The Jordan Harbinger Show 814: Matt Frederick & Ben Bowlin | Stuff They Don't Want You to Know
Mar 21, 2023
Matt Frederick and Ben Bowlin, co-hosts of the Stuff They Don't Want You to Know podcast and conspiracy theory experts, dive into the psychology behind belief in conspiracy theories. They discuss why these theories persist and share real conspiracies that turned out to be true. The duo highlights the dangers of misinformation and the psychological factors that draw people to these narratives, especially in today's media landscape. They also provide insights on how to avoid falling into such rabbit holes and the importance of critical thinking.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Elf on the Shelf
- Jordan Harbinger shares how he explained the Elf on the Shelf to his son, revealing it as a game rather than a magical being.
- His son accepted the explanation and continued playing, suggesting that stories are fun even without believing in their literal truth.
Historical Disillusionment
- Early exposure to simplified, fable-like versions of history can contribute to later disillusionment and conspiracy thinking.
- This disillusionment creates a distrust of authority and official narratives, especially when combined with discovering hidden truths.
Testability of Theories
- Conspiracy theories differ from scientific theories in their testability.
- Conspiracy theories often rely on proving negatives or lack verifiable evidence, while scientific theories are rigorously tested and revised.
