We dodged a bullet in Minnesota. (Wisconsin wasn't quite as lucky.)
Scott Jensen was thankfully defeated at the polls last November, but that hasn't shut him up.
Scott Jensen continues to spread conspiracy theories even after his campaign defeat suggested that most voters weren’t buying into his nonsense. Jensen’s co-conspiracy-minded misinformation spreader, Ron Johnson, was unfortunately re-elected to another term in neighboring Wisconsin, despite the best efforts of those who set out to expose his misinformation-spreading shenanigans.
I haven’t posted in a while, not because there wasn’t a need, but I was rather at a loss, depressed over suddenly not having access to my curated resources, with no recourse to get them back. The misinformation-fighting research and resources I had curated over many months into years on two different Facebook pages was all obliterated, with no backup, when Facebook decided to permanently delete my pages and all the posts made therein. I had created the pages “Shutdown the Covidiot Cult” and “Stamp Out Ignorance” in direct response to blatant misinformation spreaders in newspaper and TV station comment sections who were running amok on Facebook. The pages themselves, and all my prior comments were suddenly gone, while the serial misinformation-spreading offenders continue to offend, seemingly unopposed in many instances. I threatened no one, so I am at a loss to explain why this has happened. It’s my own fault I didn’t think to make backup copies of everything.
Since I don’t have my curated sources on the psychology of conspiracy thinking, who can I turn to? How about ChatGPT?
What has been learned from people who were former conspiracy theorists who were subsequently able to break free from their prior conspiracy thinking?
While every person's experience with conspiracy theories is unique, there are some common themes and factors that have been reported by individuals who have broken free from conspiracy thinking. Some of these include:
Exposure to credible and reliable information: Many people who have left conspiracy thinking behind have reported that they were exposed to credible and reliable information that challenged their beliefs and opened their eyes to new perspectives.
Personal experience: Some individuals have reported that their personal experiences and interactions with people who hold different beliefs have helped them to see the world in a different way.
Critical thinking skills: Some people have found that developing critical thinking skills and learning how to evaluate evidence and arguments has helped them to see through the misinformation and false narratives that are often at the heart of conspiracy theories.
A desire for understanding: Many people who have left conspiracy thinking behind have reported that they simply wanted to understand the truth and were not satisfied with the explanations and evidence provided by conspiracy theorists.
Recognition of cognitive biases: Some individuals have recognized that their prior beliefs were driven by cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias and the tendency to believe information that supports their preexisting beliefs.
It's important to note that the process of breaking free from conspiracy thinking can be difficult and often takes time. It requires a willingness to engage with new information and perspectives, and to question one's own beliefs and biases.
Regenerate response