The Taming of Deluded ‘Conspiracy Theorists’

Acting Man Blog ^ | 03/21/2014 | Peter Tenebrarum

[Rusty0604]

Valiant Knight of Government-Approved Information Rides to the Rescue

Look who is warning us again about the great harm conspiracy theories are doing to the minds of impressionable citizens everywhere: Cass Sunstein has emerged at Bloomberg, to once again plead for 'correction' of the many conspiracy theories that are disseminated on that pesky new medium, the intertubes, seemingly without inhibition. Contrary to the infamous paper in which he described how to precisely combat the spreading of false information that lacks the government's seal of approval, he doesn't list his favored censorship and disinformation techniques outright this time, but it is certainly implied that 'something must be done'.

With regard to conspiracy theories, there is a long history of dangerous thought entering the minds of deluded citizens.

Cass Sunstein certainly knows what needs to be done to ensure that the geistige Volksgesundheit is maintained. The intertubes simply must be corralled to reduce the great harm all this conspiracy theorizing inflicts. In his 2008 paper 'Conspiracy Theories' written with Adrian Vermeule, he proposed the following eminently reasonable measures:

1.Government might ban conspiracy theorizing. 2.Government might impose some kind of tax, financial or otherwise, on those who disseminate such theories. 3.Government might itself engage in counter-speech, marshaling arguments to discredit conspiracy theories. 4.Government might formally hire credible private parties to engage in counter-speech. 5.Government might engage in informal communication with such parties, encouraging them to help."

We should be grateful that these social engineers are thinking up such excellent ways of protecting the already overloaded neural circuits of the citizenry. Incidentally, it seems actually quite possible that the NSA has heard about these useful proposals, considering that its agents “Infiltrate the Internet to Manipulate, Deceive, and Destroy Reputations” according to Glenn Greenwald. See, we are already protected!

[Rusty0604]

Cass Sunstein, former Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration and husband of current US ambassador to UN Samantha Powers.

[GraceG]

More talk. Not less.

Funny how statist control freaks here want a “ministry of truth” in this country now.

Show they don’t believe in a market of ideas.

[GraceG]

I miss the “good ol’ days” when the idea of NSA spying on our phone calls was the paranoid ramblings of the homeless man by the tracks who disappeared one day and not a bona fide FACT.

[LearsFool]

I’ll stop theorizing if they’ll stop conspiring.

[Rusty0604]

Cass Sunstein certainly knows what needs to be done to ensure that the geistige Volksgesundheit is maintained. The intertubes simply must be corralled to reduce the great harm all this conspiracy theorizing inflicts. In his 2008 paper ‘Conspiracy Theories’ written with Adrian Vermeule, he proposed the following eminently reasonable measures:

1.Government might ban conspiracy theorizing.
2.Government might impose some kind of tax, financial or otherwise, on those who disseminate such theories.
3.Government might itself engage in counter-speech, marshaling arguments to discredit conspiracy theories.
4.Government might formally hire credible private parties to engage in counter-speech.
5.Government might engage in informal communication with such parties, encouraging them to help.”

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-03-21/taming-deluded-conspiracy-theorists

[Starstruck]

There is a conspiracy to ban conspiracy theories?

[drunknsage]

Seriously. Its amazing how far we have gone. It’s kind of funny when the paranoid are right, just sucks that it had to be about domestic spying.

personally, I love a good conspiracy theory. Been following the OKC bombing since high school. Even did a paper on it in college and managed to convince my class and teacher that the official story is bull. I always approach theories trying to debunk them. OKC has been the most difficult and time and court cases have made it even harder. God bless Jesse Trentadue.