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Mark Tokarski's avatar

Use of the phrase "conspiracy theory" came about in 1967 in a CIA memo to agency higher-ups suggesting its use to criticize people skeptical of the Warren Report. Search and you'll find it online.

Thereafter it began appearing frequently in newspapers, and later in a forgettable book that supposed intellectuals like to cite. It's remarkable psychology, in that in practical use (not by media and political officials) it allows people of low curiosity/intelligence to 1) avoid thinking, and 2) to ridicule people who are more curious/intelligent.

So suppose that you, Petra, are at a gathering of friends and relatives and you forget etiquette and mentions that, say, Sandy Hook was a staged event (or in my case, Columbine), one of those at the gathering will react by chanting "coo coo, coo coo" and ask where's your tin hat.. The person doing that ridicule will have no standing, being incurious and a non-reader, probably burdened by a low IQ and thoroughly a Dunning Krueger mascot. But you lose, and he/she wins. You learn from that episode to STFU. Ain't it amazing how well it works?

I doff my cap to the guy who wrote that 1967 memo. It is clever beyond the norm.

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Metta Zetty's avatar

Fabulous find, Petra! Very glad to discover your Substack ~ and thanks for taking time to compile this excellent resource on critical thinking.

Just now added a link to your article in the following sections of my "red pill" library:

> Library: BeyondC19.org

> Death of Critical Thinking & Intellectual Curiosity

-- https://workflowy.com/s/beyond-covid-19/SoQPdY75WJteLUYx#/1c62949f7932

> Conspiracy Theories

-- https://workflowy.com/s/beyond-covid-19/SoQPdY75WJteLUYx#/df582cc23840

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