How to talk about conspiracy theories Flashcards
down the rabbit hole
enter a situation which seems interesting and uncomplicated at first but ends up becoming strange, confusing and hard to escape from.
ell me, Sam, do you think Neil Armstrong really landed on the Moon in 1969? I mean, that must be fake news! And who shot JFK? Surely the CIA were involved? Unless it was the giant lizards controlling the government!
Oh dear! It looks like reading online conspiracies has sent Neil down the rabbit hole
pretext
pretend reason for doing something that is used to hide the real reason.
The Microsoft founder is a rich and powerful person and he’s funded research into vaccines – that’s why he’s become a target. Some of the claims are bonkers – that he wants to use the virus as a pretext to microchip everyone in the world. Others say a vaccine would actually kill people rather than save their lives. These ideas are without any evidence. We should treat them with the disdain they deserve.
bonkers
silly, stupid or crazy (informal).
The Microsoft founder is a rich and powerful person and he’s funded research into vaccines – that’s why he’s become a target. Some of the claims are bonkers – that he wants to use the virus as a pretext to microchip everyone in the world. Others say a vaccine would actually kill people rather than save their lives. These ideas are without any evidence. We should treat them with the disdain they deserve.
disdain
disliking something because you feel it does not deserve your attention or respect.
The Microsoft founder is a rich and powerful person and he’s funded research into vaccines – that’s why he’s become a target. Some of the claims are bonkers – that he wants to use the virus as a pretext to microchip everyone in the world. Others say a vaccine would actually kill people rather than save their lives. These ideas are without any evidence. We should treat them with the disdain they deserve.
get to the bottom of (something)
discover the real but sometimes hidden reason why something happens.
How do you talk to someone who’s at risk of being sucked into the rabbit hole? First, establish a basis of understanding. Approach them on their own terms and avoid sweeping dismissals or saying, “you’re wrong!”. Try not to judge. And try to get to the bottom of the often legitimate concern at the heart of the conspiracy. Present them with facts and research.
sweeping
something spoken or written about that is too general and does not carefully consider all the relevant facts.
How do you talk to someone who’s at risk of being sucked into the rabbit hole? First, establish a basis of understanding. Approach them on their own terms and avoid sweeping dismissals or saying, “you’re wrong!”. Try not to judge. And try to get to the bottom of the often legitimate concern at the heart of the conspiracy. Present them with facts and research. Try to do this neutrally. You can’t force anyone to change their mind but you can make sure they have valid information.
A good way to engage people in discussion is to avoid sweeping claims or statements - speaking or writing about things in a way that is too general and does not carefully consider all the relevant facts.
