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How did we get so casual about conspiracy theories? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 20 hours ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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How did we get so casual about conspiracy theories?

I was talking with someone today about nutrition. This person has a PhD in material science. They mentioned eating beef daily and I asked about the cholesterol implications. The answer was about a vague 'they' wanted us to think that, but it wasn't true anymore.

I hear the vague 'they' so frequently now it's just a normal conversation. In truth, as soon as I hear the vague they I dismiss the speaker's credibility on the subject, but how did we get here? Vague they wanted us to think X is a valid counter argument by the most highly educated people in our society?

This sounds like more of a rant than a question, but I do truly want to know how this happened? Was it pop culture like the X Files that made conspiracy theories main stream? Was it social media? When will the vague they stop being an accepted explanation? Has it always been this way and I didn't notice?

Thanks, love you!

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 17 hours ago

Idk what material science is but it doesn’t sound like nutrition.

As someone getting their PhD I know a lot about my very specific sub topic in a very small field but that’s it. Who even has time to really know anything else? So point being highly educated people can still be bozos though they should have better research skills.