We hear them all the time.

Some believe secret camps are being built to lock up Americans.

Others believe that the Healthcare Bill requires each and every American to have a computer chip implanted in them. http://www.snopes.com/politics/medical/microchip.asp

How and why conspiracies begin is anyone's guess, but they all have one thing in common. Each claims to have the truth about something so important that it is being covered up.

Now, I can understand why people get into conspiracies. It's the same reason why people enjoy a good detective novel. It allows one to connect the dots, but I suspect there is another reason as well.

A person wants to feel in control of their destiny, and to have control, he or she seek answers whether wrong or right; this process boost their confidence and consequently, self worth.

Still, as they seek their answers, a question must be asked. If the information is so important, why do conspiracy theorists simply talk about their theories and not take some sort of action [non-violent preferred] to see the outcome not fulfilled?

Why are we not voting to get the secret camps closed?

Why are we not demanding our politicians stop the forceful implantation of computer chips in Americans?

When will we rise up and march on Washington to finally know the truth behind Roswell?

The answer of course to these three questions, is probably never, but they highlight why I believe conspiracy theories keep us from uniting on social issues.

Conspiracy theories consume a person's intellectual time while the important arguments such as: healthcare reform, tax reform, job creation, etc. (very real issues) get pushed to the side for less pressing topics such as the pending Zombie Apocalypse.

What we can fix, we ignore, and what we can't even prove, we contemplate into theoretical existence.

If the citizens of the world would step back from the stories, step back from the suspicion, step back from the fiction, and seriously focus on what is happening, our problems could be solved.

Hi Brooks127,

thats a very interesting post ! The thing I don't get is that a lot of theories are started by random people, who mostly have no real connection to any government bureau or agency. How would they even get to those information unless it is utter imagination. On the other hand, there are some people who seem to have facts from actual sources. The problem is that these people are being discredited by the "crazy ones". Don't want to start a conspiracy theory myself but it seems calculated to me...

john-r

Take, for example, the Boston Marathon Bombing. After it was over a ton of videos appeared on YouTube with "suggestions" - one user suggested that a blurry photo of a person wearing a ball cap with a skull on it COULD POSSIBLY BE a part of a security firm from Texas because the logos were similar. Any thinking person could reason logically - the image is a bit blurry. You have no idea if that person is male or female. The image has a few tiny details different from the logo. It could be a Punisher Cap. However, those that are spreading the fear are counting on the majority of people lacking critical thinking skills. The video goes on further to show a "police raid" with the Boston Police logo clearly photoshoped onto the back of the "cops" (anyone with an artistic eye could see that even the shadows on the Logo and the shadows on the cops showed two different light sources). My thoughts: how in the world did they allow a person there with a camera to record the raid? They didn't. The raid was staged (even the interior of the house was not New England style. I live there. I know) and the logo Photoshopped in. But, once again, they aren't trying to convince the intelligent. Does our Government have secrets? Sure. Is our Government staging these mass killings in order to convince We The People into a new way of thinking? No. If our Government was that powerful that they could get the media, hire actors who still haven't ratted them out, and do all of this elaborate planning, they would not need to "get us on their side". They would simply force us to do what they want.

Just my thoughts, anyway.

A history teacher once told me that in a myth there is a hint of truth, meaning something has endured.

My problem with conspiracies is how many people waste their time getting into them instead of focusing on the reality of the situation.

I don't consider people “crazy” who believe in conspiracies. I think many of them are logical thinkers, folks who enjoy a good mystery. The problem is when it begins to affect our political process.

What is happening in America politically, and the world for that fact, is a product of humans not using commonsense and failing to keep things in check.

In America we have a representative government that is “supposed” to follow the Constitution. Still there is this argument of overreach that comes up.

Is overreach happening? If so, then Americans need to get new leaders who will follow the law.

WE can't dream ourselves out of our problems, but we can vote and demand OUR government follow the rules.

And, with that, I would like to add if a rule or law seems antiquated, then we should vote to change it and bring it more inline with our contemporary values.