Conspiracy Theories

[Joe]

Is anybody surprised by this?

Conspiracy theories are popular in Canada, especially among conservatives: poll

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
Published Sunday, December 3, 2023 5:14PM EST
Last Updated Sunday, December 3, 2023 5:23PM EST

The Earth is flat. We have been secretly contacted by intelligent beings from other planets. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did not land on the moon in 1969. They may sound like bizarre statements, but a new poll suggests a sizable number of Canadians believe in these and other conspiracy theories.

About five per cent of us are flat-earthers, the poll suggests, while 11 per cent say they think the lunar landings were a hoax. And one-third of respondents say they think evidence that aliens have been in contact with our planet is being hidden from the public.

Polling firm Leger surveyed 1,529 Canadian adults and 1,011 Americans between Nov. 24 and 26, asking about their beliefs in several popular conspiracy theories. The poll cannot be assigned a margin of error because online surveys are not considered truly random samples.

In all, 79 per cent of Canadians and 84 per cent of Americans reported believing in at least one of a list of conspiracy theories mentioned in the survey. In both countries, conservative-leaning voters were more likely to believe in conspiracies.

Just over a quarter of American respondents say they believe global warming doesn't exist, compared to 16 per cent of Canadians.

The most popular, among Canadians and Americans alike, was the notion that the mainstream media is manipulating the information it disseminates. Fifty-five per cent of Canadians and 67 per cent of Americans say they believe that to be the case, while another 10 per cent of respondents in Canada said they don't know.

[Cunt]

Is anybody surprised by this?

Conspiracy theories are popular in Canada, especially among conservatives: poll

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press

The most popular, among Canadians and Americans alike, was the notion that the mainstream media is manipulating the information it disseminates. Fifty-five per cent of Canadians and 67 per cent of Americans say they believe that to be the case, while another 10 per cent of respondents in Canada said they don't know.

I'm encouraged. I thought a lot more were falling for it.

[JimC]

Mainstream media is corporate owned. There is some diversity in political leanings of editorial staff, world-wide, but essentially, they are all owned by corporations who simply follow the profit motive. So, to an extent, there will be bias, but it is bias that serves the profit motives of the various boards. Generally, this will not be in the direction of hard-left anti-capitalist ideologies, but neither will it be in fanciful directions of the conspiracy theorists...

[Svartalf]

when you are exposed to murdochian crap, you have to wonder...

[JimC]

when you are exposed to murdochian crap, you have to wonder...

Indeed it may well be crap, but not a carefully manicured narrative to obscure the usual right-ring demons...

[macdoc]

Mainstream media is corporate owned

CBC, ABC, NPR, BBC are gov owned and some non-gov corporations have a hands off approach to the news.
Just because something is owned via a corporate structure does not mean it is somehow suspect.

[Brian Peacock]

Is anybody surprised by this?

Trigger Warning!!!1! :

Conspiracy theories are popular in Canada, especially among conservatives: poll

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
Published Sunday, December 3, 2023 5:14PM EST
Last Updated Sunday, December 3, 2023 5:23PM EST

The Earth is flat. We have been secretly contacted by intelligent beings from other planets. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did not land on the moon in 1969. They may sound like bizarre statements, but a new poll suggests a sizable number of Canadians believe in these and other conspiracy theories.

About five per cent of us are flat-earthers, the poll suggests, while 11 per cent say they think the lunar landings were a hoax. And one-third of respondents say they think evidence that aliens have been in contact with our planet is being hidden from the public.

Polling firm Leger surveyed 1,529 Canadian adults and 1,011 Americans between Nov. 24 and 26, asking about their beliefs in several popular conspiracy theories. The poll cannot be assigned a margin of error because online surveys are not considered truly random samples.

In all, 79 per cent of Canadians and 84 per cent of Americans reported believing in at least one of a list of conspiracy theories mentioned in the survey. In both countries, conservative-leaning voters were more likely to believe in conspiracies.

Just over a quarter of American respondents say they believe global warming doesn't exist, compared to 16 per cent of Canadians.

The most popular, among Canadians and Americans alike, was the notion that the mainstream media is manipulating the information it disseminates. Fifty-five per cent of Canadians and 67 per cent of Americans say they believe that to be the case, while another 10 per cent of respondents in Canada said they don't know.

Not really. In the context of increasingly exclusive and ethnocentric forms of politics, that play on generating a sense of historical and economic pessimism in the face of legitimate concerns about diminishing resources, economic instability, and the inability of governmental structures to competently address the social issues that follow, many people seem to be turning to ideas which seemingly explain their material insecurities in terms of how some nominated "them" is making things difficult for, or working against the interest of "us".

This 'realist' sentiment of impending catastrophe and collapse has, to a great extent, become socially weaponised, particularly by the right, and through the lens of national|racial identity transformed into kinds of "us first" politics: we are in interminable stagnation, there isn't enough economic growth to go round, redistribution does diminish "us" by diluting limited resources, these problems are caused by "them", and therefore we have to force "them" to the lifeboats, arm ourselves against any-and-all of "them" who try to get back onboard, and cut them loose in the perpetually stormy seas in order to save the sinking ship and reach the safe harbour of the promised land (that's always just over the horizon!).

Against this kind of background, assimilating the 'realism' of a deservedly preferenced "us" and a problematic, obstructive, undeserving "them", avoiding being cut adrift means having to carry an awful lot of unnecessary baggage, primarily the baggage of those whose explanations appear to justify one's own inclusion and the exclusion of all others.

So, because the right say that the interests of "them"--the left, or the Woke, or the Communists, or whoever--is antithetical to the interests of "us", anyone who counts themselves among "us" kind of has to be a climate denier in the same sense that they have to oppose immigration, ethnic diversity, transgender, abortion, progressive taxation and redistribution, publicly funded services, along with more nebulous ideas like big government, or big pharma, or critical race theory, or the war on Christmas: it kinda comes as a package all bound up in a politics of opposition rather than a politics of proposition. From such a position it's a short hop to opposing everything anything-and-everything anyone identified as one of "them" says or claims, and so chemtrails are making the kids go trans, the Earth is flat, soy makes you gay, big foot dances the tango, vaccines are really vectors for 5G mind control, and anyone denying it is either part of the plot to mislead "us" or has been doltishly brainwashed by "them".

As we've seen on these pages many times, the politics of opposition works in both directions: if "us" think the media is biased then "them" must believe it to be a bastion of probity, if "us" don't like the idea of gay people getting married then "them" are trying to destroy the family, if "us" are concerned about child sexual abuse then "them" must be wholly unconcerned if not kiddy-fiddlers themselves, if "us" think that post-puberty transgender women shouldn't participate in female-only combat sports then "them" actually want to see women have their faces smashed in by big hairy blokes, etc, and thus not only #OUTRAGE at, but active suppression of, "them" is not only deserved, but morally mandatory.

[Cunt]

Mainstream media is corporate owned

CBC, ABC, NPR, BBC are gov owned and some non-gov corporations have a hands off approach to the news.
Just because something is owned via a corporate structure does not mean it is somehow suspect.

Government owned news stations are all JUST as good as Pravda.

I can't think of one of those I would trust to convey the truth about characters cancelled by media.

I remember when looking for the reasons everyone freaked out about Tommy Robinson. All claimed he said terrible things. None had the quotes or screenshots..

Now it's several years on, and we DO know he was right about the 'Grooming Gang Scandals'.

Great job, state media!

[Cunt]

A CBC writer wouldn't know government propaganda if they cashed a paycheque for writing it

From a media-smeared politician...
https://t.me/MaximeBernier/7050

"The most popular [conspiracy theory] was the notion that the mainstream media is manipulating the information it disseminates.”

The mainstream media think that’s a conspiracy theory!

Most Canadians know it’s a fact!

[Cunt]

Another 'conspiracy theory' from the ex-restaurant manager...
https://t.me/bioclandestine/2609

We are seeing Russia advance in the Donbas region in cities Avdiivka and Mar’inka.

However, the land itself is not the sole measurement of success in war. Resources, soldiers, funding, support, and morale, are also dwindling rapidly for Ukraine.

Russia have calculated that they do not need to advance rapidly and suffer higher casualties, when they can continue to move methodically and Ukraine will eventually collapse from within and hopefully surrender. Then Russia can claim as much land as they like with little to no resistance, thus minimizing friendly, hostile, and civilian casualties.

The funding from the West is drying up, winter is here, and Ukraine are running out of options. The counteroffensive failed, they have no wins to show NATO that indicate victory can be had, and the public around the world no longer care about Ukraine. Zelensky’s support is non-existent and “is on his way out” according to Kyiv Mayor, Vitali Klitschko.

Ukraine is collapsing.

If the status quo remains, Ukraine will fall. The only thing that can save Ukraine now, is direct US intervention and thus full-scale kinetic WW3.

[Cunt]

Maybe he was on to something after all...
https://t.me/bioclandestine/2611

HOLY SHIT

Warmonger Lindsey Graham does a 180 and NOW claims he is America First and wants to secure the border!

“I’m not helping Ukraine until we help ourselves first”.

Compare this to Graham 6 months ago in Kyiv, salivating over dead Russians.

IT’S OVER!

"...and the Russians are dying. It's the best money we've ever spent."

What a difference a bit of time makes.

[JimC]

Mainstream media is corporate owned

CBC, ABC, NPR, BBC are gov owned and some non-gov corporations have a hands off approach to the news.
Just because something is owned via a corporate structure does not mean it is somehow suspect.

The corporate media are not suspect in the way Cunt infers, as in being part of a left-leaning, big government conspiracy, but they can have motivations other than purely delivering neutral news, motivations that spring from their position in the capitalist financial system.

Good point about the government owned media such as the ABC and the BBC, although Cunt would take little comfort from their ownership!

[Cunt]

Mainstream media is corporate owned

CBC, ABC, NPR, BBC are gov owned and some non-gov corporations have a hands off approach to the news.
Just because something is owned via a corporate structure does not mean it is somehow suspect.

The corporate media are not suspect in the way Cunt infers, as in being part of a left-leaning, big government conspiracy, but they can have motivations other than purely delivering neutral news, motivations that spring from their position in the capitalist financial system.

Good point about the government owned media such as the ABC and the BBC, although Cunt would take little comfort from their ownership!

The corporate media ARE suspect, and instead of imagining what I mean, you could ask.

ABC/Disney hid the Epstein story. Yet I seldom hear them criticised for enabling child sex predators.

James O'Keefe had a bad court case a decade or more ago, yet his disclosures are dismissed. Especially by ABC/Disney.

ABC Australia is a lot more like BBC or CBC. Totally knuckled under to the left-wing 'stylesheets' for language, and what opinions are acceptable. Almost like their funders make similar demands of them.

[macdoc]

Why should I ever cater to your warped world view and ask you ANYTHING !!?? You lost your cred long ago
There IS a suspect source and next time you pass by a mirror you can see it.

[Cunt]

Why should I ever cater to your warped world view and ask you ANYTHING !!?? You lost your cred long ago
There IS a suspect source and next time you pass by a mirror you can see it.

Yes, it's not about my 'cred' though.

The far-left have trouble accepting individual anything. Whether property rights, opinions or the simple right to speak, or hear individuals seems to irritate and enrage.

It makes it easy to see who is respectful of those who don't adhere to the left/commies, and those who MUST rage against those freedoms they don't want to allow.