Posts by William Bennett53

I’m hardly an expert on what qualifies as a conspiracy theory, though I do happen to have a rather substantial volume sitting on my shelf—a gift I actually sat down and finished reading: http://www.amazon.com/The-Invisible-Hand/b?node=123456

My point is simply this: at its core, a conspiracy theory isn't necessarily tied to those massive, sweeping narratives. Rather, it encompasses any theory that fits the broad definition, or, to put it more bluntly, anything that fails to meet the standard of Occam’s razor.

Actually, perhaps it’s best if we both just stay quiet. We might end up getting moderated the moment they open that PDF. 🤣

Just a quick follow-up using Wikipedia's own definition of a conspiracy theory:

A conspiracy theory is an explanatory proposition that accuses two or more people, a group, or an organization of having caused or covered up, through deliberate collusion, an event or phenomenon of great social, political, or economic impact. In recent decades the term has acquired a derogatory meaning, and a careful distinction must be made between the derisive use of the term and reference to actual, proven conspiracies.

Based on this specific definition, the massive amount of noise coming from radical right-wing circles regarding the disappearance of that headless chicken—claiming it vanished simply because it was an obstacle to certain political opponents—is a textbook conspiracy theory. The only difference is that we all know the truth now, whereas just a few days ago, many people were treating those theories with absolute seriousness.

To be perfectly clear, I am not against the PDF; I simply believe its scope should encompass far more topics than what might be preferred by the users of this forum.

Brenda Cook4 said:I mean, it’s pretty obvious what constitutes a conspiracy theory if you just take a quick look at some of the major online forums dedicated to them (like GLP or ATS, for instance). If we can't have a standalone PDF, then maybe we could just add it as another section on Alternative.

*Look, your example isn't even a conspiracy theory; it's just standard American politics. I mean, whether we're talking about corporate greed or old-school FBI surveillance, those aren't conspiracies—they're just facts. 😬Beyond that, any subject can be viewed from multiple perspectives. Take the debate over same-sex marriage, for example; there's hardly an American forum out there where that hasn't been a topic of discussion... and so on.

But you definitely won't find conspiracy theories being opened up in Politics. I don't see them there, which is why I'm suggesting you check the web to get a better sense of what actually qualifies.

Just the other day, I stumbled upon a thread where the author was asking forum members—though he specifically targeted Americans rather than those he deemed "outsiders," implying only certain people were patriotic enough for their opinions to matter—whether people are afraid of former CIA assassins walking among us today. Is it a paranoid question? Yes. Do we actually know if anyone from the old agency or its members are committing murders today? We don't. So how can such a question not be classified as a conspiracy theory?

loneraven25 said:Where on earth would we even put him when every single corner of this forum already has its own dedicated group of conspiracy theorists breathing down everyone's necks?

Exactly. 👍
Take a scenario where some high-profile figure vanishes, and suddenly her supporters are flooding the boards with hundreds of posts blaming the government, the FBI, old-school communists, the CIA... you name it. Naturally, those claims belong in a conspiracy theory PDF, yet their followers would be absolutely mortified if they were actually categorized that way. Of course, by the time the truth finally comes out—say, it turns out she just went on a long trip to a small town in rural Montana—it's already too late.

Therefore, most topics could only be moved to such a PDF once it’s proven there was actually a conspiracy at play; an ex-post PDF is essentially meaningless.

It’s been settled. 😁
coastaldrifter6, I appreciate you bringing this to our attention.
Moderators, could we please have this thread locked? 😉

Ugh, I seem to have accidentally mangled things while trying to delete a previous post...🙈 I will attempt to restore it as soon as possible.

Good grief, what an absolute opportunity for a mob scene... I can already picture the crowd dragging him down from that tree just to kick him across the pavement. 😁

Man... I just wanted to drop by and remind you about that conversation we had the other day. 😉

Pat is pure gold; there really isn't anything more to be said about it. 🙏

Good grief, rustycobra32, I might have to track down swifttiger75 just to get your tribal name changed to Sad Owl.

Wikipedia said:He earned the name because, according to legend, an owl hooted mournfully all through the night he was born. He spends his entire life acting withdrawn, constantly predicting misfortunes that never actually come to pass. He’s in a perpetual feud with Mr. Bluff's dog, Flok, who harbors a deep, soulful hatred for the Sad Owl. That "bag of wind," as the Sad Owl occasionally calls him, never misses a chance to snap at the Sad Owl, while the latter retaliates against Flok whenever the opportunity arises.

First, my romance was an issue for you, and now it's TBF's statistics... we really ought to introduce a dog into the story, and then everything will fall perfectly into place. 🤣🤣🤣

In my view (and I’m certainly not moderating any political discourse here): the only thing Index could possibly be convicted of is being tasteless. It seems perfectly obvious that they aren't using that swastika to promote anything; rather, they are issuing a warning against fascism. Think back to that journalist a few years ago with the cartoon depicting Muhammad with a bomb in his hair. Joe Šimunić wasn't just caricaturing or warning anyone there—he was actively promoting and inciting. The only actual point of debate here is whether the "for home ready" salute qualifies as a fascist greeting or not. So, the comparison made above isn't particularly sound.

And yes, I agree that one might use Daily News in an argument with a similar level of weight as, say, a random blog. But again, that is merely my own opinion.

TBF, I'm sitting at number 7

Tyler Cruz32 said:Awwwwich 😍

The highlight was definitely when rustydrifter10 hit Megan Jones3 in the groin with a rock. 😬 🤣

Just be patient, darling, I'm on my way! 😍😍

swifttiger75, we're all hanging on every word of your stories! please, tell us what happened next! 🙏 😁

Sophia Smith29 said:...
Greetings.

So, someone opens a thread regarding moderator subjectivity and, by extension, the idiosyncratic nature of sub-forum rules, and you seize the moment to vent about how the bad moderators of the USA (or perhaps just Meadow) are harassing you and a few like-minded individuals by stubbornly and undemocratically (🤣) insisting on keeping debtors on the USA. The fact that there isn't an absolute single reason why this topic should bother anyone else is entirely irrelevant. What matters is that it might conceptually fit better on some other PDF and—pay attention to this part—it adds nothing whatsoever to the quality of the sub-forum. And naturally, you are then offended by the rigid behavior of a moderator who lacks any ear for your arguments.

In short, reading your post reminded me of two things:
1. The marriage referendum (the analogy here is perfect)
2. My mother's

I have already written this on the USA, but I will leave it here as well: if nothing else, debtors ought to remain where they are because there is a group of people who wish to read them and/or write them, and their mere existence does not, in any way, diminish or devalue the institution of marriage... excuse me, I meant the institution of forum participation.

If they decide to install some "like" button or some other similar piece of nonsense to rate posts,
I’m walking off this Reddit immediately.

So, I find myself facing a bit of a crossroads: do I head out to Tamburello, or do I face down this upcoming group? This incoming crowd is being led by Sukki, who has gone ahead and declared herself the Sheriff and apparently has a massive vendetta against me. On the other hand, there's Tyler Cruz32 waiting over at Tamburello, lounging on some rose-colored plush bedding and hoping I might actually show up.
Well, it isn't exactly an easy choice to make, but here we are. One decision must be made: TAMBURELLO! 😁

Just ask the man; if he says he can do it, he can. If he can't, then I fail to see why anyone should be formally permitted to address him by a handle that went dark years ago. But then again, you already know all this, don't you? I really don't understand why a veteran forum member with your level of experience needs to come here and pose such a question...

Dammit! 🙏 🙏 🙏

darkmarlin16 said:I honestly don't get why you always have to bring that up. 🤷

Clearly, we're not on the same page here. All I want is for my signature to show up in four lines on my screen, just like the one I see on yours. 😉

To make that happen, you're going to have to write a bit more text.