Penn and Teller's take on 911 Conspiracy theories

[tjinaz]

Pretty funny stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syEFb...0penn%20teller

[Looger]

funny stuff, but i wouldn't let it form any opinions, typical straw-man stuff. find some idiot that has a bad conspiracy theory, and make fun of them. genius.

want to tackle something? take on andreas van beulow, germany's former defence minister.

there's plenty of conspiracy theories out there, most of them are crap, and some of them raise legitimate questions. and advocating people being thrown down stairs for reading the wrong book?

congrats america, you have your free society!

[White Doors]

Originally Posted by Looger

funny stuff, but i wouldn't let it form any opinions, typical straw-man stuff. find some idiot that has a bad conspiracy theory, and make fun of them. genius.

want to tackle something? take on andreas van beulow, germany's former defence minister.

there's plenty of conspiracy theories out there, most of them are crap, and some of them raise legitimate questions. and advocating people being thrown down stairs for reading the wrong book?

congrats america, you have your free society!

What the heck is that clap trap supposed to mean? ^^^

whatever. Penn and teller just became my favourite comedians.

[Looger]

and penn and teller just dropped off my vegas list.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Looger

and penn and teller just dropped off my vegas list.

too bad, cause it's a great show!

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by tjinaz

Pretty funny stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syEFb...0penn%20teller

The lady in the video offered an opinion on conspiracy theoriests that is almost word for word the same as this quote from a Washington Post story:

"Conspiracy theories are one way to make sense of what happened and regain a sense of control," said Michael Barkun, political scientist at Syracuse University who has written books on the culture of conspiracies.

"Of course, they're usually wrong, but they're psychologically reassuring. Because what they say is that everything is connected, nothing happens by accident, and that there is some kind of order in the world, even if it's produced by evil forces. I think psychologically, it's in a way consoling to a lot of people."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Oct6.html

Most conspiracy theorists are just that, not droning on about a single theory but rather a multitude of them on various topics, reinforcing themselves with books and articles of other conspiracy theorists while, strangely, denouncing objectors as "biased" in some way, apparently not seeing the irony.

And yes, the Clintons are murderers.

http://www.jeremiahproject.com/proph...ntbodycnt.html

Cowperson

[White Doors]

Originally Posted by Looger

and penn and teller just dropped off my vegas list.

Because they are interested in the truth?

whatever!

[Looger]

Originally Posted by White Doors

Because they are interested in the truth?

whatever!

because they don't tackle any of the actual 'conpiracy' theories whatsoever, yet claim they do.

whatever.

[Azure]

Tackling the theories just adds fuel to the fire.

Something that is pointless.

[troutman]

http://www.skepdic.com/illuminati.html

It is a very natural trait to try to make sense out of the world. The PCTs are trying desperately to make sense out of a world they can no longer relate to. The world is too complicated, too mean, too cold, too unsatisfying for them. In the real world, they are considered nothing and despair of ever being anything but on the outside looking in. They see science as telling them they are an accident and their lives are without meaning. In their alternative world, they rule and are hopeful. Everything is in its place or will be put in its place. There is order and meaning. Life is significant.

[FlamesAddiction]

I don't hate or like these guys. They are mildly entertaining, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see them either.

I also put as much stock in their political points of view that I do any celebrity. They are just people with opinions and aren't privy to anything we are not.

[Looger]

ah yes, that's right, i forgot.

saying that the US government may have had involvement in ONE event automatically makes people believe in the illuminati running the world, or the Zionist Overlord Government, or The Globalists, or the Reptilian Agenda, or the British Crown, or whatever.

governments lie. the US has a history of lying to its people, as do the governemnts of all powerful nations. nazi germany being an extreme example, but definitely not the only one.

means, motive, and opportunity are always going to point the finger at the US government, perhaps some rogue faction of it anyway. there were generals that drew up a plan called 'operation northwoods' in the 60s using a nearly identical scenario to justify an invasion of the friendly neighbourhood boogeyman, communist cuba. there is precedent here.

add to that the crazy circumstance of a NORAD stand-down and air traffic control drills on the same day, plus hundreds of eyewitness reports on the day that dispute the official story, and we may have the mother of a conspiracy theories here.

obviously i can't say one way or the other, but there is a lot of wiggle room and a lot of circumstancial evidence and that means a lot of people are asking questions.

the only way to get rid of the widespread belief in government involvement is for people that back the official story to deal with it and tackle the questions head-on, point-for-point, which HAS NOT HAPPENED. every time a serious media pundit tackles it he/she attacks the accuser be it charlie sheen or whomever. those pundits never ever attack the points, like building seven.

penn and teller should realize that finding the most ridiculous of theorists and parading them for fun will add fuel to the fire here, especially when they advocate violence perpetrated on people that don't agree with them.

[mykalberta]

Please note, dont play this at work

MYK

[snappyk]

Looger it sounds like you are adding fuel to the fire here.

[Looger]

Originally Posted by snappyk

Looger it sounds like you are adding fuel to the fire here.

yeah but i'm just some guy discussing a topic. i didn't make a video that paints the government line as supported by a bunch of clueless thug idiots.

discussion is healthy.

attacking those with a different point of view is very, very unhealthy.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Looger

yeah but i'm just some guy discussing a topic. i didn't make a video that paints the government line as supported by a bunch of clueless thug idiots.

discussion is healthy.

attacking those with a different point of view is very, very unhealthy.

Well if you can show that you have a different point of view, one that actually asks questions instead of conspires with conspiracy theories someone will have a discussion with you.

But many times in these discussions there is no point in even starting. To some people, no matter what you say or come up with, it won't change their mind.

[Vulcan]

I don't buy into the 911 conspiracy other than that the tradgety points out the incompetence of the Bush administration.

The attack sure played into the government plans to attack Afghanistan and Iraq though. Full marks to Bush and his cronies for taking advantage of the event.

The only conspiracy I see is taking some nut jobs as Bush's opponents and thus inferring any one who questions this regime is also wacko.

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The attack sure played into the government plans to attack Afghanistan and Iraq though. Full marks to Bush and his cronies for taking advantage of the event.

You don't buy 9/11 conpiracies then come up with one of your own.

Bush's governent was isolationist until 9/11 and then made a 180 degree turn.

But hey conspiracists UNITE! I still beleive Harper is streamlining immigration only so he can have more babies to eat!!!

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by HOZ

Bush's governent was isolationist until 9/11 and then made a 180 degree turn.

Actually, I remember Bush talking about intervening in Iraq when he was running for president. Doesn't sound like an isolationalist.

Granted, at the time of 9/11, he was still pretty new.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by HOZ

But hey conspiracists UNITE! I still beleive Harper is streamlining immigration only so he can have more babies to eat!!!

You sure have some beautiful thoughts rattling around in your cranium.