How to save someone from the "chemtrail" hoax....

[Dragon Tamer]

I showed my cousin this thread (he's a psychiatrist) and while I'm not a certified doctor, I'm passing on his words of advice.

Your friend should see a professional and get help, this kind of conspiracy theory has the potential to escalate and some people even loose their minds. It would be different if it was something like the moon landing that happened 40 years ago, but this is something that he is exposed to every day. He can go outside, look up and see the vapor trails. If he's already gotten to the point of obsession then he's beyond the point of trying to convince him otherwise. He will deny that there is anything wrong with him because in his mind, it all makes sense.

While I'm not saying that's what you have to do, I tend to agree with my cousin. He pointed out my paranoia and helped me get over it (still recovering a bit). If you at least don't try to get him help, keep an eye on him. If he gets worse then bring the help to him if need be.

[saggs]

Are chemtrails plausable?  Perhaps....

I contend that the humongous scale and scope of this conspiracy is what makes it so very implausible.

If we take this conspiracy as it's presented, then we are talking about worldwide organization, involving hundreds of large aircraft operating daily, thousands of pilots, even more mechanics and ground supports, who knows how many employed in the manufacture and delivery of the chemical spray.  Heck even ATC would have to be in on it.  (I kinda think they might notice an airliner just flying a grid all day going nowhere)

An operation of such magnitude can't remain secret for 20 or 30 years.  It would be like UPS or FedEx air freight operating for 20 years with nobody noticing them.   (I know, I know, the chemtrail believers are screaming COMPARTMENTALIZATION at me as they read this...  sorry, still don't buy it.)

[Agent360]

The problem with conspiracy theories is that they tend to do this judo thing with contradictory information, that is they see evidence against the conspiracy as just more evidence of the expanse and deviousness of the conspiracy. For this reason I don,t think it is possible to talk him out of it with logic and facts.  

On the other hand, while I'm no psychologist, I would suspect that the great attraction of conspiracy theories is that they offer the illusion of greater understanding and a sort of control over the mystery of life. It might help take the edge off if you didn't try to convince him that he's wrong, but just let him know that you don't believe and whenever it comes up you will insist on changing the subject but that you value him as one of your oldest friends. If you want to make the effort you could try to do activities with him that are new and would be interesting for him. Try to dilute the obsession.

I think the quote is great advice.

Mental illness is a tough one to deal with especially when it is in your context ( OP ).

I think something to notice is change over time. Iv'e met many people that I would call "crazy". They are quite interesting in many ways but some of there beliefs or habits are quite strange and seem to be definable in psychiatry. Like being scared of snakes for example. These people may be quite harmless and just believe what they believe. It does not necessarily mean they are having trouble getting along in life.

What is important is that the person function normally with typical aspects of his life. If one does not shower, or eats only one kind of food or other quite obvious signs of mental issues and believes in a totally fantasy then that is when it becomes a very serious issue.

[SEraider]

I contend that the humongous scale and scope of this conspiracy is what makes it so very implausible.

I don't blame you for not "buying" into it.  I am not fully convinced either and tend to lean your way on the opinion.  A few in those documentaries look at chem-trails as not conspiracy, but a geoengineering masterpiece that benefits the population.  

[SEraider]

Mental illness is a tough one to deal with especially when it is in your context ( OP ).

I think something to notice is change over time. Iv'e met many people that I would call "crazy". They are quite interesting in many ways but some of there beliefs or habits are quite strange and seem to be definable in psychiatry. What is important is that the person function normally with typical aspects of his life. If one does not shower, or eats only one kind of food or other quite obvious signs of mental issues and believes in a totally fantasy then that is when it becomes a very serious issue.

Hypnosis of daytime TV and believing everything you see on the nightly news is something I would call crazy.  Yet the crazies qualify themselves as normal.   

But I digress, I agree that there are certain red flags that comes up for mental illness. I agree with Agent on this one.  Mental illness is a disease that should be taking seriously and intervened by loved ones. 

[icepac]

Questioning everything at the expense of basic physics used to be cool like the beatnick with the goatee in the 1960s when there were only a few of them but the increasing numbers of them is distressing.

It exposes a huge hole in the rudiments as taught by the educational systems.

[Fud]

(Image removed from quote.)
I guess piston engine B-17's were spraying barium, too.

Not Barium...but Barium Light 

[coombz]

mental illness is a serious issue if someone's obsession with conspiracy theories goes that far, and shouldn't be taken lightly

some people are just stupid though, and also they can actually NEED something like this in their life to focus on and be obsessed with. It can give them the feeling that there is some kind of bigger deal going on in the world, outside of their own relatively meaningless existence. religion fills the same kind of hole for a lot of people. it's not necessarily a bad thing.

if it's harmless just ignore it. I have a couple of friends back home who have gone a bit obsessed with silly conspiracy theories, and I just ignore them or gently take the piss.

because there are so many TRUE shady things that the various governments and powerful corporations of the world do, it can be hard for people who lack critical thinking faculties to identify the really wild and silly conspiracy theories, and they'll just go ahead and believe anything.
 

[icepac]

What really is bizarre is the conspiracy theorists ignoring something that could easily be true to concentrate on something that can't be proven without giant leaps that defy logics and physics understanding.

I've dropped the "markmonitor is watching you" on a conspiracy thread and they won't sink thier rabid teeth into it even though we really are being watched.

Do a "whois" on all the endpoints of the ports on your computer and there is "markmonitor" watching you under the guise of "brand protection"..........which is true.

The conspiracy lies where they draw the line on what they watch............and there is no line yet.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

What really is bizarre is the conspiracy theorists ignoring something that could easily be true to concentrate on something that can't be proven without giant leaps that defy logics and physics understanding.

I've dropped the "markmonitor is watching you" on a conspiracy thread and they won't sink thier rabid teeth into it even though we really are being watched.

Do a "whois" on all the endpoints of the ports on your computer and there is "markmonitor" watching you under the guise of "brand protection"..........which is true.

The conspiracy lies where they draw the line on what they watch............and there is no line yet.

LOL! Google Markmonitor and you'll find out it's a DMCA monitoring company. Are you running P2P perhaps? It means your computer is seeding a copyright holders spy computer. Expect a lawsuit in 3..2..1

[Plawranc]

If there is evidence to support something. Then it is a possibility.

For example.

There are thousands of architects and construction experts who refute the official report on the WTC attacks on September 11th. Yet all are condemned as conspiracy theorists and enemies of the nation etc. etc.

They possess credible evidence and raise some rather damning issues that clearly contradict the official report. And yet they are all ignored, and in most cases fired from their workplaces unlawfully after a few phone-calls are made.


My advice, ask him why he believes this, how he came to this conclusion. And then counter each one. Intellectual debate to discover the root of the problem.

*flame suit on*

[icepac]

LOL! Google Markmonitor and you'll find out it's a DMCA monitoring company. Are you running P2P perhaps? It means your computer is seeding a copyright holders spy computer. Expect a lawsuit in 3..2..1

Nope on any pirated software, P2P, or any stupid file sharing programs.

Take a brand new install of windows, connect to the internet, go to google, and explain why markmonitor shows up as an multiple endpoints in a "whois".

You surely won't be educating someone on "computers 101" who got his first microsoft certifications on DOS 6, Win3.1, WinNT3.1 and has hardware experience going back to the altair 8080 and software experience going back to Altair Basic.

[pembquist]

http://youtu.be/P6MOnehCOUw

[SEraider]

If there is evidence to support something. Then it is a possibility.
For example.
There are thousands of architects and construction experts who refute the official report on the WTC attacks on September 11th. Yet all are condemned as conspiracy theorists and enemies of the nation etc. etc.
They possess credible evidence and raise some rather damning issues that clearly contradict the official report. And yet they are all ignored, and in most cases fired from their workplaces unlawfully after a few phone-calls are made.
My advice, ask him why he believes this, how he came to this conclusion. And then counter each one. Intellectual debate to discover the root of the problem.

*flame suit on*

Another more what people believe not to be true is the JFK assassination.  Some people I talk to seem to think there is more to it than the official report. It's the WHY that is most improtant.  Just like the Gulf of Tonkin incident that got us into Vietnam.  But for some reason, people believe the 911 commission at its whole. 

[doright]

I guess piston engine B-17's were spraying barium, too.

Nope lead oxides. Lots and lots of lead oxides. You don't need worldwide conspiracies when mere ignorance is enough.