Conspiracies & Conspiracy Theories

What We Should and Shouldn't Believe - and Why

By: Michael Shermer, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Michael Shermer

Millions of Americans buy into conspiracy theories. Did you know that...

• 81 percent of Americans believe more than one person was responsible for the assassination of John F. Kennedy?
• 1/3 of this country thinks 9/11 was an “inside job” by the Bush administration?
• 21 percent believes aliens crash-landed in Roswell and are being hidden in Area 51?
• 7 percent are convinced that the moon landing was faked?

What causes some people to advocate these unfounded—often disproven—ideas as reality? And why is the power of conspiracies so compelling that they can motivate people to act, some even participating in acts of violence?

In this eye-opening Audible Original, Professor Michael Shermer, publisher of Skeptic magazine and the host of the Science Salon podcast, takes you through some of the most prevalent conspiracy theories in history, giving you a clear understanding of how and why they came about, who was likely to believe and perpetuate them, and the reality behind these beliefs.

Whether you are looking for the truth regarding popular conspiracy theories; are fascinated by the psychology of why people buy into them; or are interested in how they shaped and were shaped by history, this course will provide you all the tools you need to better understand the pervasiveness of conspiracy theories.

©2019 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

Not revolutionary, but insightful enough

The book may not be a major breakthrough but it's definitely insightful enough to be on your reading list.

The book provides a good review of theories of conspiracy, good examples of conspiracies and analysis of such.

recommend.

Interesting

There is no denying that this is a fascinating book, but it is not the book I expected it to be. Where I was expecting each lecture to be dedicated to a famous conspiracy theory or two, most of the book is dedicated to the psychology of people who believe in conspiracy theories and trying to understand what attracts them to them. It turns out that everyone believes in conspiracy theories of some sort—the political left and right, the rich and the poor, people of every race, people of every religion, the young, the old, and everyone in between. The book is a lot of fun, but you won’t come away knowing a lot more about specific conspiracies and conspiracy theories.

Plots & cabals, real and imagined

This book describes many of the famous conspiracies of history as well as their more interesting conspiracy theories that have captured the popular imagination. It also provides insights into the features of human psychology that even irrational theories so compelling. Best of all we get a handy set of criteria to help us distinguish between real and fanciful conspiracies.

Essential Listening

Very good presentation. Interesting, educational, and thought-provoking. Even more relevant now in 2021 than when this was produced in the early Trump years.

Essential listening!

Great thorough explanation on conspiracies and conspiracy theories. I recommended this to all the conspiracists in my life! I appreciated the explanations on why people believe them, and the critical thinking and skepticism explanations. This is a must-listen!