Fairfield is full of crazy people who think they KNOW. And also plenty of sane 
ones. There are a few guys on Purusha who believe (or maybe they would say they 
KNOW) that the earth is flat. 50 years of meditation does not insure 
sensibility. This might add to the discussion:


TWELVE STEPS ON HOW TO DISTINGUISH AN ACADEMIC THEORY FROM A CONSPIRACY THEORY 
by James D. Rietveld and his daughter Kristina V. Rietveld



Originally my daughter and I posted this in August of 2016--this figures in her 
academic field as well (Communications), but with all the CONSPIRACY THEORIES 
going on as related to the CORONA VIRUS I've seen on Facebook and other places, 
this information is relevant again. Obviously, I am not doubting the legitimacy 
of the Virus itself or what it is doing, but I see many additional "spins" that 
are the product of conspiratorial thinking!



I am teaching a course on Conspiracy Theories as related to the Social Sciences 
in the Fall at Cal Poly Pomona.



So let's get started:



  1.  A Scientific Theory can be proven false, while a Conspiracy Theory can 
become more elaborate to accommodate new observations and so is difficult to 
disprove, morphing so as to circumvent possible challenges to the legitimacy of 
the theory.



  1.  A Scientific Theory is not necessarily based upon a distrust of 
authority, while a Conspiracy Theory often has the distrust of authority and 
expert opinion at its central root. “Expert opinion" here is defined as 
opinions as expressed by government studies, academic research, and privatized 
think-tanks. They avoid evidence that goes through any legitimate peer review 
process.



  1.  A Scientific Theory always examines the totality of the body of evidence 
within the context of any given proposition, while a Conspiracy Theory will 
typically “cherry pick” through the evidence, finding what supports the already 
pre-believed and conceived proposition and disregard evidence that goes 
contrary to it.



  1.  Conspiracy Theories often involve what is called a “monological belief 
system,” whereby any and all events can be explained by a web of interconnected 
conspiracies, often reflecting the individual’s personal sense of paranoia. 
They often operate like a web, where there is a central truth, but the 
Conspiracy Therapist focuses upon the interconnectedness of everything as 
opposed to going through a step-by-step process.



  1.  Scientific Theorists apply critical thinking skills and are often 
skeptics, while Conspiracy Theorists are NOT Skeptics but “selective doubters”, 
already favoring a worldview, which they uncritically defend (and so have 
already made up their mind of what the “truth” is, with no plans to change that 
part of their proposition).



  1.  Those who have trust issues with other people in general are more likely 
to believe others are colluding against them, and so are often more susceptible 
to Conspiracy Theories than others.



  1.  Conspiracy Theorists often omit situational factors and chance, believing 
everything has deliberate intention behind it, creating imaginary links to fill 
in the gaps in order to make the conspiracy idea “fit” and often entertaining 
ideas outside the realm of logical deduction in order to do so.



  1.  Those who entertain Conspiracy Theories often enjoy mystery and intrigue 
in general, seeking something sensational and thrilling to relieve mundane 
daily affairs. The fact that they know something others do not makes them feel 
special and important. A Conspiracy Theorist's goal is typically not the 
advancement of knowledge, but to shock or impress you with information that 
will demonstrate how intelligent they are, seeing factors that the so-called 
experts failed to note. At the center of those who design such theories is ego, 
as opposed to benefiting others.



  1.  The simplification of complex events to human agency and evil in 
Conspiracy Theories overrides not only their cumulative implausibility (which, 
perversely, becomes cumulative plausibility as you buy into the premise) but 
also, in many cases, their incompatibility. Morality is applied to Conspiracy 
Theories, where there is a right or a wrong.



  1.  Timothy Melley (Empire of Conspiracy [2000]) asserts that Conspiracy 
Thinking arises from a combination of two factors, when someone: a) holds 
strong individualist values and b) lacks a sense of control. The first 
attribute refers to people who care deeply about an individual's right to make 
their own choices and direct their own lives without interference or 
obligations to a larger system (like the government). But combine this with a 
sense of powerlessness in one's own life, and you get what Melley calls agency 
panic, “intense anxiety about an apparent loss of autonomy” to outside forces 
or regulators. Conspiracy Theorists at no point will accept fault but will 
displace responsibility to factors outside of themselves.



  1.  Conspiracy Theorists often gravitate to “echo chambers” in which they 
often expect to have their own opinion parroted back at them rather than have 
it challenged as it would be in the academic community.



  1.  Conspiracy Theorists attempt to create an alternative reality, whereby 
they legitimize themselves and their theories by creating supportive networks 
that seek to displace mainstream consensus. In the age of the Internet, they 
will create a webpage that provides them with more credibility than they 
already have—but this credibility is “implied” having not undergone a 
peer-review process.


Rick Archer
Buddha at the Gas Pump
https://batgap.com

From: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com <FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 6, 2020 11:59 AM
To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] New York Times: College towns around America 
becoming coronavirus hot spots, including Iowa City


Teresa,

I am not impressed by your degrees. Meaningless really! The only real knowing 
comes from within and not from academic training. If you think the New York 
Times is a reputable news source I am helpless in assisting you to understand 
how wrong you are! Half the country would disagree with you, at least.

The quality of my discerning mind qualifies me to know Truth and falsehood when 
I see it. Isn't that the point of our meditation, to really SEE, and know the 
difference? That is the result of my dedication, discipline and devotion to the 
Ishtadeva! I state this not to gloat but simply to state a fact. That is 
precisely why I have meditated all these years; to acquire this intuitive 
faculty of mind, so I could KNOW!

Best Wishes,

Peter Rousseau
Meditator 50 years Nov.19, 2020


On Sun, Sep 6, 2020 at 12:11 PM Theresa Olson 
theresaolson...@gmail.com<mailto:theresaolson...@gmail.com> [FairfieldLife] 
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com<mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>> wrote:


Thank you Dick for this most informative article.  When my husband and I go to 
Iowa City these days, I can sense sickness in the air.   Before it was not so 
bad. I think there is only one case so far.

I read what Peter wrote you.  I do not think he is qualified to comment on the 
quality of journalism.  NY Times is excellent and engaging and investigative.  
The paper has the reputation for ferreting out the truth that remains hidden 
underneath.  Right now the country needs truth, not conspiracy theories.

Please continue to share such stories with the community.  You are a valued 
source of accurate information.

Sincerely
Theresa Olson, ma, ms, mdci, PhD.




On Sep 6, 2020, at 10:08 AM, Dick Mays 
dickm...@lisco.com<mailto:dickm...@lisco.com> [FairfieldLife] 
<FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com<mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com>> wrote:



From today’s New York Times
<06weekend-briefing-slide-SVYS-articleLarge.jpg>
Kathryn Gamble for The New York Times


4. College towns around America are becoming coronavirus hot spots.

About 100 college 
communities<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/newsletter/oB9GIrPM31lCjnonSZWZ3w~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhNz_5P4QDAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tLzIwMjAvMDkvMDYvdXMvY29sbGVnZXMtY29yb25hdmlydXMtc3R1ZGVudHMuaHRtbD9jYW1wYWlnbl9pZD05JmVtYz1lZGl0X25uXzIwMjAwOTA2Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTIxOTYxJm5sPXRoZS1tb3JuaW5nJnJlZ2lfaWQ9NjE4NzQxNzYmc2VjdGlvbl9pbmRleD0xJnNlY3Rpb25fbmFtZT1iaWdfc3Rvcnkmc2VnbWVudF9pZD0zNzUzMyZ0ZT0xJnVzZXJfaWQ9MjNmNGZkNDQzOWQyOTQzZDc2M2RiNDJjZDliYzJkZTNXA255dEIKAB35ulRf22qhSlISZGlja21heXNAbGlzY28uY29tWAQAAAAA>
 across the country, including Iowa City, above, have seen an increase in 
coronavirus cases in recent weeks as students return for the fall semester. The 
potential spread of the virus off-campus has deeply affected workplaces, 
schools, governments and other institutions in local communities.


In the U.S., at least 51,000 coronavirus cases and at least 60 deaths from the 
virus can be traced to American colleges and universities, a Times survey 
found<https://nl.nytimes.com/f/a/2EtaL-1YNgp__y23W3fsgQ~~/AAAAAQA~/RgRhNz_5P4QHAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm55dGltZXMuY29tL2ludGVyYWN0aXZlLzIwMjAvdXMvY292aWQtY29sbGVnZS1jYXNlcy10cmFja2VyLmh0bWw_Y2FtcGFpZ25faWQ9OSZlbWM9ZWRpdF9ubl8yMDIwMDkwNiZpbnN0YW5jZV9pZD0yMTk2MSZubD10aGUtbW9ybmluZyZyZWdpX2lkPTYxODc0MTc2JnNlY3Rpb25faW5kZXg9MSZzZWN0aW9uX25hbWU9YmlnX3N0b3J5JnNlZ21lbnRfaWQ9Mzc1MzMmdGU9MSZ1c2VyX2lkPTIzZjRmZDQ0MzlkMjk0M2Q3NjNkYjQyY2Q5YmMyZGUzVwNueXRCCgAd-bpUX9tqoUpSEmRpY2ttYXlzQGxpc2NvLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~>.





--



[https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1PcJwTrooXOixs8kW46ROa5YoV2P2r5n_&export=download]

Thank You,





Peter A. Rousseau/Broker
Rousseau Medicare Consultants LLC

Phone: 804-564-1385
Metrofax: 1-804-533-1520
rousseau...@gmail.com<mailto:rousseau...@gmail.com>

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  • [FairfieldLife] Ne... Dick Mays dickm...@lisco.com [FairfieldLife]
    • Re: [Fairfiel... Theresa Olson theresaolson...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
      • Re: [Fair... Peter Rousseau rousseau...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
        • Re: [... Theresa Olson theresaolson...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
          • R... Peter Rousseau rousseau...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
            • ... Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com [FairfieldLife]
              • ... Peter Rousseau rousseau...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
              • ... Marty Davis martybigisl...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]
          • R... Marty Davis martybigisl...@yahoo.com [FairfieldLife]
            • ... Theresa Olson theresaolson...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
        • RE: [... Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com [FairfieldLife]
          • R... Bhairitu noozgur...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
            • ... Rick Archer r...@searchsummit.com [FairfieldLife]
              • ... Bhairitu noozgur...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
          • R... Theresa Olson theresaolson...@gmail.com [FairfieldLife]
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