[BRIEF NOTE] On the Conspiratorialists
Nov. 5th, 2005 12:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rfmcdonaldOne thing that I've noticed in certain prominent political movements--Chomskyites and American right-wingers, fundamentalists operating in every tradition, any sort of political radical, anti-globalization activists and global free-marketers of the Friedmanite variety--is a mindset held in common. It operates somewhat as follows.
It's an interesting sort of mindset, to be sure, and one that's quite internally self-consistent. But useful in the real world? Excessive skepticism is a pity, but excessive credulity is just sad.
- We are right. We know we are right because we believe in our evidence and our theories.
- Not everyone believes that we are right. This is because they don't have access to our evidence and our theories, or do not want to have access.
- Why are we not recognized? They are being misled by powerful minorities who want to dominate us all.
- Can we be opposed? No, because we are clearly right.
- Is there any legitimate opposition? No, because we are clearly right and our opponents are pawns of everyone's existential enemies.
It's an interesting sort of mindset, to be sure, and one that's quite internally self-consistent. But useful in the real world? Excessive skepticism is a pity, but excessive credulity is just sad.
