Could you be friends with a troother?

[gumboot]

Hrm, good question. I don't think I have an easy answer. I have "friendships" with a lot of people who believe a lot of woo - it's a hazard of working in the film industry here. I also worked with an old English guy who was absolutely positive that the Apollo missions were faked - I still managed to be friends with him.

What kind of "truther" are we talking here? Take it like religion. I hate and despise organised religion of all kinds. Does that stop me from being friends with religious people? Of course not. It does stop me being friends with some religious people though - the sort that stop me in the street and say "If you die tonight are you going to heaven or hell?".

So yeah, I could be friends with someone who believed the 9/11 Conspiracy Theories - but possibly not a really close friend, and no I don't think I could be friends with the sort of "truthers" we see most regularly on these subforums.

 

[applecorped]

Let's just look at one theory of troothers - CD brought down the towers and #7. On just this point alone do you think you could have meaningful friendship with the person?

 

[Par]

You're not mad are you? Hey pal? Buddy? Hello are you still there? You still want to play next week don't you? I hope so. I have something I need to tell you.

So angry! Relax. It was just a joke.

 

[Dr Adequate]

BTW pretending to debunk one conspiracy theory doesn't validate your conspiracy theory.

You inadvertently told the truth again!

I wonder how many times we can get you to do this this month, and whether I can put several of your posts up for a collective Stundie.

You're not mad are you?

No, he's laughing at you. When you can tell the difference, you will have taken a crucial step towards social maturity.

 

[Caper]

I probably could. I have a couple of friends that are at least fascinated
by it. More then anything, they just really hate Bush and love the fantasy of him being responsible..... Deep down I don't think they believe it at all. I think I'd have a much harder time being friends with a scientologist. Also, I could never be friends with a hard core truther.

 

[gtc]

Could truthers be friends with debunkers?

 

[Susan Gerbic]

Oh my FSM! I don't know how seriously the OP is about knowing the answer. But this has been bothering me for months!

I found out a few months ago that my boss (been my boss 10 years) believes that George Bush Sr. and friends killed JFK! He says that because they were all in town when he was assassinated that that shows it is true. I tried telling him that if the President of the U.S. was visiting the state that I governed I would be hanging around (and some of my friends also).

To no avail, my boss is so totally into it, he says that he has read so much on it and he can't understand why someone as intelligent as I am would not see the obvious. He said I must be stupid! (those are fighting words). I am trying to keep my mouth shut, but only asked if he has read everything he can get his hands on, did he read the Skeptical Inquirer report and that 7 million page book (just released, can't think of the name). He just says that he knows he is right and does not need to look at anything else, it is just obvious to him.

I have little contact with him even though he is my direct boss, I try to only talk to him about work related issues. But during a company meeting he said during dinner, that the World Trade Center was blown up by the government. He had had a couple drinks by this time, so I just rolled my eyes, and looked at my food. Someone else almost started in on him, but I said, "don't encourage him, change the subject"

Personally I HAVE LOST all respect for the man. I don't see him the same way I did before, and just think he is a big idiot. You can't discuss it with him because he will not listen. So I just stay quiet.

The other day he called me and told me that he really really wants me to see this movie called "Vantage Point" just to listen to the last sentence. I don't know anyone who has seen the movie, and I will probably never watch it, so if someone here could enlighten me I would be pleased. I assume it has something to do with JFK and the conspiracy.

But seriously, this has bothered me to no end. I am not leaving this job, nor does he look like he is leaving. We get along really well, but even though we don't talk about this issue, even after many months, I still can't talk to him without thinking of the troothers here on the forum. And that ain't a pretty picture.

So to answer the OP, NO, you can only remain friends with a trooter if you don't mind repeating over and over, "he's an idiot, he's an idiot, he's an idiot." And that a friendship does not make.

Susan

 

[Pardalis]

Could you be a true friend with someone if they completely bought into a conspiracy about 9/11?

Nope.

 

[Gorgonian]

Absolutely not.

 

[MattusMaximus]

I was recently in another thread where to JREFers were acknowledging their opposing views on most everything except for when it came to 9/11.

Could you be a true friend with someone if they completely bought into a conspiracy about 9/11? Could you get past it or except it? Could you ever really trust that person?

I know a guy who's into the whole 9/11 "Truth Movement" crapola. We travel in the same political circles (liberal leaning), but in my opinion he's let his political inclinations (i.e., his hatred of the Bush Administration) get the better of his higher reasoning skills.

I remember the exact moment when I discovered he was a "truther" - we were at a political meeting and I saw some conspiracy propaganda in with his notes. That and some things that he'd said previously made it all click for me.

I cannot express how much respect I lost for him at that moment

Can I get past it? Not sure - at this point I don't think I could.

On a positive note, last year I had a friend and a student (two people) express to me their interest in the whole 9/11 "Truth Movement". I gave them each a copy of Skeptic Magazine's analysis of the movement's claims, and it effectively brought them each back from diving off the conspiracy-mongering cliff.

So you lose some, but I guess you win some too

 

[Dog Town]

I could be friends with anyone that liked Wild Turkey, dogs, and could quote entire scenes of The Big Lebowski.

And was a twoofer! That is because, it pays your rent!

Answer: NO! My friends have a brain!

 

[Pardalis]

I could be friends with someone who believes in UFOs, or that McCartney has been dead and replaced, but a truther has so much twisted its mind in so many ways, and often deliberately, because of ideological and political reasons, that I don't see how we could be friends.

 

[BillyRayValentine]

I was recently in another thread where to JREFers were acknowledging their opposing views on most everything except for when it came to 9/11.

Could you be a true friend with someone if they completely bought into a conspiracy about 9/11? Could you get past it or except it? Could you ever really trust that person?

I've never actually met one. Most seem to be in their teens or early twenties - and blithering idiots. Not exactly my crowd. The remaining elderstatesmen (and women, can't forget about the energy beam and kerplunk(?) hotties) driving the bus appear to be a wee bit insane. Again, not quite my cup of tea.

Judging from what I've seen and read on the net, I doubt I'd ever consider being friends with any of them even if 9/11 never came up. Most come across as fairly pathetic. The fact that they indulge in such self-delusion and make such wild, odious accusations, all because they really, really don't like Bush or the U.S. or whatever, is the icing on the cake.

So my answer is no. I could never be friends with a twoof lover.

 

[CHF]

This thread reminds me that I've actually met two twoofers in real life - one was my uncle (since cured, by all indications) and the other was a friend of my fiancee.

For as long as either of us had known him he had been a little odd and quirky...but he had an awesome weed hook-up so we tolerated his overall weirdness.

But then he got into 9/11 twoofism and soon showed me that he had the critical thinking skills of a toddler.

One day he sent me an e-mail in which he claimed that helicopters circled the WTC and fired rockets into the core! His "proof" was the video shot from across the river that showed flashes from news/NYPD choppers. This was a theory that was so bad that even Jim Fetzer entertained it. I promptly replied by tearing that theory to bits with ease and so he dropped it.

But then a few weeks later at a house party he started spewing 9/11, Moon Landing and illuminati conspiracies in front of some of my other friends which really freaked everyone out.

He followed that embarrassing performance up with an e-mail link to a video of two engineers supposedly endorsing the demolition theory, when in fact they did no such thing. In fact one of the engineers was Gene Corley, for crying out loud!

At that point I realized it wasn't wise to stay friends with someone that stupid, so I basically told him he was a complete moron and that he needed medical help.

Ironically, at the same time he was bombarding my fiancee with a host of his stupid relationship problems (which resulted in her cutting him loose) and to top it off his weed source got busted by the cops.

So no - I don't stay friends for long with people dumb enough to believe in 9/11 twoof.

 

[BillyRayValentine]

I've never actually met one. Most seem to be in their teens or early twenties - and blithering idiots. Not exactly my crowd. The remaining elderstatesmen (and women, can't forget about the energy beam and kerplunk(?) hotties) driving the bus appear to be a wee bit insane. Again, not quite my cup of tea.

Judging from what I've seen and read on the net, I doubt I'd ever consider being friends with any of them even if 9/11 never came up. Most come across as fairly pathetic. The fact that they indulge in such self-delusion and make such wild, odious accusations, all because they really, really don't like Bush or the U.S. or whatever, is the icing on the cake.

So my answer is no. I could never be friends with a twoof lover.

P.S. See attached if any questions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvNwfUsKG9g

 

[Dr Adequate]

I could be friends with someone who believes in UFOs, or that McCartney has been dead and replaced, but a truther has so much twisted its mind in so many ways, and often deliberately, because of ideological and political reasons, that I don't see how we could be friends.

Always remember, when considering any group of cranks, that they should not be judged by their activists. Anyone who tries to debate for truthism at any length, and convinces himself that he's succeeded, will indeed have made a curious Moebius strip of his mind. But this is not necessarily true of the people who are just casually duped by it.

It's like creationism in this respect. And in so many others.

 

[HENTAI DOUKYUSEI JP]

I know lastchild.
He borrowed from me the Vladimir Nabocov's book while he was on vacation.
lastchild is a friend of mine.

 

[CHF]

Anyone who tries to debate for truthism at any length, and convinces himself that he's succeeded, will indeed have made a curious Moebius strip of his mind. But this is not necessarily true of the people who are just casually duped by it.

Indeed this is an important distinction.

I can forgive someone who is duped and then wakes up after seeing the facts, but not someone who sticks with the BS despite being proven wrong on their first 500 talking points....

 

[Mobyseven]

I probably couldn't become friends with a truther if I knew straight up that they were a truther. But I could probably get past it (annoying as it may be) if I found out after I already liked them.

 

[applecorped]

I know lastchild.
He borrowed from me the Vladimir Nabocov's book while he was on vacation.
lastchild is a friend of mine.

LC's favorite song:

Reality used to be a friend of mine
Reality used to be a friend of mine
Maybe "why?" is the question that's on you mind
But reality used to be a friend of mine
Reality used to be a friend of mine.
Reality used to be a friend of mine
Please don't ask me 'cause I don't know why,
but reality used to be a friend of mine.

I used to be friends with reality
She used to be a pal real close to me
But she tried to hide from me what was in store
Tried to house me but a house has doors
I was insane and the picture was crazy
So the relevance here seems to be a bit hazy
But I tried to explain this in the simplest terms
But she let the cross burn and it was my turn to say,
"The roses are red, and violets are blue,j
and things are gonna stay that way, too"
And I was the nut to believe all of this
I figured life would just hand me bliss
Now I have to worry about certain doom
Or will I be here tomorrow afternoon
Now ask me about the future.

PM Dawn