If you want any hope of changing someone's mind you have to first understand the void that it may be filling in their life.

If you liked this episode, check out "How To Confront a Crazy Neighbor With Tig Notaro."

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Transcript

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0:32.0	This was probably the first time in my life when I got the sense that this was important to somebody not because they were stupid or easily duped or paranoid.
0:42.0	This was important to somebody because he really cared about the well-being of
0:46.0	children and that really like you know affirms him and I hadn't really had that kind of empathy
0:50.9	towards conspiracy theorists before that moment.
0:54.4	You're listening to how to. I'm Charles Doord.
1:00.4	Conspiracy theories are not a new thing, but right now it sort of feels like they're everywhere,
1:05.0	way more than before.
1:06.6	It used to be that only crazy people told you that the moon landing had been faked or
1:10.5	that 9-11 was an inside job. But these days everyone seems to have a
1:15.4	favorite conspiracy theory. If you have a windmill anywhere near your house
	...

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