Part of the appeal of conspiracy theories, Ms Cavenett said, is they offer simple explanations for complex issues, and suggest an element of control in a chaotic world.īelief in conspiracy itself isn't necessarily misguided - recent history is full of outlandish plots that have later turned out to be true. "It's really about whether or not the belief is interfering with their life." In defence of conspiracy theories "I'd also encourage family members to just consider the other person doesn't have to hold all the same beliefs ," Ms Cavenett said. One way to handle this is to give someone the "Golden Gate of Retreat": the space to recognise they are wrong without feeling attacked and doubling down. We've seen this year how some COVID-deniers in the US go so far as to angrily maintain their belief that the virus is fake right up to their dying breath. "And then I saw my mum become a conspiracy theorist and I was like, well, this is someone that I love, and this is someone who is not stupid."įor friends and family, a starting point is to recognise that people hold beliefs for good reasons, according to Australian Psychological Society president Tamara Cavenett. "I would look at these people … and think they were contemptible, reprehensible idiots," Kasey said. With the rise of QAnon and the spread of misinformation about the pandemic, many people this year have had the bewildering and distressing experience of watching a loved one "fall down the rabbit hole".īut for those most affected it can be difficult to know how to respond, or even where to turn for help. "I feel like there's a stake in my heart at that moment." How to talk to a flat-earther "My girls will say things like, 'We haven't spoken to granny for a while.' Not wanting to distress her children, Kasey began to pull back. The final straw came when she was peddling anti-vaccination conspiracies while tutoring Kasey's grandchildren. To Kasey's shock, her mother began arguing the Holocaust never happened - a conspiracy theory that is banned in Germany, where Kasey's brother lives. "I'm no longer a trusted source … she thinks that I am fed my opinions from the world government and that I am essentially a liar."
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