The phenomenon of conspiracy theories is nothing new. But there is no doubt that conspiracy theories in today’s digital age are stronger, more resilient and more painful, affecting more and more citizens.
As conspiracy theories are defined all those theories that are given as answers against official interpretations and explanations around a topic in order to persuade the reader or the viewer and/or the listener that there is an attempt to conceal of real events.
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Photo by Author: Ruperto Miller, from panama, panama, Source: Sumina el duelo
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In addition, as a conspiracy theory is generally considered every unproven and often irrational interpretation of an event.
In today’s digital age, more and more people believe in conspiracy projects-theories, creating both in themselves and in their social surroundings, negative feelings and results.
Due to the social media and the rapid advancement of technology, fake news travels very fast across the planet while misinformation can negatively affect the psychology of the individual and the masses, with negative consequences in democratic governance, at work, in every social activity while still many times for the lives of the others.
The twenty-one-year-old killer of the carnage of El Paso in Texas, USA, where he opened indiscriminate fire last August killing twenty-two people believed that he was acting against a “plot for genocide of the white race organized by the lobby of Latins’ and Immigrants’ equally”!
There are not a few citizens of this world who believe that the Earth is flat, while there are devotees of the theory that Barack Obama controlled the weather and created disasters, in order to distract voters-citizens from his political practices.
When current US President Donald Trump strongly argues that climate change is a type of farce promoted by the Chinese lobbies, then the average citizen living relatively socially isolated, informed about developments through social media is vulnerable to the adoption of such conspiracy theories.
The real difficulty lies in how these conspiracy theories should be tackled by integrating those who believe them in real society. If these conspiracy theories are dealt with rigorously and vigorously way or attempted to devalue by fooling them, then there is a high probability that these conspiracy plots will remain with their supporters without them daring to spread them even though deep inside them they believe them.
The faith of these people in these conspiracy theories and the simultaneous of their “non-ability” to speak free of these beliefs in their social circle in the fear of mocking them, isolates them and closes them even more to themselves by making them angrier and more confused.
The outbursts of this anger and accordingly the temperament and the education of the follower of such conspiracy theories can cause tremendous suffering to their fellow citizens and as we have been shown in the past by violent events.
Their best treatment is to contrast these plots of conspiracy with convincing arguments without the disposition and intent of irony and devaluation so that the followers of these conspiracy theories are not embarrassed to express themselves fearing that their interlocutors would have mocked them.
In this case, they will be able to participate fearlessly in debates by expressing their opinions freely knowing in advance that no one will have criticized them for their beliefs. Only then and fearlessly participate in a discussion of arguments they will be able to discern the wrong arguments of these theories and gradually cease to believe them.
Such approaches will enable the fans of these conspiracy theories to see clearly both what is happening with these theories and what holds in practice but also that the only reason for the existence of these conspiracy theories is the control over people who are not so socialized relative to others.
