"Crazy Conspiracies Theories!" Event

 

On my many travels I sometimes drop in on skeptic events to see what the other side are thinking, see background links below. Of course during the Scamdemic this is not possible, so public events that used to involve a real life meeting now take place online using social media. I often collaborate with Colin Woolford in these adventures so when he informed me that the Media Society was hosting such an event I was very interested in taking part. We booked our tickets and then logged into Zoom. Doing this reminded me of my recent lecture at the East Anglia UFO group, see: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2020/06/history-of-exopolitcs-webinar.html, although that was where the similarity ends. When the webinar was due to start the administrator added us to the call. Our microphones were muted at all times and we just sat and listened as the panel spoke to us... or should I say at us. The event was entitled Crazy Conspiracy Theories, a Threat to Democracy? Should the UK and US Media Respond? I have noticed over the last few years that the forces of establishment opinion have become much blunter and more narrow-minded in their framing of issues; probably because for the first time in living memory their position is facing serious challenges. With such an unequivocal title, it is obvious the input of people like Colin and me was not welcome; however, we felt it necessary to be present if only to "show the flag". See here for details: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-media-society-conspiracy-theories-tickets-127964865357#. There's not much I can say about the seventy-five minute content. The panellists went back and forth over their extremely unoriginal and ignorant suggestions for "tackling conspiracy theory and fake news". It was no different to what you hear all the time in the media these days. I was expecting to see Prof Karen Douglas there to explain the "psychological causes of conspiracy theory belief", see here for details: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2018/09/prof-karen-douglas-at-greenwich-sitp.html, but they weren't even going there.
 
There was an open chatbox and, to my delight, a few people began making posts which revealed that Colin and I were not alone among our tendency. Somebody called Rachel posted: "Just you wait. 2021 will be the year of UFO Disclosure and then you will all look like FOOLS!" I chimed in: "I hope so, Rachel, if Stephen Bassett is right." The result was that I was immediately banned from public chat! I assume Rachel was too. There was no doubt that this webinar had the foundational premise that conspiracy theories are not factually true. If you disagree with that, as I do, then this was "not the meeting for you!" Anybody like us who showed up would not be allowed actively to contribute. Interestingly, the organizer of the meeting put out a call asking for participants to email in questions beforehand. I sent in: "How many conspiracy theories have been proven true?" Needless to say it was not read out. This was a very boring and annoying event and I wish I had not got involved. I was going to do a HPANWO TV reportage on it, but there really is no point.
See here for background: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2017/05/ditch-tin-foil-hat.html.
And: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2014/02/rob-brotherton-and-psychology-of.html.
And: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2015/05/dr-david-clarke-at-greenwich-sitp.html.
And: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2016/11/assap-seriously-suspicious-conference.html.