The flat Earth theory is a disproven conspiracy theory promoted by some individuals and organizations despite overwhelming evidence against it.

Kyrie Irving and NFL players like Sammy Watkins, Darius Slay, and Patrick Queen have expressed support for the flat Earth theory.

People who subscribe to flat Earth beliefs may tend to separate themselves from others and exhibit fanaticism, limiting personal freedom.

Human isolation, lack of education, and materialism can contribute to the adoption of flat Earth beliefs.

The resurgence of flat Earth beliefs may be due to factors like social media, lack of education, and declining trust in scientists.

Understanding the characteristics of flat Earth believers and the factors that contribute to their beliefs can inform strategies to educate them about the evidence against the theory.

Critical thinking, developed through means like family discussions and debate clubs, is essential for recognizing manipulation and hypocrisy.

Parents influence their children's behavior and values through intelligent dialogue, promoting critical thinking and development.

Education helps children discern true from false information and mitigates flat Earth risks.

Social media use can harm children's mental health and spread misinformation, such as flat Earth beliefs.

The adoption of flat Earth beliefs can be attributed to psychological, social, and mental health factors.

Misunderstanding science and emotional detachment from facts can lead to conspiracy beliefs, such as flat Earth theories.

Education and critical thinking can help debunk conspiracy theories, including flat Earth beliefs.

Acceptance by a group can motivate belief in false claims, such as flat Earth beliefs, especially among those seeking simple answers.

Teaching kids to evaluate information sources can prevent false beliefs by considering biases and motives.

Focusing on prevention and education can prevent conspiracy theories by teaching critical thinking and analytical skills.

The flat Earth theory is a disproven conspiracy theory promoted by some individuals and organizations despite overwhelming evidence against it.

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Content: Support Your Freedom to Speak:
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PLASMA MOON And GREATER WORLD MAP
https://www.bitchute.com/video/eIg05MTfbhZ3/
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https://www.bitchute.com/video/OFBL8gK0kszq/
Great Conspiracy Behind Great Reset
https://www.bitchute.com/video/RAJphd6FD618/
All The Moon Landings/Missions Were Faked To Hide This Fact
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https://archive.org/details/great-conspiracy
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https://archive.org/details/moon-mirrors-earth

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Kyrie Irving and NFL players like Sammy Watkins, Darius Slay, and Patrick Queen have expressed support for the flat Earth theory.

Title:

Content: “Everyone Gets Hit in the Head”: Travis and Jason Kelce Boldly Claim 20% NFL Players Are Flat-Earthers

Samnur Reza
Published

Eight-time NBA All-Star and Mavericks point guard, Kyrie Irving, has time and time again claimed that the earth is flat. Sadly, this belief is widely held around the globe. When discussing the same and if there are NFL players who also call themselves flat-earthers behind closed doors, Jason Kelce and his brother Travis boldly claimed that a good chunk of the NFL locker room actually believes the earth to be flat.

During a recent episode of the New Heights podcast with comedian Andrew Santino at the discussion table, the younger Kelce said, “We’ve mentioned on the show that conspiracy theories help bring NFL locker rooms together,” before asking the guest, “What are your conspiracy theories?”

Without skipping a beat, Santino posed the question about what percentage of NFL players actually believe in the Flat Earth theory. In response, Travis claimed that at least 10 to 15 athletes in every locker room are flat-earthers. Jason Kelce, however, added that if someone were to conduct an anonymous poll about it, the number of flat-earth believers could potentially jump up to 20%, equating to approximately 11 players out of a 53-man roster.

“Dude, honestly, there are at least 10 to 15 guys in every locker room; I would imagine,” Travis remarked, followed by Jason adding, “If you took an anonymous poll like nobody had to disclose their name or anything like that, you’re over 15% of an NFL locker room… Maybe over 20.”

This revelation baffled the Ricky Stanicky actor, but Travis consoled him by jokingly saying, “Dude, everyone gets hit in the head.” Nevertheless, while the Kelce duo’s numbers may be somewhat exaggerated, there have been some instances when NFL players have openly admitted believing in the earth being flat.

Darius Slay, Sammy Watkins, and Others Are Flat-Earthers

As per Sports Illustrated, free agent wide receiver Sammy Watkins claimed back in 2017 that the earth is flat. But he isn’t the only NFL athlete on that list, as Eagles CB Darius Slay told Tori Petry of DetroitLions.com back in 2018 that the earth is flat.

“I mean, I think it is (flat), we’re walking flat, so how is it round?,” claimed the All-Pro cornerback.

Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen followed suit just last year and claimed the same thing. “PSA,” Queen wrote in a tweet. “Earth is flat. Thank you. Carry on!!”

The list goes on! Former Texas Tech safety, Tyler Owens, apparently told reporters at the Scouting Combine that he doesn’t believe in space or any other planets. Thus, he finds the Flat Earth Theory ‘interesting’ and ‘valid’.

“Nah, I don’t believe in space…. like, you know, I’m religious, so I think like… we’re on our own right now. I don’t think there’s, like, other planets, and stuff like that. I don’t know,” Owens said, as per DailyMail.

Even Seahawks QB Geno Smith has claimed that the whole thing is still up for debate. Moreover, Jason Kelce once revealed that, out of curiosity, he had asked one of his coaches about the Flat Earth Theory and if anyone believed in it. Right there and then, an athlete nearby said, “I mean how you know it isn’t?”

Despite its absurdity, the debate will rage on till the end of time, it seems. However, there are simple experiments that can be conducted in front of a flat-earther to convince them otherwise, as perfectly demonstrated by Wired.

About the author

Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza, or "Rocky," is an NFL editor for the SportsRush. Although his love for football began with Tom Brady, he’s now a devoted fan of Jalen Hurts and is keeping his fingers crossed for the first ring. When asked how he remains loyal to the Eagles, he channels his inner Jim from The Office and responds, 'On a wing and a prayer.' Much like his love for football, Rocky is a dedicated cinephile with an impressive amount of screen time. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva’.

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What NBA star claimed that the earth is flat?

People who subscribe to flat Earth beliefs may tend to separate themselves from others and exhibit fanaticism, limiting personal freedom.

Title:

Content: "The Lost Earth Truth 1": The level of the earth seems to be the "gold rush" of our time.
Photo Credit: iStock
What we want you to know is
Through the multi-dimensional advanced high-tech "heterogeneous meta-helmet", scientists learned that the earth is full of four-dimensional entrances, the third dimension of the material plane and the fourth dimension of the etheric plane are originally "twins".
Written by Radu Cinama
Tiping said it was the "gold rush" of this era.
Based on a reference to the House of the Cabal, which hides the door to multidimensional interaction, I found an informative note that I had never seen before, floating among dozens of notes on my desk.
In general, I prefer to work in electronic form or wait for notes or files in digital format, but given my particular interest in the Dimension Portal, I decided to check everything on my desk, including the latest events.
I do not know the reasons and methods, but the information I found was ignored.
After reviewing notes and data summaries, I discovered an event called “Ground Floor – References ”, a“ movement ” that I ’ ve heard has made waves among people, but I never thought it would become a theme for our department.
The illusion of this idea is obvious, especially for those who have good judgment and personal experience of our planet from the perspective of outer space.
I was a bit confused and didn ’ t know if I should read a few pages of summaries about the ground floor.
I went to Lieutenant Nikola and asked him about it.
He told me that the information came from the operations department of another SRI division, an acronym for the Romanian Intelligence Agency, which has the status of a second level notice.
The lieutenant made it clear that the only reason this information reached our department was because it triggered an abnormal "phenomenon" in the world, but in our country, the number of "followers" is relatively small and the proportion is reasonable, and the level seems to be the "gold rush" of our time. It makes you speechless, even in a state of “shock. ”
I can understand that the paranoia and other obscure interests of hundreds of years ago amplify the lack of knowledge, which may occupy the minds of a relatively small number of people, but it is unreasonable to allow it to develop to the level of the international movement of the 21st century.
From a heavenly point of view, I wonder if human stupidity can rise above that level, but I don ’ t quite believe in that prospect.
However, even the most bizarre phenomena must be taken into account, at least taking into account the crowd and their opinions, which is one of the Secret Service's tasks.
I did read the summary, which revealed the main points of the problem very clearly, but did not give any conclusions.
Severe retrogression into the Middle Ages
On the same night, I took advantage of Cesar ’ s free time and shared the ground level problem with him, more as a social case than a research direction.
Cesar laughed loudly, talked about the topic for a while, and then suddenly turned to some very interesting questions.
He told me that three or four years ago, the issue was introduced to him and discussed with other colleagues in the intelligence department because there were signs that the idea was trending toward a consensus.
Out of respect for readers, I don ’ t usually include such a discussion in my series.
It requires only a little wisdom and minimal scientific training to understand, and arguments in support of this theory are tantamount to ignorance and fanaticism.
Beyond this, however, Cesar reveals some psychological cues that seem to be of some importance to general knowledge and social experience.
When discussing topping with Cesar, the first point involves a large number of followers.
“The mechanism for this strange theory of increased follower numbers is related to human isolation, ” says Cesar.
“It ’ s as if the population is divided into two distinct categories, but this separation is actually based on each person ’ s level of consciousness, which is directly related to their vibration frequency. ”
“But, ” I replied,“ I don ’ t know what caused this outbreak, and more and more people are insisting on these ‘ arguments ’ without meaning. ”
It's more like a stupid virus. "
“This major shift in thinking patterns is not at the same wavelength as what is commonly understood in the world today.
In other words, such new ideas have nothing to do with the knowledge of our time.
This is an effective method, because the earth is flat, and the idea is strongly supported by mystical factors, as well as by those who are keen to see things stagnant and not progressing.
This is the best way to control it: take people away from reality, let them dream nonsense, support their fantasies, and encourage them to project.
Therefore, it is controlled by imposing on the masses what they want.
Followers of earth thought, firmly believing in it, will seek to meet others, gather, and even separate themselves from others, because they will see others as fools deceived by lies.
In other words, they will be convinced that they are the ones who “discovered ” the truth. While it is sad to hear the news, unfortunately, the situation is quite real. ”
“Although I have this report under my nose, I can ’ t believe it has reached this point.
I feel like this is an ugly dream, as if some people in the world have voluntarily gone back hundreds of years.
That's how I feel.
Incredibly, people ’ s minds today are still influenced by delusions that defy not only decent intelligence but also scientific reasoning, making everything frenzied.
Look at the results! ”
I showed Cesar ’ s estimated numbers and charts.
"I know.
We've talked to other colleagues, "he said.
“Your surprise is evidenced by the huge difference in conceptualization and vibration frequency that people are beginning to feel.
This is a reality that has become increasingly prominent over time and cannot be ignored.
This is part of the isolation I told you about.
In principle, people interact with those who are evolving and those who prefer to stay in purely physical, crude or involuntary groups.
Those in the first category perfect themselves, recognize the changes that are taking place on Earth, and experience certain emotional states and specific sensations.
That ’ s why it ’ s incredible for some people to think about problems in a medieval way, such as followers of the Earth Theory. ”
Cesar saw the astonishment on my face and hurried to prove what he said again.
“Yes, I ’ m not exaggerating.
This is a return to the Middle Ages, because these people cannot evolve; instead, they return to a more archaic state of consciousness, closer to their true level of consciousness. ”
“Why can ’ t they evolve? ” I asked in surprise.
Of course, I know the answer, but it ’ s always a pleasure to capture Cesar ’ s explanation.
In addition, there is always a new element that can enrich my knowledge.
“Because the current state of things they attract has nothing to do with the higher vibrations of the Earth, this feature is becoming more and more apparent. ”
“For the followers of the Earth Plane, their consolation lies in the frenzy of these primitive ideas, which are maintained as free spirits and ideas are blocked.
The same was true during the Inquisition: a set of foolish and erroneous ideas was raised into law, and any violation of those ideas was enforced. ”
When I think about it all, I hope I ’ m wrong.
“Are we back in the Middle Ages? History has set off a wave of extreme ideas.
Ancient people already knew that the earth was round, but the situation deteriorated in the Middle Ages, when there was a revival of modern science, but was this only to take us back to the Middle Ages now? ” (The author undoubtedly refers to the knowledge shared by Pythagoras and Aristotle, who both asserted that the earth is round, and the argument made by Eratonius in ancient Alexandria.)
Cesar calmly replied, “We don ’ t; but for the part that has degraded, yes. ”
Several factors contributed to this.
Followers of the Earth ’ s theory are indignant at their opinionated views, their refusal to think logically or rationally on the basis of real arguments and evidence, their denial of evidence, and their deceitful defense of their position.
In general, this is a kind of missionary covering up fanaticism.
The psychological factor of the earth level, the mind pulls people's distance
We note that whenever fanaticism prevails, society is confronted with a lack of insight and the limitations of personal freedom.
Cesar gave me an example that better explains how this dilemma can be achieved in the context of a relatively developed civilization.
"This phenomenon is the same as in quantum physics.
If there is enough energy, the electrons can jump into higher orbits.
If there is not enough energy, it can be kept at a slightly higher level and relatively stable; but at some point, the remaining energy will be released in the form of photons, and the electron will return to the orbit where it was originally found, back to where it started.
In quantum physics, this is the basic orbit of electrons.
In other words, electrons with these characteristics will return to the level where they have a safe orbit. ” I interjected, clinging to the subject.
“I know that throughout human history, the idea that the earth is flat has long existed in some religions.
Modern astronomy has developed extensively since then.
Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto have only been discovered for about two hundred years.
In this sense, the ground floor is actually not very old, its memory is still fresh.
Perhaps that is why some humans return to the state they once knew. "
“This is another factor, ” Cesar acknowledged,“ in any case, human society is changing from ‘ possessiveness ’ to ‘ feeling ’, that sense of possession, egoism, competition, and violence tends to be gradually replaced by pure and positive emotions and feelings, which are fundamental to love, altruism, and compassion. ”
I have some doubts.
“It ’ s hard to believe, because almost all of us are seeing the spread of these negative manifestations. ”
“At first glance, it might be so.
Remember, however, that most people on Earth are uneducated, and they ‘ resort ’ to this illusion of competition, money, commerce, and lack of spirituality.
A large number of people who are addicted to this dream, tend to oppose those who are guided only by spiritual values and seek a pure life with a clear meaning, and have achieved a balance at this point.
This is what we call isolation. "
In fact, what Cesar wanted to say is that everyone is invited to participate in the great spiritual transformation of humanity and our planet, with the desire and dignity to demand that his life be the germ of light, spirituality and hope that we can enter a bright future.
This is an excellent ideal, but so far too few people have followed this ideal.
Book Introduction
This excerpt is from The Lost Earth Truth 1: The Hidden History of Holographic Time Travel, published by Daxi Culture.
Written by Radu Cinamar
Translated by: Sandra
• momo online bookstore
• Enter TNL83 at Pubu E-Bookstore checkout to enjoy 83% off sitewide (excluding some items, such as physical, adult and designated items, cannot be combined with other offers)
• If you purchase the book through the links above, Key Review Network will receive a score profit from it.
Radu Cinamar became famous after revealing an unprecedented and mysterious collaboration between the US and Romanian militaries.
American and Romanian troops have made an expedition under the Romanian Sphinx in the Bucegi Mountains and discovered the greatest archaeological discovery of all time: a mysterious chamber about 50,000 years old, containing a holographic record of human history of the Earth, biological resonance imaging technology, and three mysterious tunnels that lead to secrets deep in the heart of the earth.
Despite the political intrigue, confusion, and restrictions surrounding this great discovery, the expedition leader allowed Radu Sinamar to visit and explore the artifacts.
Since then, Radu ’ s life has been a labyrinthine adventure, filled with strange events, secret connections, and unusual people and things.
This book delves into ancient history in an unprecedented way, through the interaction of advanced technology ’ s “heterogeneous helmets ” with the author ’ s cerebral cortex and intuition, presenting more than 70 stunning images of the scene, the result of which is holographic projection, explaining and illustrating the DNA changes that took place over thousands of years and how humans evolved into what they are today.
Reveals the mystery of how multiple alien civilizations influenced and guided human DNA to evolve to a higher level.
Some of the hot spots in human history, which in the past either remained unknown or were only considered from a mythological point of view, include: Atlantis, Troy, Shambhala, and Huppelburia.
Disrupting the myths of the past, this book provides rich and accurate communications from the actual scene of holographic technology, combining esoteric knowledge and some scientific factors.
Special emphasis is placed on the "intersection" between the physical dimension and the etheric dimension and on the cracks or entrances between the dimensions.
In addition to revealing the ancient history of mankind, this fascinating work also describes a time out to see the origins of humanity and its hope for the future.
Book Features
Time-lapse decoding! The beginning of important human change
Through the multi-dimensional advanced high-tech "heterogeneous meta-helmet", scientists learned that the earth is full of four-dimensional entrances, the third dimension of the material plane and the fourth dimension of the etheric plane are originally "twins".
And you can see the "cosmic record" in the holographic image!
You can also overlook the cross-section of the earth, covering the deep human genetic technology and high-dimensional cosmic civilization, and no book in its amazing history has been exposed so far!
Editor-in-Chief: Weng Shihang
Editor-in-chief: Bohan Pan
Tags:

Human isolation, lack of education, and materialism can contribute to the adoption of flat Earth beliefs.

The resurgence of flat Earth beliefs may be due to factors like social media, lack of education, and declining trust in scientists.

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Who's most likely to be open to conspiracy theories? UNH research points to millennials and Trump supporters

Who are the groups most likely to believe in conspiracy theories? That’s the question a University of New Hampshire researcher recently set out to solve.

Sociology professor Lawrence Hamilton looked into national survey data gauging public beliefs in several conspiracy theories, including: "NASA astronauts did not really land on the Moon" and "The Earth is flat, not round."

After digging into that data, Hamilton found "acceptance or openness to conspiracy beliefs was significantly higher among certain subgroups, including Millennials and supporters of ex-president Trump."

NHPR’s Rick Ganley talked with Hamilton about his findings — and the role social media plays in spreading conspiracy theories. Below is a transcript of their conversation, lightly edited for clarity.

Read more about Hamilton's research here.

Transcript

Rick Ganley: It's worth noting that some of these conspiracy theories are old. Some are more recent. But all of them seemingly were given a boost by social media. And it's not hard to find false information, obviously, about topics online. Did you find it used to be much harder to hear about or be convinced of something like this?

Lawrence Hamilton: Well, I've never asked these questions before, so I don't have my own data. There are Gallup polls going back to the late 1990s that seem to find much smaller fractions of people thinking that the moon landings were faked, for example. So there's some kind of indirect evidence. I don't know if anybody tracked it very well. The number of people who've heard about these theories [that's] rising are the people who are drawn into them. And I'm sure that YouTube and social media — people describe it as a rabbit hole, where if you start watching one video [alleging the Earth is flat], they'll recommend another one for you. And pretty soon it seems like the whole world is all about flat Earth.

Rick Ganley: Your research looked into the political leanings of people who responded. What did you find there?

Lawrence Hamilton: We did find a political correlation, and that wasn't a foregone conclusion, because I had specifically chosen conspiracy theories that are not known to have a clear political [connection]. I mean, there's been a lot of research going back really to the 1960s on the paranoid style in American politics that has found conspiracy theories are more popular among conservatives across a range of issues. In the 1950s, it was conspiracies by Communist infiltration in the U.S. government. Now, it may be conspiracies directed at politicians — [alleging without evidence that former President Barack] Obama is a Muslim, or [President Joe] Biden stole the 2020 election — and others that are targeted at scientists, like climate change is a hoax, COVID-19 is a hoax or COVID precautions or vaccines are a hoax. And I chose none of those. I chose things like: ‘The moon landings were fake,’ or ‘Earth is flat,’ ‘Vaccines implant microchips.’ So it was interesting to find that even there, there's a conservative preference.

Rick Ganley: A lot of this does come down to faith in science and academics and what so-called experts have to say. Do you see this as evidence of a decline in faith in institutions?

Lawrence Hamilton: Well, I would say there's a decline — and this is something we do have data on — there's a wide decline in trust in scientists, and it's largely partisan. It's not so much happening among people who self-identify as liberal or moderate. But among people who identify as conservative or very conservative, there's definitely a decline in trust in scientists. The COVID pandemic was an interesting case in point, because we were actually tracking this on surveys, and trust in the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] took an enormous nosedive over space about four months, specifically among conservatives. Other groups didn't change. But the conservative trust in the CDC took this huge dive when [former President] Donald Trump's tweeting turned from praising the CDC to attacking it. And with that flip, conservative trust in the CDC flipped as well, and nobody else has changed much.

Rick Ganley: Your research also highlighted a pattern having to do with age. Respondents who classify themselves as millennials, that is those born between 1981 and 1996, were the most likely to agree with some of the conspiracies that you posed. And Gen Zs, I guess, were also more inclined than older respondents. What did you find there?

Lawrence Hamilton: Well, some of that corresponded to previous surveys. There's a section at the end of our report where we say, well, how does this compare with what other people have found? Just as a reality check. And that's been reported by a number of other studies as well. So millennials in particular, and Gen Z to a slightly lesser extent, were much less skeptical about the conspiracies compared with boomers or older generations. And one explanation that's been offered for that, well, two explanations: Regarding the moon landings, of course, older generations lived through those and remember the national pride and excitement and so forth, whereas [for] younger generations, it's something in the history books. So maybe they don't have that sense of having been there when it happened. But the other thing is that you could expect younger generations to be more engaged with social media, which for some people could take them down these rabbit holes again.

Rick Ganley: Does your research have any suggestions on how to stop people from believing in conspiracy theories?

Lawrence Hamilton: That's a real hard one because there's this tendency to get into information silos where all you hear are the voices that reinforce your prejudices. And a thing about conspiracies is that they will give you a reason to reject anything that contradicts them. People have been seeing [the science behind] climate change for a long time, [and] you can't go in with fact sheets. That doesn't persuade anybody. They'll just become convinced that you're part of the hoax, too. There aren't any simple answers. The strongest recommendation is that scientists stay engaged in public communication through every channel they have, and that they try to make their conclusions understandable or accessible to people from a lot of different walks of life who obviously are not reading the peer review journals.

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Understanding the characteristics of flat Earth believers and the factors that contribute to their beliefs can inform strategies to educate them about the evidence against the theory.

Critical thinking, developed through means like family discussions and debate clubs, is essential for recognizing manipulation and hypocrisy.

Title:

Content: Parents were given advice on how to develop critical thinking in a child
Critical thinking consists of the body of knowledge that a person receives throughout life, including at school and in a higher educational institution.
Nevertheless, the basis of such an attitude lies in the mental sphere of a person, primarily in his attitude to the data obtained.
And these criteria and values are laid down from childhood.
About this "Gazeta.Ru" told the teacher of history of the school "New look", graduate student of HSE Niyaz Galyaviev.
“This is about understanding the criteria for reliability of information.
A person should not perceive the information as knowingly true and truthful.
It must be evaluated by the criteria of reliability of information: is its source reliable, is a professional expert cited certain data? ” he explained.
First of all, as the teacher said, the basic attitudes of the future adult are formed in the family.
Such mentality and approach begin with household issues.
“How much do parents give the child the opportunity to express their own opinion on a particular issue?
Are they ready, and most importantly, do they want to discuss the situation and their point of view with him?
Therefore, initially it is necessary to create an appropriate atmosphere within the family: with the appropriate values, approach and the ability to challenge the child ’ s point of view of the parents, ” the specialist stressed.
Next comes the school.
It is clear that parents cannot influence the school itself much if there is an atmosphere of “non-discussion ” of decisions in it.
However, parents can take this aspect into account when choosing a school for their child.
“It is necessary to pay attention to the teaching staff of the school, to the atmosphere prevailing in it, the style of communication between the leadership and teachers.
All this in general will form an understanding of what attitude prevails in the school to students and whether it is possible to foster critical thinking in children, ” added Galyaviev.
The teacher also gave some advice to parents.
The first of them is to discuss more with your child various situations, yours and his attitude towards them.
Here we are talking both about everyday life events, and about situations and plots in books and films.
“Model situations by taking one side or the other.
Look for arguments with your child to defend different points of view.
Teach the child the culture of argument and tell him how to use facts and arguments in it.
It is also worth paying attention to the social sciences, the processes in which can be understood and discussed.
They can be your helpers in the formation of critical thinking of the child.
It is, first and foremost, history and social science.
Let me give an example of a story - discuss historical events with your child, express your reasoned attitude to them.
And if it comes to recent history, then tell about those historical events that you witnessed to give an alternative or supplement the knowledge gained at school.
In fact, you will be another source of historical information for the child, ” he advised.
In addition, special attention to the development of critical thinking can be paid to additional classes.
“Parents ’ aides can be clubs or debate clubs.
They teach to build a discussion, to look for arguments in favor of a particular point of view.
Children also have the opportunity to defend not only their opinion, but also, participating in simulated situations, the opinion of the opposite side.
And in public speaking courses, as a rule, they inculcate the skill of speaking in front of a large number of people, they are taught to cope with anxiety and experiences.
Such classes give the child self-confidence, which is important, and also inculcate the skill of forming possible questions and preparing answers to them, ” the expert said.
You can also pay attention to the sections, which prepare for future professions, assuming the skill of critical thinking as hard skills.
These are, first of all, circles of young journalists and historians.
This is where they talk about the criteria for reliability of information.
For example, that the data are not true if they are not confirmed from 2-3 sources.
“Of course, a favorable time for the development of critical thinking is the teenage age of the child, when faith in authority begins to be questioned, ” added Galyaviev.
According to the teacher, critical thinking significantly affects the independence of a person, forms his independence from other people's judgments.
He will be able to make his own decisions and thus manage his own life.
An adult with critical thinking cannot be held hostage to other people ’ s opinions, authorities and delusions.
He will form his attitude to the situation, based on an objective attitude to it.
Such adults will not become the object of manipulation of other people, will be able to recognize their hypocrisy and dishonesty, as well as hidden motives, the expert concluded.

Parents influence their children's behavior and values through intelligent dialogue, promoting critical thinking and development.

Title:

Content: Forcing or empowering?
T + T - normal size
The girl goes to her parents to tell them that the teacher may not accept her presence in the classroom because.., the father interrupts her suddenly and he is angry and angry, and tells her in a disgruntled tone that these introductions are known, so it is preferable to enter the subject without building stories and fictional novels, the mother did not accept the style of the father offensive, so she goes to her daughter in her room alone, He carefully told her and visited the teacher later at school that what happened between her daughter and the teacher was just a misunderstanding.
Can we force the children of today to follow the pedagogical approach that we were raised in the past to the letter?
Does anyone boast of being among the first to be deprived of well-being and of their natural right to make points of view, and intelligent dialogue with parents is considered ignorant?
Do not raise your children as your fathers raised you; for they were created for a time other than your own.
The family has an important role in raising children and instilling positive values and morals, and both parents are the pillars of the family, because they have the first and most important impact on children since childhood, the child is inherent and more contact with them, and derives from them behavior, morals and values, but life skills change every time, so today we cannot force children to do without modern technology. Even in the way we treat others, we can empower them to have the right choices and opportunities that help them reach their goals.
The school also has a share, and a large role in the education and education of children, which begins from the age of their children until their youth, the school is the second home, and the teacher, educator, and teachers - certainly - have an effective role in evaluating the behavior of children, and leave a qualitative fingerprint, contribute to change and develop the course of their lives for the better.
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Education helps children discern true from false information and mitigates flat Earth risks.

Title:

Content: Taiwan has been the champion of "false information" for nine consecutive years. Children are the main target. Is critical media literacy education the solution?
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
What we want you to know is
Research shows that children often start believing unproven conspiracy theories at the age of 14, and more than 80% of middle school students mistake “sponsored ads ” for“ news stories. ”
But what exactly should the media literacy curriculum teach?
At present, there are still divergent views......
Text: Yu-An Lai
According to the 2021 V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy) report by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, Taiwan has been the champion of “false information ” for nine consecutive years, making it the most frequently attacked country in the world by false information.
The government of Taiwan will invest 11.7 billion yuan in 2023, aiming to enable primary and secondary schools across the country to comprehensively promote digital improvement projects, so as to achieve "class has the Internet, there is a tablet", this policy is aimed at strengthening students' ability to use digital technology, but if children use it inappropriately, it will be counterproductive.
In the pursuit of the popularization of the Internet and the teaching of digital technology, we also have to think about how to teach children to distinguish between trustworthy news information and news when the huge amount of fake information on the Internet is overwhelming.
The younger you are, the more likely you are to be a primary target of false information.
Science magazine Scientific American reports that children are the primary targets of disinformation disseminators.
According to a 2019 study by the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, children usually start believing unproven conspiracy theories at the age of 14, and many contemporary teenagers have difficulty judging the credibility of online messages.
Researchers at Stanford University also found in a 2016 study that more than 80 percent of middle school students misidentified “sponsored ads ” as“ news stories. ”
Fake messages are often delivered to young internet users, directing them to misleading content.
A 2018 Wall Street Journal survey also found that YouTube ’ s algorithms push personalized recommendations for different users, but they tend to recommend videos that are more extreme and far-fetched than what users originally watched.
For example, when researchers search for “eclipse ” as a keyword, they are directed to a video whose main theme is to imply that the Earth is flat.
YouTube is one of the most popular social media sites for young people, and for such extreme algorithms, Zeynep Tufekci, assistant professor at the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, called it “one of the most powerful radical tools of the 21st century. ”
The influence of false information and false information cannot be ignored.
In response to the spread of false information, UNICEF provides the following 10 insights and recommendations
1.
Misinformation and disinformation on the Internet is an urgent public issue.
The power of fake information must not be underestimated. For children who are now active on the Internet, fake information is an important part of their daily lives.
Fake messages on social media are often more powerful, farther, faster, and deeper than the right messages, especially when the issues involve divisive, highly controversial, and highly emotional topics, such as immigration, gender politics and equality, and vaccination are hot topics.
2.
The impact and consequences of errors and false information on the real world
Misinformation and misinformation have been used to incite violence and crime against ethnic minorities (which can lead to the death and displacement of children), while misinformation and misinformation have reduced vaccination rates for children with Covid-19, undermined trust in news and science, and drowned out marginalized voices.
3.
Algorithms play a more critical role, even though misinformation and misinformation are often transmitted through people
Algorithms deliver personalized messages and news stories through users ’ digital footprints, but sometimes they can also recommend content that is inaccurate, misleading, sensational, and conspiracy theories.
Therefore, we can say that the algorithm may be a key carrier for amplifying the spread of false information.
4.
Children are vulnerable to errors and false information
Because children are in a developing stage, they do not yet have the ability to distinguish between reliable and unreliable information.
Not only will they be harmed by errors and misinformation, they may also continue to pass on the wrong information to their peers.
For younger children who do not use social media, they may also be exposed to false or false information through their parents, caregivers, or classmates.
5.
Still, children can challenge and debunk mistakes and misinformation
Now that they have become the primary targets and targets of misinformation, children can still actively fight them.
Children can contribute to fact-checking and deification efforts, such as the Covid-19 pandemic misinformation for Nepal.
The UNICEF Mission in Montenegro ’ s “Let ’ s decide what we want to watch ” programme provides young people with the opportunity to train in media literacy and journalistic skills to improve the quality of reporting on children ’ s rights.
6.
Education is especially important.
In order to help children to judge whether information is true or false, they should develop the ability to read and think critically from an early age.
Make sure that children have critical thinking skills, not only online, but also offline, in everyday life.
7.
It is necessary to take collective action to protect children.
Politicians, civil society organizations, technology companies, parents, and educators must all work together to avoid the harm that misinformation and misinformation can do to children.
There is no reliable data and research on how to slow down the spread of false and false information.
8.
Policymakers should develop norms of misinformation and misinformation based on children ’ s rights
UNICEF recommends that policy makers develop regulations for children to protect them from the effects of error and false information, while ensuring that they can access content safely.
Regulation should be based on the classification of content and ensure transparency and accountability.
This is a very significant policy challenge between the protection of rights on the Internet and speech.
9.
Tech companies can help combat errors and misinformation
UNICEF recommends that tech companies actually implement their declared policies and invest more in people and technology.
Tech companies should publish how they deal with fake messages on their platforms and prioritize the idea of meaningful connections and children ’ s diversity in digital system design.
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Social media use can harm children's mental health and spread misinformation, such as flat Earth beliefs.

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Content: Presented By

Surgeon General warns social media companies to “take immediate action” to protect kids from negative mental health impacts

May 23, 2023, 2:41 PM UTC
Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has issued a warning about kids and social media.
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While social media use by teens is near ubiquitous, the U.S. Surgeon General is warning that the mental health impacts are still not fully known—and has called on tech companies to “take immediate action to mitigate unintended negative effects”

Dr. Vivek Murthy noted that while children under 13 are technically banned from signing up for services like Tik Tok, Snapchat and more, children have been easily able to join and bypass limitations. Up to 95% of kids between the ages of 13 and 17 report using a social media platform, with more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to a new report from the Surgeon General.

Acknowledging that more research is necessary and that there could be some benefits for adolescents, Murthy warned “there are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. At this time, we do not yet have enough evidence to determine if social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents.”

The report hinted at a call for more government oversight of social media companies. The U.S., it said, has a history of regulating things that impact children, ranging from toys to medications.

“Given the mounting evidence for the risk of harm to some children and adolescents from social media use, a safety-first approach should be applied in the context of social media products,” it read.

Of particular concern is the effect of social media on brain development. Adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19, it says, are in a period where risk-taking behaviors reach their highest levels and when depression and other mental health issues often emerge. That age is also where children’s sense of self worth begins to manifest. Social media can severely affect that development.

“Frequent social media use may be associated with distinct changes in the developing brain in the amygdala (important for emotional learning and behavior) and the prefrontal cortex (important for impulse control, emotional regulation, and moderating social behavior), and could increase sensitivity to social rewards and punishments,” Murthy warned. “As such, adolescents may experience heightened emotional sensitivity to the communicative and interactive nature of social media.”

While it’s easy to dismiss the problem of children on social media as a parenting issue, Murthy’s report said that’s oversimplifying things.

“Parents face significant challenges in managing children and adolescents’ use of social media applications, and youth are using social media at increasingly earlier ages,” it reads. “While nearly all parents believe they have a responsibility to protect their children from inappropriate content online, the entire burden of mitigating the risk of harm of social media cannot be placed on the shoulders of children and parents.”

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The adoption of flat Earth beliefs can be attributed to psychological, social, and mental health factors.

Title:

Content: Read at the conference.
Lessons of the past and the benefits of the following
Generations and Awareness of the Uniformity of the Yemeni Revolution
September...
A blank page that doesn't fold.
26 September.
A renewed national revolution
The Yemeni revolution was yesterday ’ s enemy.
Alliance of Aggression Today
A glorious day in the history of the people.
The Role of the Conference in the Face of the Challenges of the Revolution
September...
CONFERENCY COMMITMENT
Confronting Conspiracy with More Revolutionary Behavior
Why do Yemenis celebrate the Yemeni revolution on September 26 and October 14?
National and National Revolution
September is not over.
The General People ’ s Congress between conspirators and pretenders!
NEWS
Conference -
Mental health...
Key Facts
Mental health is not just the absence of mental disorders.
Mental health is an integral part of health; indeed, health is incomplete without mental health.
Mental health is influenced by socio-economic, biological and environmental factors.
There are cross-sectoral and cost-effective strategies and interventions to promote mental health.
Mental health is an integral part of health.
In this regard, the Constitution of the World Health Organization states that "health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity".
One of the most important implications of this definition is that the explanation of mental health goes beyond the concept of the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.
Mental health is a state of wellness in which an individual can devote his or her own abilities, adapt to normal types of stress, work with dedication and effectiveness, and contribute to his or her community.
Mental health and wellness are fundamental to our collective and individual ability to think, be influenced, interact with each other as human beings, earn a living and enjoy life.
As such, the promotion, protection and restoration of mental health can be considered a vital concern for individuals, groups and communities around the world.
Determinants of Mental Health
There are multiple social, psychological, and biological factors that determine an individual ’ s level of mental health at some point.
It is recognized, for example, that the persistence of socio-economic pressures is a risk to the mental health of individuals and communities.
The most visible evidence relates to poverty indicators, including low levels of education.
There is also a correlation between poor mental health and factors such as rapid social transformation, stressful working conditions, gender discrimination, social exclusion, unhealthy lifestyles, risks of violence and physical ill health, and human rights violations.
There are also specific psychological and other personality factors that make people vulnerable to mental disorders.
Finally, there are some biological factors that cause these disorders, including genetic factors and chemical imbalances in the brain.
Strategies and interventions
Promoting mental health involves taking actions that seek to create appropriate living conditions and environments to support mental health and enable people to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
This includes a range of actions that increase the chances of a greater number of people enjoying better mental health.
An environment that respects and protects the minimum civil, political, socio-economic and cultural rights is also a key factor in promoting mental health.
Without the security and freedom guaranteed by those rights, it is very difficult to maintain a high level of mental health.
National mental health policies should not only focus on mental health disorders, but also recognize and address the broad issues of mental health promotion.
This includes integrating mental health promotion into policies and programmes across government and other sectors, including education, employment, justice, transport, environment, housing and social welfare as well as the health sector.
Health promotion depends to a large extent on multisectoral strategies.
Some specific ways to carry out this process are as follows:
Early childhood interventions (such as home visits for pregnant women, pre-school psychosocial activities, combining nutritional interventions with psychosocial assistance for disadvantaged groups);
Provide necessary support to children (e.g., skill-building and child and youth development programmes);
Socio-economic empowerment of women (e.g. improved access to education and microcredit schemes);
Provision of necessary social support to the elderly (e.g. nepotism initiatives, day and community centres for the elderly);
Programmes targeting vulnerable groups, including minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants and people affected by conflicts and disasters (psychosocial post-disaster interventions);
Activities to promote mental health in schools (e.g. programmes in support of ecological changes in schools, child-friendly schools);
Interventions to promote mental health in the workplace (e.g. stress prevention programmes);
Housing policies (e.g. housing improvement);
Violence prevention programmes (such as reducing the availability of alcohol and access to weapons);
Community development programmes (e.g. ‘ Conscious Communities ’ initiatives, integrated rural development).
Poverty reduction and social protection for the poor;
Anti-discrimination laws and campaigns;
Protect the rights, opportunities and care of individuals with mental disorders.
Mental health care and treatment
In the context of national efforts to develop and implement mental health policies, it is important not only to protect and promote the psychological well-being of its citizens, but also to address the needs of people with specific mental disorders.
Our knowledge of what to do about the rising burden of mental disorders has improved dramatically over the past decade.
There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of key interventions for priority mental disorders in countries at different levels of economic development.
The following are examples of cost-effective, feasible and affordable interventions:
treatment of epilepsy with antiepileptic drugs;
Treatment of depression by psychotherapy and antidepressant drugs (produced as generics) in moderate to severe depression.
treatment of psychosis with antipsychotic drugs in addition to psychosocial support;
Taxation of alcoholic beverages and restriction of their availability and marketing.
There is also a range of effective measures for suicide prevention, prevention and treatment of mental disorders among children, prevention and treatment of dementia and treatment of drug use disorders.
The Action Programme on Bridging the Mental Health Gap has developed evidence-based guidelines for non-specialists to enable them to diagnose and manage priority mental health conditions.
Response of the World Health Organization
WHO supports governments in achieving the goal of improving and promoting mental health, has assessed evidence of mental health promotion, and is working with governments to disseminate this information and integrate effective strategies into policies and plans.
In 2013, the World Health Assembly approved a "Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020".
The plan represents a commitment by all WHO Member States to take specific action to improve mental health and contribute to the achievement of a range of global goals.
The overall objective of the Action Plan is to promote psychological recovery, prevent mental disorders, provide care, support recovery, promote human rights and reduce mortality, morbidity and disability for people with mental disorders.
It focuses on four main objectives to achieve the following:
Promoting effective leadership and mental health management;
Provide comprehensive and integrated health care services that respond to the needs of the population and social care services in community health facilities.
Implement strategies for mental health promotion and prevention;
Strengthening information systems, evidence and research needed for mental health.
Particular attention is paid to the Plan of Action for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, the Strengthening and Empowerment of Civil Society and the centrality of community care.
In order to achieve its objectives, the Action Plan proposes and requires clear actions to be taken by governments, international partners and WHO.
Ministries of health will have to take the lead and WHO will work with them and with international and national partners, including civil society, to implement the plan.
In the absence of any country-specific procedures, each Government will have to adapt the action plan to its specific national circumstances.
The implementation of the Action Plan will allow people with mental disorders to obtain:
Easy access to mental health and social care services;
Treatment by skilled health workers in public health-care settings; this process is facilitated by the WHO work programme on bridging the mental health gap and its evidence-based tools.
Participate in the reorganization, provision and evaluation of services so that care and treatment are more responsive to needs;
Increase access to government disability benefits, housing and livelihood programs, and improve participation in work, community life and civic affairs.
* Source: World Health Organization
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Misunderstanding science and emotional detachment from facts can lead to conspiracy beliefs, such as flat Earth theories.

Title:

Content:     People Are Sharing Debunked Conspiracy Theories That People Believe Anyway, And I Kind Of Can't Believe Some Of These

    "Not only is the entire conspiracy surrounding it completely implausible, it's also so easily defeated. It's just random garbage with a thousand predictions that haven't come true. Just give it up already. Even most doomsday cults give up after four or five faulty predictions."

    Sometimes you hear someone repeat a conspiracy theory that is obviously total nonsense — and it makes you say to yourself, "People still believe that?"

    Redditor u/Gaza1121 recently asked the people of Reddit, "What conspiracy theory is so easily disproven that you don't understand how it's still going?" At the very least, these answers might help people get a clue about a thing or two:

    1. "Flat earth."

    —u/Vivid_Reading_2159

    "I’ve truly never understood what the big conspiracy is about this — who would benefit from lying about the earth being a globe? I understand most other conspiracies and what the purpose that they would serve, but this one is so moronic it’s just beyond me. Why do they think we would be lied to about gravity?"

    —u/PM_ME_YOUR_SUBURBS

    2. "Elvis faked his death. If he was going to do that, wouldn’t he have chosen a more dignified way to go?"

    —u/jb40018

    3. "Dinosaurs never existed."

    —u/Outrageous_Winner663

    4. "That JFK, Jr. didn’t die and was going to come out of hiding to be Trump’s VP."

    —u/jwt0001

    5. "That the Holocaust was a hoax."

    —u/Left-Star2240

    "Eisenhower demanded they photograph and document it because he knew people would try to deny it happened. 'While I was touring the camp I encountered three men who had been inmates and by one ruse or another had made their escape. I interviewed them through an interpreter. The visual evidence and the verbal testimony of starvation, cruelty, and bestiality were so overpowering as to leave me a bit sick. In one room, where [there] were piled up 20 or 30 naked men, killed by starvation, George Patton would not even enter. He said he would get sick if he did so. I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to 'propaganda.'"

    —u/bostonwolf

    6. "The moon landing. The entity with the most at stake for the US successfully landing on the moon was the USSR, who also had the ability to track the spacecraft and refute that it landed. They never said a word."

    —u/314159265358979326

    7. "Vaccines cause autism."

    —u/llcucf80

    8. "That the grieving families of children shot in American schools are 'crisis actors.'"

    —u/InverseRatio

    9. "Today I discovered that there's large groups who believe that 9/11 was CGI and there never really were any planes. Hundreds of people in an Instagram post talking about how fake it looks and it's clearly edited. Then I realized anyone under the age of 22 weren't alive for it — and if they're under 25 and they don't remember it, and any teenagers from outside of the tri-state area might not even know anyone who was there."

    —u/Stonewall30nyr

    10. "Obama birtherism. A lot of other bonkers insane conspiracy theories are more insane in a 'supernatural insanity' sense, but they're also so far out there that you can barely apply common sense to them. What would motivate the lizard people? Who knows? They're lizard people! Whereas, let's see, a not-particularly-well-off woman living in Hawaii is pregnant — and the powers that be are somehow aware that her biracial child is someday in the future going to want to run for president."

    —u/Alex_Werner

    11. "Cancer has been cured and big pharma is sitting on it because it is more profitable not to cure cancer. The first problem with this is that there are multiple types of cancer. So there can't be a one size fits all cancer cure. Second is that a cancer cure would be exceedingly profitable for whatever company created it."

    —u/Thick-Worry5028

    12. "QAnon. I mean, they made a fucking documentary series about it and outed its creators. Not only is the entire conspiracy surrounding it completely implausible, it's also so easily defeated. It's just random garbage with a thousand predictions that haven't come true. Just give it up already. Even most doomsday cults give up after four or five faulty predictions."

    —u/Noobeaterz

    13. "Chemtrails."

    —u/you-are-number-6Q

    "I met someone who was into chemtrails — they thought everything was lithium poisoning and that the colors of the sunset was lithium in the atmosphere. They had a good hot dog stand, though."

    —u/SuspiciousStable9649

    14. "Jet fuel is a hoax and airliners run on compressed air."

    —u/Amberskin

    15. "The earth is five thousand years old."

    —u/cblume

    16. "The 2020 election was stolen."

    —u/prodigy1367

    17. "One I see sometimes as a math major, is that 0.999...does not equal 1 in the Real numbers. There are some math quacks out there who adamantly insist, no matter how you prove it to them otherwise, that 0.999...and 1 aren't just two ways of writing the same number."

    —u/bodyknock

    18. "Charles de Gaulle was King Charles's biological father."

    —u/joecoin2

    19. "The Titanic switch. I still have a hard time understanding how there are people that genuinely believe that shit."

    —u/daviepancakes

    And finally...

    20. "The republican party is fiscally conservative and believes in small government."

    —u/Psychogopher

Education and critical thinking can help debunk conspiracy theories, including flat Earth beliefs.

Acceptance by a group can motivate belief in false claims, such as flat Earth beliefs, especially among those seeking simple answers.

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Content: The Mountain State’s TRUSTED news source.

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Scientists have concluded that the human capacity for believing in nonsense stretches slightly beyond infinity. Natural immunity prevents COVID-19? John F. Kennedy Jr. is making plans to appear at Dealey Plaza in Dallas? Pillow guy Mike Lindell has a big file of evidence of a “rigged election?” Donald Trump represents humanity’s hope of bringing to bay a cult of baby eaters?

It’s unnerving that people believe such baseless claims. The issue isn’t whether such assertions are true, but rather how we are to deal with the roiling mess of factors that transport a good American, one who might gladly lend a hand to help a neighbor in need, to believe them.

Acceptance by the group is a powerful motivator. Once you are in, the warmth of group approval keeps you there. However, question the authority or, worse, ask, “What’s the evidence?” and one’s place in the group may come to a quick end. Those who are searching for simple answers to complex questions, as well as those who struggle for social affiliation are, thus, vulnerable to cult-like thinking.

A Monitor on Psychology article by Kirsten Weir pointed to an additional reason that some of us latch onto fantasies. We tend to accept something as true if it supports what we already have come to believe, such as a moral value, as behavioral scientists cited by Weir have discovered.

For example, University of California researchers Drs. Peter Ditto and Brittany Liu found that people who were morally opposed to condom education were less likely to believe the well-established facts that condoms are effective at preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

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Similarly, Dr. Tony Campbell and his research team at the University of Oregon sought out both the supporters of same-sex marriage and those who oppose it. Half of those in each group were presented with fictional data suggesting that children raised by same-sex parents will experience poor outcomes, while the remaining members of each group reviewed information suggesting healthy outcomes. The “evidence” tended to be seen as factual when it supported one’s side of the debate. But when the evidence did not support their view, the participants argued that their opposition was based on moral values, rather than on facts.

Perhaps there is a parallel to those who oppose COVID-19 vaccination but, when shown the evidence of vaccine effectiveness, mount moral objections, such as vaccines being an effort to reduce their freedoms.

Media, including the internet, play a role, too. The internet makes it easy to become enmeshed in the cadre who “confirm” what we wish was true. This week, the parents of several children who were murdered in the Sandy Hook school shooting successfully concluded their lawsuit against professional charlatan Alex Jones. On his show, Jones repeatedly had claimed that the shootings were a government “false flag” to justify greater gun control. Probably, the many listeners who agreed with Jones were already averse to gun control laws on moral or political grounds. Interestingly, rather than show up with evidence to defend himself, Jones defaulted on the parents’ lawsuit.

What can be done to stem the acceptance of demonstrably false beliefs? It is important to start with children, Weir says. A Stanford study shows that kids can be taught to pay attention to the source of information, to consider the possible biases of that source, to learn the motives of the source and to consider what might have been left out of a media report. Surely, grownups can cultivate those skills, too, if they aren’t already convinced it would subject them to governmental mind control.

Joseph Wyatt is a Gazette-Mail contributing columnist and emeritus professor at Marshall University. Reach him at wyatt@marshall.edu.

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Teaching kids to evaluate information sources can prevent false beliefs by considering biases and motives.

Focusing on prevention and education can prevent conspiracy theories by teaching critical thinking and analytical skills.

Title:

Content: How to convince conspiracy theorists
10 April 2023, 14: 20
Read news in ukrainian
Source:
Scientific American
Once you believe in the conspiracy theory, getting out of this rabbit hole will not be easy.
But you can somehow convince a person who believes in a conspiracy theory?
I want, of course, to use facts, counter-arguments or even appeal to emotions.
But it doesn't work.
First, it is important to answer the question, but why convince anyone at all?
Maybe let them believe what they want.
But the fact is that people who believe in conspiracy theories can harm not only themselves, but also the whole society, for example, anti-vaccinators.
They risk not only themselves, but also can be dangerous to others.
From Weapons of Mass Destruction to Chains: 5 Conspiracy Theories About COVID-19
The Dangers of Conspiracy Theories
This happened during the coronavirus pandemic, when some people refused vaccinations on principle.
Vaccination of the majority forms collective immunity, and some people who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons are assigned to collective immunity.
And anti-vaccinators can walk around and spread the disease without even knowing it, and infect everyone around them.
Or you can give an example of parents who refuse vaccinations for their children.
And these children can get seriously ill all their lives or even die.
The ideal solution, how to convince fans of conspiracy theory, scientists have not yet found.
But one thing is clear.
How to convince a conspiracy theorist
First, the authors advise not to appeal to emotions, not to put pressure on empathy or on the contrary to ridicule the opponent because of his conviction.
To refute the conspiracy theory with the help of facts is considered by scientists, unfortunately, also ineffective.
Instead, we need to focus on prevention and education.
That is, it is necessary to teach people to recognize unreliable information and sources themselves before they encounter a conspiracy theory.
And teach them to think critically and analytically.
It is not fast, but it is effective for the rest of your life.
And this was proved by the researchers, who conducted a three-month course for students, where they taught them critical thinking and talked about common mistakes in perception and logic.
After his passing, students began to less believe in conspiracy theories.
There is another interesting method – vaccination.
You can warn a person that he may encounter a certain conspiracy theory and immediately make arguments against him.
It will work well, but there are a few nuances.
First, if the person who spreads the conspiracy says that this vaccine is also part of the conspiracy, that is, uses the vaccine against the vaccine, then it may stop working.