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Old Mar 14, 2008, 10:45 am   #57 (permalink) (top)
Jack
formerly Isherwood
 
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Location: San Diego, CA
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Quote:
Please, forgive me, but was this topic prompted by a PoliSci101 class? You might as well ask what it is about a magic act that compels the audience to reject the simple/obvious explanation ("It's magic!"), in favor of the more complex/"convoluted" one.
No, it was prompted by a desire to question some people's fascination with conspiracies. I might as well have asked what it is about a magic act that causes people to believe magic is real. While there's a degree of gullibility in common to both situations, there's also a major difference. Nearly every adult who watches a magic act knows that it's not magic. We are amazed at our inability to figure out how it was done, but I know of no one who watched a magic act and suddenly convinced themselves magic was real. This isn't the case with conspiracy theorists.

Quote:
Are you aware that most conmen are never prosecuted, because their crimes are deemed "too complex and convoluted for the average juror to understand"?
I'm not only unaware of that being the case but I don't accept that it's the case. Can you provide any examples?

BTW-welcome to Volconvo.


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