Are conspiracy theories a conspiracy?

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It seems like there's lots of people on myLot telling everyone that most of the world has been duped, but that they know the "real truth". Whether its that aliens are really amongst us (and the government is hiding this fact because?), or that the CIA is responsible for 911, or that the leading climatologists are lying to create green investment opportunites for themselves, Apollo 11 never went to the moon,or if they did then aliens were there too (but we'd better hush that up),some people are continually trying to convince us that we've sold a "whopper". When they found out that Santa Claus wasn't real did it destroy their sense of trust forever? One of strangest parts of this phenomenon (to me) is that these conspiracy theorists are often calling those who don't believe in their pet cause "gullible". But the "evidence" they produce to support their arguments are almost always very easily discredited, and the explanation of the motives of the evil truth withholders rarely fits in with what most of us know about basic human motivations (money, fame, power,justification), so the question of gullibility is an interesting one. Don't get me wrong, I believe that there are many people in the world who are conspiring together to try to change the world, it's just that the evidence suggests that they're not very successful (Osama bin Laden & co. being a notable exception).Most groups who are trying to change society's world view are opposed by others (this is not a secret). I've heard it said that 2 people can keep a secret only if one of them is dead (& seen much evidence to support this view),but conspiracy theories depend on the collusion of hundreds (or thousands) of people sticking to the same detailed "cover story". This beggars belief. So the question is: Do you believe that there is an organised conspiracy to create conspiracy theories? Perhaps it's anarchists trying to undermine faith in public institutions, or a shadowy group slowly drawing power until they are ready to take over the world?Or are some people just making genuine mistakes inspired by heartbreak & hallucinogenics? love ayexxxxxxxxxxxxxx