The conspiracy theory thread... Have at it!

[bonusmedia]

I agree with you Edwin but you did ask for this by creating the thread

We can boil this type of thinking down to: "It's us and them and everything bad is their fault." It's attractive because it cuts out a degree of responsibility for the state of our lives - just as religion used to. It also allows people to feel better about themselves because they know better than everyone else.

There's a handy quote from George Bernard Shaw - "all professions are conspiracies against the laity".
In that sense of the word, there are plenty of conspiracies out there. Just not lizard people faking the moon landing.
There are certainly limited numbers of people willing, able and qualified to do the top jobs and people do tend to associate with others at the same sort of level

No sense getting into the money supply question again but we can at least agree that there should be more focus on finance in schools - and it is now part of the national curriculum. That was a failing for years, I would say at least in part because up until fairly recently the average person would be expected to take professional advice for any big financial decision. However to be fair, anyone with a grounding in maths should be able to understand the basics well enough.

 

[BREWSTERS]

I agree with you Edwin but you did ask for this by creating the thread

We can boil this type of thinking down to: "It's us and them and everything bad is their fault." It's attractive because it cuts out a degree of responsibility for the state of our lives - just as religion used to. It also allows people to feel better about themselves because they know better than everyone else.

That reveals everything there is to know about anyone with your 'there are no conspiracies' mindset....because you must be talking about yourself above. Because for anyone who realises how things really are, it is scary and worrying, especially if you have kids. The very opposite of what it does is make you 'feel better about one's self'. I spent the first 40 odd years of my life believing the world was as it seems, and sometimes I wish I still did; it'd be easier, and far less worrisome.

There's a handy quote from George Bernard Shaw - "all professions are conspiracies against the laity".
In that sense of the word, there are plenty of conspiracies out there. Just not lizard people faking the moon landing.
There are certainly limited numbers of people willing, able and qualified to do the top jobs and people do tend to associate with others at the same sort of level.

So, you reckon that the very best people to be advising these banks, are the people who presided over their countries demises to the benefit of those same banks?

By your rationale, when interviewing candidates for a financial post...you'd choose the one with the biggest fuck-up in their CV?

No sense getting into the money supply question again but we can at least agree that there should be more focus on finance in schools - and it is now part of the national curriculum. That was a failing for years, I would say at least in part because up until fairly recently the average person would be expected to take professional advice for any big financial decision. However to be fair, anyone with a grounding in maths should be able to understand the basics well enough.

Part of the national curriculum? My kids are between 12 and 19...none have been taught anything relating to finance whatsoever. I've asked at parents evenings, why not, and the reply is that 'it isn't part of the curriculum'. This is at an Academy, and they have choice over sticking with the curriculum or not!

 

[bonusmedia]

I can imagine it must be quite disturbing to believe every terrorist attack (or at least all the ones that suit you) is a 'false flag' operation - but it does mean that you get to believe everything happens by design, which is often more appealing than the chaotic nature of reality.

I didn't say anything about who should advise banks - you have a habit of putting words in my mouth. I just pointed out that there is a fairly small pool of candidates.

I assure you financial education is on the National Curriculum in both citizenship and maths:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ip-programmes-of-study-for-key-stages-3-and-4
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ip-programmes-of-study-for-key-stages-3-and-4

Maybe your kids are conspiring with their teachers to get more pocket money out of you

 

[spiderspider]

Thermite was used to bring down the twin towers. As for the reason 'why' there are to many crazy conspiracy theories to answer this without the waters getting muddied.

The Malaysian Air that vanished over the sea (and still not found) and the one destroyed in the Ukraine / Russia border by a SAM are one and the same.

Elvis actually died a couple of years ago.

Lord Lucan lived out his years in France.

Prince Harry's dad is .............well that's not really a conspiracy is it

 

[BREWSTERS]

I can imagine it must be quite disturbing to believe every terrorist attack (or at least all the ones that suit you) is a 'false flag' operation - but it does mean that you get to believe everything happens by design, which is often more appealing than the chaotic nature of reality.

As I said, over 80% of my life I believed that things were as they seem. You've spent 100% of yours holding the same opinion. So you're not qualified to say which is more appealing, whereas I am. I can assure you, you will sleep better than I do.

I didn't say anything about who should advise banks - you have a habit of putting words in my mouth. I just pointed out that there is a fairly small pool of candidates.

I assure you financial education is on the National Curriculum in both citizenship and maths:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ip-programmes-of-study-for-key-stages-3-and-4
https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...ip-programmes-of-study-for-key-stages-3-and-4

Maybe your kids are conspiring with their teachers to get more pocket money out of you

I'll check again this evening with my kids - and if necessary their school. It's odd that if this is even only a minor part of their school week the Year Head wouldn't know about it.

 

[bonusmedia]

You making outlandish assumptions again. How are you going to define 'things as they seem'? Of course I don't believe everything I hear/read - but neither do I disbelieve everything.

I think most psychologists would agree that it is human nature to attempt to assign causality to events - we're hardwired by evolution to look for patterns and to ascribe intentions to actions. Given this is an established bias, it takes extra effort to overcome it.

 

[BREWSTERS]

You making outlandish assumptions again. How are you going to define 'things as they seem'? Of course I don't believe everything I hear/read - but neither do I disbelieve everything.

Assumptions...hmmm, so can you name one news event you don't believe?

 

[websaway]

Did the treasury, the BOE and the US president conspire together to keep us in the EU.

 

[websaway]

Assumptions...hmmm, so can you name one news event you don't believe?

The one about the statue of lady Diana on mars.

Only joking.

 

[BREWSTERS]

The one about the statue of lady Diana on mars.

Only joking.

That was proven to be false...the statue was of Jill Dando.

 

[websaway]

Thermite was used to bring down the twin towers. As for the reason 'why' there are to many crazy conspiracy theories to answer this without the waters getting muddied.

The Malaysian Air that vanished over the sea (and still not found) and the one destroyed in the Ukraine / Russia border by a SAM are one and the same.

Elvis actually died a couple of years ago.

Lord Lucan lived out his years in France.

Prince Harry's dad is .............well that's not really a conspiracy is it

I don't know if she's in denial but my wife , normally very good with faces, says she has no doubts that Harry is From Charles.
Man not landing on the moon is the one I find hardest to believe.

 

[bonusmedia]

Assumptions...hmmm, so can you name one news event you don't believe?

No. I'm bored of responding to your demands, you will twist whatever I say to suit your view anyway.
Again - you are the one with the extraordinary claims, you are the one who has to provide extraordinary evidence.
You don't prove anything by asking people to prove you wrong.

I can't prove Elvis wasn't abducted by martians but I can use reason and logic to assert that it is extremely unlikely.

Feelings, hunches, intuition are NOT rational - for example your feeling that Jo Cox's parents weren't grieving enough is NOT evidence.

 

[BREWSTERS]

No. I'm bored of responding to your demands,

You're very skilled in the art of responding...without giving an answer.

you will twist whatever I say to suit your view anyway.
Again - you are the one with the extraordinary claims, you are the one who has to provide extraordinary evidence.
You don't prove anything by asking people to prove you wrong.

I can't prove Elvis wasn't abducted by martians but I can use reason and logic to assert that it is extremely unlikely.

Feelings, hunches, intuition are NOT rational - for example your feeling that Jo Cox's parents weren't grieving enough is NOT evidence.

Cop out.

You're the one who said you don't believe everything you read or hear...I simply asked for one example...just one.

At least I know your weak spot; direct questions.

 

[bonusmedia]

You're very skilled in the art of responding...without giving an answer.



Cop out.

You're the one who said you don't believe everything you read or hear...I simply asked for one example...just one.

At least I know your weak spot; direct questions.

If it was just one that would be fine, I've answered 10 or 15 silly questions now and there is really no point.
If I go and find a bullshit Daily Mail story what will that do for you? You'll just ignore it and move on

 

[BREWSTERS]

Anyway....carrying on from my post at #18 - more banking / politics connection in the news today which hardly anyone will pay any attention to.

I'm sure the coincidence theorists amongst you will do Osbourne's bidding for him and think up an excuse.

 

[bonusmedia]

Anyway....carrying on from my post at #18 - more banking / politics connection in the news today which hardly anyone will pay any attention to.

I'm sure the coincidence theorists amongst you will do Osbourne's bidding for him and think up an excuse.

Whoever said there were no connections between banks and politicians? Of course there are. Banks are vitally important to running the country, especially in a country that is (was) a world financial hub.
Many are certainly guilty of a lot of dodgy stuff but the fact the Chancellor defends them is not a secret or evidence of anything dodgy on his part.

HSBC is an enormous employer in the UK and contributes enormous tax revenues. It would be much more surprising if our politicians weren't trying to defend them.

You don't trust the BBC but you trust the RT angle? At least now we know why you spout so much Russian propaganda

 

[BREWSTERS]

Whoever said there were no connections between banks and politicians? Of course there are. Banks are vitally important to running the country, especially in a country that is (was) a world financial hub.
Many are certainly guilty of a lot of dodgy stuff but the fact the Chancellor defends them is not a secret or evidence of anything dodgy on his part.

I'm talking corrupt connections. What right does a chancellor have to interfere with a legal case in another country?

HSBC is an enormous employer in the UK and contributes enormous tax revenues. It would be much more surprising if our politicians weren't trying to defend them.

So it's ok with you that our gov should interfere in a case where HSBC had admitted money laundering for drug and terrorist groups? With that 'too big to fail' mindset, and your aversion to direct questions, you'd make a good politician yourself. HSBC are famous for money laundering.

You don't trust the BBC but you trust the RT angle? At least now we know why you spout so much Russian propaganda

I don't fully trust RT...I don't fully trust any news source. Thing is, MSM tend not to report on certain items.

 

[domainseller200]

Madeleine McCann was not abducted and the whole story was fabricated due to some wrong doing by the parents

 

[bonusmedia]

Politicians constantly make representations in legal cases other countries. This is nothing out of the ordinary.

No, it's not really ok with me that we defend them, I find it deeply disturbing that HSBC have done such things and I would rather they face due process.
However that may well not be in the national interest - just as when BAE got caught bribing the Saudis, it was dropped because BAE is so vital to our economy (and probably partly because there is recognition that doing business without some level of corruption is impossible in countries where corruption is endemic).

The government has a responsibility to protect national interests above pretty much all else. It's not a moral arbiter in this context

There is no indication of any kind of secret conspiracy or corruption in what the Chancellor has done.

If the 'MSM' are not reporting this it might be because it's not news! RT is a propaganda organisation for one of the most corrupt countries on earth, they have a firm interest in portraying other countries as corrupt.

BTW I don't have a 'too big to fail' mindset or any aversion to direct questions - it's more the pointless/silly ones such as 'give just one example of something you don't believe' I object to.

 

[BREWSTERS]

Politicians constantly make representations in legal cases other countries. This is nothing out of the ordinary.

No, it's not really ok with me that we defend them, I find it deeply disturbing that HSBC have done such things and I would rather they face due process.
However that may well not be in the national interest - just as when BAE got caught bribing the Saudis, it was dropped because BAE is so vital to our economy (and probably partly because there is recognition that doing business without some level of corruption is impossible in countries where corruption is endemic).

The government has a responsibility to protect national interests above pretty much all else. It's not a moral arbiter in this context

There is no indication of any kind of secret conspiracy or corruption in what the Chancellor has done.

If the 'MSM' are not reporting this it might be because it's not news! RT is a propaganda organisation for one of the most corrupt countries on earth, they have a firm interest in portraying other countries as corrupt.

BTW I don't have a 'too big to fail' mindset or any aversion to direct questions - it's more the pointless/silly ones such as 'give just one example of something you don't believe' I object to.

If HSBC shut down tomorrow the world will still rotate...I'm not happy living in a world where the laws I have to abide by can be ignored and profited from by others. Allowing certain entities to profit from breaking laws while others get jailed for the same (and on a comparatively minute scale) thing, is not in the countries best interest. It's this kind of cognitive dissonance that allows corruption. Think about it, someone somewhere at HSBC has signed off on this behaviour - hiding behind the corporation gets them off scot-free.

If you tried laundering £20k and were caught you'd go to jail. Even if you spent that £20k on helping the homeless or sick children - you'd go to jail mate!! The powers-that-be wouldn't be able to let you off, otherwise that would be condoning it.

Not the boss of HSBC though. Do you think HSBC do it because 'it's for the greater good'? Or for profit?

You might be ok with getting your leg lifted by a corrupt system; I'm not.