Skip Navigation

The Daily Dish - 2006-2011 archives for The Daily Dish, featuring Andrew Sullivan

Minorities and Conspiracies

By The Daily Dish
Jul 20 2007, 4:40 AM ET

A good question:

How can we account for the link between race, income level and conspiracy theories? Theorists tend to show higher levels of anomie - a general disaffection or disempowerment from society. Perhaps this is the underlying factor that predisposes people more distant from centres of power - whether they be poorer people or those from ethnic minorities - to believe in conspiracies.

One caveat:

The more fundamental problem, beyond anomie, is unscientific thinking, and the tendency of people to just want to win arguments. People get emotionally invested in a factual position, and for or against, they'll latch on to whatever they can so they don't have to let go.



Presented by

More at The Atlantic

Mutts Mobilize in Midtown Against Mitt Mutts Against Mitt
The Fight for a Fair and Free Internet The Fight for a Fair and Free Internet
The Oldest Cat Video of All Time? The Oldest Cat Video of All Time?
Adulthood, Delayed: What Has the Recession Done to Millennials? Adulthood, Delayed: What's the Recession Done to Millennials?
Love Stinks: An Economic Manifesto Love (on the Internet) Stinks
Special Report
The Next Global Economies Reuters The Next Global Economies
Lessons from the BRICs — and a look at which developing countries are on the rise. Read more ›
View All Correspondents

The Biggest Story in Photos

World Press Photo Contest 2012

Feb 15, 2012

The Atlantic Wire

what matters now
Last Update: 7:00 PM

Subscribe Now

SAVE 59%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)