No, I can't see your point at all. Are you really unfamiliar with the definition of "conspiracy?" I mean, that's shocking to me. But okay, let me clear it up: it's a plan formulated by two or more people, and has negative connotations. So no, the boy who yelled that the emperor has no clothes wouldn't be guilty of a conspiracy unless he planned it with someone else. Nor would the lottery ticket example work, on any level. Simply disbelieving something doesn't mean you assume a conspiracy in its place.
ok I agree... and thanks for the correction. In terms commonly used a "conspirator" has to act in association with some one else . a minmum of two.
I think in order for something to be declared a conspiracy, there has to be cooperation of many people to achieve a nefarious goal.
For instance. A murderer secretly plots to kill someone. He is working alone. This is usually just premeditated murder. No charges of conspiracy are put on him in court.
Now change this to a group of people plotting to kill someone. Then the one who commits the actual murder is charged with murder and everyone involved in the plotting, including the one who actually killed the victim, are charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
If you really believe one individual is lying in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, you are not a conspiracy theorist, you are just delusional, paranoid, in denial, or plain stupid.
We dont have a pet name for people like this other than the terms I listed. This is a behavior just too common in society and it is likely everyone of us is this person on occasion when we don't like the story we are being told.
But for someone to really believe that an entire organization, or at least large group of people, are lying in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, then we regard them to be on a special level of the previous. They are also either delusional, paranoid, in denial, or just plain stupid, but on a much grander level and issues of special extremes usually earn special pet names. In this case, a conspiracy theorist. This behavior is far less common and the majority of people do not take things this far.
again thanks for the insight into common usage.
the thing to consider possibly that all persons exhibitinig paranoia [ which accounts for just about every one in some from whether that be minor or major symptoms ] have in some way a belief in a conspiracy against them. eg : concerns about the truth behind "climate change" "increased siesmic acivity" etc...given all the various vested interests involved is not surprising.
I was just intersted in the above as a better understandng of paranoia generally speaking.
As for your point, yes, it stands. I still can't believe that QQ didn't understand the concept, so maybe I'm just missing something. To the point of what does it mean to be a "conspiracy theorist," I think I should point out that I don't agree with the idea that the difference between a conspiracy theorist and a regular person is simply the validity of their claim. There is much more to it than that. Conspiracy theorists aren't simply wrong, they're also paranoid and laughably credulous, as well as usually suffering from some kind of egomania. They always think they've figured it out, and know better than the experts.
In away I did not fully understand the distinction.. There was a key element missing from common use of the term "conspiracy theorist" and the nature of paranoia.
Typically one accused
correctly of a being part of a conspiracy will counter accuse the claimant with allegations of "delusion, paranoia etc, to hide their guilt. The problem is, even if one is innocent of the accusation a similar counter claim will no doubt, be inevitably suggested.
So it is often difficult to determine and a constant vexation is present as to whether a person is "paranoid" or actually well founded in their accusations of conspiracy.
To have doubt about the veracity of the claim and then seek assistance from others to prove that doubt correct will inevitably lead to the possibility of being accused of being deluded and paranoid by those seeking to hide their guilt.
example:
wife keeps turning up late from work and smells of beer and smoke, and no interest in her partner on given evenings [ regular as clock work]
Husband decides somthing is up and employs a private detective to find out. [deluded perhaps but seeks to test his feelings]
PD discovers wife is having an affair with another male. Pictures are taken and audio recordings are all shown to the husband.
Husband then conspires with male freind to catch wife out. After noticing somethign is up and her cover is blown, wife accuses husband of being deluded and paranoid and jealous.
Wife takes out a court restraining order on husband because she fears for his mental health therfore her safety.
So what I am saying is that conspiracy theorist are not just HAARP, or end times cover up or what ever, they come in many and varied forms and accusations of mental helath issues is the most common counter claim to destroy any credibiity of the person making the claim of betrayal.