Are we all hard-wired not to question 9/11 official story?


I’m not into conspiracy theories, except the ones that are true or involve dentists. – Michael Moore

November 11, 2010

By Craig McKee

The human brain is a fascinating thing. It controls everything we perceive. It is the vehicle through which all information passes, the filter through which all external events are processed. We can use it to search for the truth, but it can also stop us from looking.
We believe that any opinion we might have is based simply on our understanding of the facts. Sure we all have our biases, but we’re aware of them, right?
Not necessarily. We may be aware of the obvious ones, but the subtle ways we resist facts presented to us often slip under the radar. The things that motivate us to defend what we believe to be true and to fight contrary opinions seem to have a lot to do with how we feel about ourselves.
At least that’s the contention of an article in the Boston Globe called “How facts backfire.” This article indicates that sometimes we stick to our beliefs on a certain subject, even when the facts presented to us contradict those opinions. It cited research that indicates that once we adopt a certain view of something, we will defend that view regardless of new information coming to our attention.
Having internalized our opinion, we are very hard to budge. In fact, we often dig in and defend our original opinion even harder when contrary facts are brought to our attention. Something about self-esteem, apparently. The more comfortable we are with ourselves, the more open we’ll be to alternative views.
An example given is the idea of Iraq having had Weapons of Mass Destruction. People who were convinced these weapons were there held on to that view even when the facts contradicted this.
Talking to people about the “terrorist” attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 is a particular exercise in analyzing human nature. It tells us more about how people think than it does about what they think.
People, for example, who think their government has positive or benign motives (even if it screws things up from time to time) are more likely to defend to the death the idea that 9/11 was the result of 19 Muslim terrorists led by Osama bin Laden attacking America for ideological reasons. Those who don’t automatically believe what authority figures say are much more likely to be open to other possibilities.
A 2008 Psychology Today article entitled “Paranoia, 9/11 and the roots of conspiracy theorists” is very revealing about how people react to events that challenge their beliefs.
Ilan Shrira writes that he isn’t usually inclined to believe conspiracy theories. He did, however, agree to watch the 9/11 film Loose Change on the recommendation of a friend. The result: he was engaged but not convinced.
This excerpt from the article is very telling, perhaps in ways the author didn’t intend:
“One reason I generally have trouble accepting conspiracy theories is that they’re usually based on far-fetched claims that are nearly impossible to disprove, or prove. My skepticism is further strengthened by the fact that we humans have an assortment of cognitive biases that can distort our judgments and allow us to maintain beliefs despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Some of these biases include the tendency to see patterns where none exist, and to interpret new information and recall old information in ways that confirm our expectations and beliefs. However, most of the time we’re unaware of these biases and overly confident that our perceptions represent the objective truth.”
The author describes what he feels are the limitations of the perspectives of conspiracy theorists. But everything above could just as easily apply to someone who won’t accept a view other than the official story – even when overwhelming evidence indicates that the official story is full of holes.
The author’s reference to cognitive biases distorting our judgments could just easily apply to believers in the “official conspiracy theory.” And it can also be those defenders of the official story who won’t waver from their opinion “despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.”
Exchanges I’ve had recently with people over the Internet and in person reinforce the idea that we defend our beliefs regardless of the facts.
If the official story of 9/11 included explosives being placed in the World Trade Center, many more people would be open to the idea. It’s not the fact of explosives being involved that people are so opposed to (this was proposed on 9/11 by Peter Jennings, Dan Rather and others), it’s the idea that the “good guys” put them there. They don’t like the idea, so they’ll argue why it isn’t technically possible.
I have a friend who conceded every point I had to make about the flaws in the official version of the Pentagon attack. But he couldn’t accept government complicity in the attacks – even when his own interpretation of the facts left little other conclusion.
And couldn’t the use of the word “paranoid” in the headline of the article be just as easily applied to those who are suspicious of people who question the official story?
It’s very interesting to do psychological studies of why people believe conspiracy theories. But I have an idea: Let’s do some studies about why people won’t.

9 comments

  1. I think this is a very interesting subject. I spent the day yesterday at the San Diegans for 9/11 Truth booth along the waterfront helping to wake up the public to the problems with the official story about 9/11. I found a small minority who applied a litmus test to me. It went like this, before I could hardly say anything: “Are you going to tell me there were explosives in those buildings?” My answer was, “Well, I do think that is the only plausible explanation for what we all can see in the videos of the buildings coming down.”
    Several marched away in disgust, unwilling to continue on any further conversation. There was one who came back with a followup litmus test. He asked, “Are you one who believes FDR let Purl Harbor happen on purpose?” I of course didn’t pass his test to his liking.
    Dwain Deets

    1. Bin Laden denied responsibility more than once in interviews. In one tape he talks about the attacks without saying he was involved. And there is one where he appears to take full responsibility. The problem is it doesn’t even look like the same guy. Wider face and this guy was right handed, where bin Laden is believed to be left handed. This “confession” is widely believed to be a fake. Check out this link: http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/osamatape2.html?q=osamatape2.html

  2. Don’t know if this is the right place for this info or if there is any interest but I came across some very unsettling data about certain Multinationals activities over the last 20 or so years. I’m not much of a typist so here’s what I have:
    http://www.ethicalinvesting.com/monsanto/aspartame.shtml
    http://www.alive.com/880a3a2.php?subject_bread_cramb=635
    http://english.pravda.ru/business/companies/14-10-2010/115363-machines_of_war_blackwater_monsanto_billgates-0/
    Video:
    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3309910462407994295#docid=6262083407501596844
    These matters DEMAND everyones attention! The people really DO hold the power. They simply need to realise it and stand as one.

  3. I am certainly glad that you are getting more engagement in the comments section of your articles now Craig.
    This article makes some salient points. Having been into the psychological side of this matter for many years, I can say you have just touched the surface here as far as social engineering and general dis-education that has been applied for a couple of centuries in the “West is the Best” programming.
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  4. re: “It’s very interesting to do psychological studies of why people believe conspiracy theories, but I have an idea. Let’s do some studies about why people won’t.” Fran Shure has done some excellent work in this regard, over at http://www.ae911truth.org/

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