Debunking 9/11 Myths
Debunking 9/11 Myths

Author: David Dunbar

Publisher: Union Square + ORM

Published: 2011-08-02

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13: 1588168557

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“9/11 conspiracy theorists beware: Popular Mechanics has popped your paranoid bubble world, using pointed facts and razor-sharp analysis.” —Austin Bay, national security columnist (Creators Syndicate) and coauthor of From Shield to Storm Decades after the World Trade Center disaster, rampant speculation abounds on what actually happened. Wild talk flourishes on the Internet, TV, and radio. Was the Pentagon really struck by a missile? Was the untimely death of Barry Jennings, who witnessed the collapse of Tower 7 and thought he heard “explosions,” actually an assassination? Not everyone is convinced the truth is out there. Once again, in this updated edition of the critically acclaimed Debunking 9/11 Myths, Popular Mechanics counters the conspiracy theorists with a dose of hard, cold facts. The magazine consulted more than 300 experts in fields like air traffic control, aviation, civil engineering, firefighting, and metallurgy, and then rigorously, meticulously, and scientifically analyzed the twenty-five most persistent 9/11 conspiracy theories. Each one was conclusively refuted with facts, not politics and rumors, including five new myths involving the collapse of 7 World Trade Center and four longstanding conjectures now considered in the context of new research. “A reliable and rational answer to the many fanciful conspiracy theories about 9/11 . . . What happened on 9/11 has been well established by the 9/11 Commission. What did not happen has now been clearly explained by Popular Mechanics.” —Richard A. Clarke, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Against All Enemies “Do you have a friend who emails you the most recent documentary ‘proving’ that a missile impacted the Pentagon or that timed explosions brought down WTC-7? Buy him a copy of this book. He’ll thank you later.” —The Weekly Standard

Suspicious Minds
Suspicious Minds

Author: Rob Brotherton

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2015-11-19

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 147291564X

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'A first class book' Sunday Times We're all conspiracy theorists. Some of us just hide it better than others. Conspiracy theorists do not wear tin-foil hats (for the most part). They are not just a few kooks lurking on the paranoid fringes of society with bizarre ideas about shape-shifting reptilian aliens running society in secret. They walk among us. They are us. Everyone loves a good conspiracy. Yet conspiracy theories are not a recent invention. And they are not always a harmless curiosity. In Suspicious Minds, Rob Brotherton explores the history and consequences of conspiracism, and delves into the research that offers insights into why so many of us are drawn to implausible, unproven and unproveable conspiracy theories. They resonate with some of our brain's built-in quirks and foibles, and tap into some of our deepest desires, fears, and assumptions about the world. The fascinating and often surprising psychology of conspiracy theories tells us a lot – not just why we are drawn to theories about sinister schemes, but about how our minds are wired and, indeed, why we believe anything at all. Conspiracy theories are not some psychological aberration – they're a predictable product of how brains work. This book will tell you why, and what it means. Of course, just because your brain's biased doesn't always mean you're wrong. Sometimes conspiracies are real. Sometimes, paranoia is prudent.

Escaping the Rabbit Hole
Escaping the Rabbit Hole

Author: Mick West

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2023-06-20

Total Pages: 501

ISBN-13: 1510776389

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Revised and updated for the first time in 2023—Now includes strategies for debunking conspiracies regarding the coronavirus pandemic, election fraud, QAnon, UFOs, and more. The Earth is flat, the World Trade Center collapse was a controlled demolition, planes are spraying poison to control the weather, and actors faked the Sandy Hook massacre. All these claims are bunk: falsehoods, mistakes, and in some cases, outright lies. But many people passionately believe one or more of these conspiracy theories. They consume countless books and videos, join like-minded online communities, try to convert those around them, and even, on occasion, alienate their own friends and family. Why is this, and how can you help people, especially those closest to you, break free from the downward spiral of conspiracy thinking? In Escaping the Rabbit Hole, author Mick West shares over a decade’s worth of knowledge and experience investigating and debunking false conspiracy theories through his forum, MetaBunk.org, and sets forth a practical guide to helping friends and loved ones recognize these theories for what they really are. Perhaps counter-intuitively, the most successful approaches to helping individuals escape a rabbit hole aren’t comprised of simply explaining why they are wrong; rather, West’s tried-and-tested approach emphasizes clear communication based on mutual respect, honesty, openness, and patience. West puts his debunking techniques and best practices to the test with the most popular false conspiracy theories today (Chemtrails, The Coronavirus Pandemic, 9/11 Controlled Demolition, Election Fraud, False Flags, Flat Earth, The Rising of QAnon, and UFOs)—providing road maps to help you to understand your friend and help them escape the rabbit hole. These are accompanied by real-life case studies of individuals who, with help, were able to break free from conspiracism. With sections on: the wide spectrum of conspiracy theories avoiding the “shill” label psychological factors and other complications (and concluding with) a look at the future of debunking Mick West has put forth a conclusive, well-researched, practical reference on why people fall down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole and how you can help them escape.

Red Pill, Blue Pill
Red Pill, Blue Pill

Author: David Neiwert

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2020-09-10

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 1633886271

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A revealing trip down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories -their appeal, who believes them, how they spread -with an eye to helping people deal with the alt-right conspiracists in their own lives.Conspiracy theories are killing us. Once confined to the fringes of society, this worldview now has adherents numbering in the millions -extending right into the White House. This disturbing look at this alt-right threat to our democratic institutions offers guidance for counteracting the personal toll this destructive mindset can have on relationships and families.Author David Neiwert -an investigative journalist who has studied the radical right for decades -examines the growing appeal of conspiracy theories and the kind of personalities that are attracted to such paranoid, sociopathic messages. He explains how alt-right leaders are able to get such firm holds on the imaginations of their followers and chronicles the destruction caused by the movement's most virulent believers.Colloquially, this recruitment to alt-right ideologies is called "getting red-pilled" -a metaphor for when believers of conspiracy theories become convinced that their alternate universe is real. Uniquely, and optimistically, Neiwert provides a "blue pill toolkit" for those who are dealing with conspiracy theorists in their own lives, including strategies drawn from people who counsel former far-right extremists who have renounced their former beliefs.

A Culture of Conspiracy
A Culture of Conspiracy

Author: Michael Barkun

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 9780520248120

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Unravelling the genealogies and permutations of conspiracist worldviews, this work shows how this web of urban legends has spread among sub-cultures on the Internet and through mass media, and how this phenomenon relates to larger changes in American culture.

The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories
The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

Author: Jan-Willem Prooijen

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-04-09

Total Pages: 124

ISBN-13: 1315525399

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Who believes in conspiracy theories, and why are some people more susceptible to them than others? What are the consequences of such beliefs? Has a conspiracy theory ever turned out to be true? The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories debunks the myth that conspiracy theories are a modern phenomenon, exploring their broad social contexts, from politics to the workplace. The book explains why some people are more susceptible to these beliefs than others and how they are produced by recognizable and predictable psychological processes. Featuring examples such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks and climate change, The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories shows us that while such beliefs are not always irrational and are not a pathological trait, they can be harmful to individuals and society.

The Secret of Our Success
The Secret of Our Success

Author: Joseph Henrich

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2017-10-17

Total Pages: 464

ISBN-13: 0691178437

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How our collective intelligence has helped us to evolve and prosper Humans are a puzzling species. On the one hand, we struggle to survive on our own in the wild, often failing to overcome even basic challenges, like obtaining food, building shelters, or avoiding predators. On the other hand, human groups have produced ingenious technologies, sophisticated languages, and complex institutions that have permitted us to successfully expand into a vast range of diverse environments. What has enabled us to dominate the globe, more than any other species, while remaining virtually helpless as lone individuals? This book shows that the secret of our success lies not in our innate intelligence, but in our collective brains—on the ability of human groups to socially interconnect and learn from one another over generations. Drawing insights from lost European explorers, clever chimpanzees, mobile hunter-gatherers, neuroscientific findings, ancient bones, and the human genome, Joseph Henrich demonstrates how our collective brains have propelled our species' genetic evolution and shaped our biology. Our early capacities for learning from others produced many cultural innovations, such as fire, cooking, water containers, plant knowledge, and projectile weapons, which in turn drove the expansion of our brains and altered our physiology, anatomy, and psychology in crucial ways. Later on, some collective brains generated and recombined powerful concepts, such as the lever, wheel, screw, and writing, while also creating the institutions that continue to alter our motivations and perceptions. Henrich shows how our genetics and biology are inextricably interwoven with cultural evolution, and how culture-gene interactions launched our species on an extraordinary evolutionary trajectory. Tracking clues from our ancient past to the present, The Secret of Our Success explores how the evolution of both our cultural and social natures produce a collective intelligence that explains both our species' immense success and the origins of human uniqueness.

Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil
Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil

Author: Gerard Menuhin

Publisher: Castle Hill Services

Published: 2017-03-16

Total Pages: 434

ISBN-13: 9781591481720

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A prominent Jew says the "Holocaust" is a propaganda myth which has turned into an extortion racket; Germany was mostly innocent for the outbreak of WWII; Hitler has been unjustly vilified; a powerful Jewish-dominated plutocracy has been behind the World Wars, just like behind many revolutions, wars, and other types of bloody "regime changes."

World War Z
World War Z

Author: Max Brooks

Publisher: Broadway Books

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 434

ISBN-13: 0770437400

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An account of the decade-long conflict between humankind and hordes of the predatory undead is told from the perspective of dozens of survivors who describe in their own words the epic human battle for survival, in a novel that is the basis for the June 2013 film starring Brad Pitt. Reissue. Movie Tie-In.

The United States of Paranoia
The United States of Paranoia

Author: Jesse Walker

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2014-10-14

Total Pages: 333

ISBN-13: 0062383221

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A comprehensive history and analysis of the origins, evolution, and current life, legacy, and impact of conspiracy theories in American culture and politics, from the colonial era to today. Conspiracies have been woven through America’s social tapestry since the beginning of its history. The United States of Paranoia is a unique and fascinating look at how these commonly held beliefs—true or not—have helped shape the American cultural imagination. Using examples from colonial times to today, Jesse Walker makes the compelling argument that paranoia doesn’t just exist on the fringe of society, but is at the core of our national identity. Walker doesn’t focus on proving or disproving a particular theory. Synthesizing intensive archival research in a pulp fiction narrative, he explores the myths that haunt our nation, breaking them into five distinct categories: The Enemy Outside, The Enemy Within, The Enemy Above, The Enemy Below, and The Benevolent Conspiracy. From J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI to Watergate, the “Matrix” phenomenon to the Birthers, Walker reveals how national myths have influenced our lives, including our view of ourselves and our government. He also identifies and explores the little-recognized rise of a subculture obsessed not with one single myth or another, but in the notion of the conspiracy phenomenon itself. This growing obsession, Walker attests, offers profound insight into what it means to be American. Provocative, well-reasoned, and utterly compelling, the United States of Paranoia will make you rethink the world and the nation in a new and different way.