Was there ever a conspiracy theory that ended?

[Duncanthrax]

was there ever a CT that ended?

This question was posted in the U.S. politics forum, and I thought it was interesting enough to deserve its own thread.

The short answer is yes, if enough time has passed and people no longer have a vested interest in promoting it. For example, many Englishmen of the time thought the Great London Fire of 1666 was started by French saboteurs. And many believed that the Vatican was behind Guy Fawkes' conspiracy to blow up Parliament. But those theories are effectively dead today.

Some more recent conspiracy theories have not completely disappeared, but have largely been forgotten or fallen out of favor. One CT that I remember as a teenager was that the person convicted and imprisoned as Rudolf Hess was actually a double who was set up by either the British or German government. Not that anybody who promoted this idea could explain what either government would get out of it, or why this imposter would voluntarily spend over 50 years in solitary confinement without telling the media. This got a fair amount of publicity and, if I remember correctly, was the subject of a 60 Minutes piece. But interest in this story basically died with Hess. I had a hard time even finding information about that on the web.

And many CTs regarding religious minorities, such as Jews and Catholics, have considerably declined in popularity at least in western countries as those groups have become much more accepted in society.

Can anybody else think of other examples of once popular conspiracy theories that have largely died out?

 

[timhau]

The short answer is yes, if enough time has passed and people no longer have a vested interest in promoting it. For example, many Englishmen of the time thought the Great London Fire of 1666 was started by French saboteurs. And many believed that the Vatican was behind Guy Fawkes' conspiracy to blow up Parliament. But those theories are effectively dead today.

In other words, conspiracy theories don't die because their most enthusiastic proponents come to their senses but because they eventually die. The incurables are called incurables for a reason.

 

[VonKleist]

And many believed that the Vatican was behind Guy Fawkes' conspiracy to blow up Parliament. But those theories are effectively dead today.

Conspiracy theories will never die when the David Icke forum is there to keep them on life support. From there:

Guy Fawkes was a Jesuit Roman/Vatican agent who, along with some other conspirators (in the true sense of the word), intended to blow up the English Parliament on its opening session (Nov. 5th), when the king would be present along with the rest of the members of parliament.

 

[Quad4_72]

It is an interesting question, but I think the answer is that no conspiracy theory will ever truly die as long as there is information available about it. There are people out there who will believe any and every conspiracy theory, no matter what the topic. If they read about it, they will believe it no matter what information there is to the contrary.

A particular conspiracy theory may die in popularity, but the minds of conspiracy theorists will be with us throughout time.

 

[Triskelion]

What about 911 truth. I know there's still people out there who believe in the CTs but its pretty much died out as an organized movement.

 

[chipmunk stew]

What about 911 truth. I know there's still people out there who believe in the CTs but its pretty much died out as an organized movement.

It's the only one I know of that HAS anything like an organized movement, though. It's still got to be the favorite by far among conspiracy theorists.

 

[Myron Proudfoot]

I suspect early man had a few "theories" about what plots the neanderthals across the valley were up to. "They drove the game away!" "They put out our fire last night!" "They blew up the twin trees and then claimed a 'storm' blew them over!!"

But so long as the "theory" is recorded somewhere, someone will read it and believe it...

 

[lydever91]

Although there are some theories that have or have not been completely conducted as true, some are not even conspiracy theories for the given fact that it's not a conspiracy if it's a reality.

 

[Mashuna]

Old theories never die, they just get incorporated into new ones.

 

[JCM]

some are not even conspiracy theories for the given fact that it's not a conspiracy if it's a reality.

Uhm if it's reality it can be a conspiracy. That's why there are laws against some conspiracies they are not laws against "realities". You rob a bank and are charged with "conspiracy" to commit a bank robbery and the actual robbery they don't charge you with "reality" to commit a robbery

ETA- Likewise even if you do not rob one but make plans to, in reality you may not have robbed the bank, but your "conspiracy" to is unlawful and can be prosecuted.

 

[bob_cadaver]

Conspiracy theories will never die when the David Icke forum is there to keep them on life support. From there:

Ah Icke forums, I wish I could quit you

 

[Dave Rogers]

Can anybody else think of other examples of once popular conspiracy theories that have largely died out?

Ugg tell lions where find tribe. We kill Ugg, lions no more find tribe, we no need keep look out for lions.

I think that one died out pretty quickly.

Dave