Before the solar eclipse occurred on April 8, many theories emerged about what would happen.
On 8 April, the moon slipped in front of the sun, and it became dark on earth.
Solar eclipses occur from two to five times a year, but in different places. The one that happened in April came over Mexico, the United States and Canada. Millions of people could watch it for a few short minutes.
Many rejoiced when it was known that the solar eclipse would occur. While others were frightened.
Because the solar eclipse gave power to new and old conspiracy theories.
Evil and secret plans
Conspiracy theories are the belief that powerful people make secret and evil plans in secret. They want more power, and therefore they create chaos, terror, disease and pandemics. This is how they want to control people.
A conspiracy theorist is someone who believes in one or more such hidden plans.
The conspiracies have in common that the powerful people lie about things that happen.
And because they are so powerful, they make others also hide the truth, such as politicians, scientists, journalists, police, health workers and many more.
The solar eclipse was interpreted into several conspiracies.
Proof, cross and chaos
One of the oldest conspiracy theories is that the earth is actually flat.
Those who believe in this theory believe that scientists have been lying for centuries. And before the solar eclipse, those who believe in a flat earth said that now everyone would see that they were right.
The solar eclipse traveled from the Pacific Ocean in the southwest and towards the Atlantic Ocean in the northeast. On its way east, it could be seen from many states in the United States.
A Tiktok video with millions of views claimed it was on a suspicious trajectory.
For now, the path was the opposite of the solar eclipse in 2017. Thus, a large cross was drawn over a city in the USA, exactly where a national park is located. And that had to mean something, right?
Other conspiracy theorists believed that the authorities would cut off the electricity, shut down the mobile network and create chaos on April 8. They warned that the solar eclipse would be used to take full control of people and society.
What happened?
Then it went perfectly fine. People were not convinced that the earth is flat. Nothing happened in the national park. No dictatorship was introduced.
What do the conspiracy theorists do then?
Many researchers have investigated who believes in conspiracies and what happens to them when things do not turn out as they have predicted.
As a rule, they refuse to believe the evidence against their theory.
Rather, they interpret the evidence in the opposite way. This is called confirmation bias in the technical language. It is when you search for and interpret information so that it fits in with what you believe in yourself.
Nothing becomes a proof
The fact that nothing happens just proves that the powerful people are skilled at hiding their actions. Because actually, many terrible and secret things have happened during the solar eclipse.
Therefore, it is difficult to disprove the conspiracy. The fact that nothing happens is, for conspiracy theorists, proof that a lot of things are happening in secret.
It’s hard to give up something you really believe in. It applies to all of us, psychological studies show, not just those who believe in conspiracies.
Conspiracy theorists feel they have realized something no one else has. They know something the rest of us don’t. They have their own opinions, while they see the rest of us as sheep that wander in a herd.
Harmless and dangerous theories
Not all conspiracy theories are equally dangerous. It is not so important if someone believes that a prehistoric lizard lives in Loch Ness in Scotland.
Other theories can do harm and create fear. Like that vaccines are dangerous or that they contain a chip that controls us.
Not everyone is equally convinced. Some flirt with conspiracy theories for fun. Others believe just a little.
Is it possible to convince those who do not believe so strongly?
How to persuade someone who believes in conspiracies
Try arguing with him three times! But if you get nowhere the third time, then give up, suggests a psychologist.
If you get bored or angry, take care of yourself and give up the discussion, says another.
Not all matches can be won. It is very difficult to prove that something has not happened, say several researchers.
Another researcher points to something everyone can do.
Because one way to combat conspiracy theories is to create inclusive, stable and safe democratic societies, he believes.
Tags: conspiracy theorists theyre wrong
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