Why Do So Many People Believe in Conspiracy Theories?

The internet is full of all sorts of wild claims about shadow governments, lizard people, and the shape of the earth. How can these stories inspire tin foil hats despite hard evidence against them?

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Sources:

[robertbaillargeon]

One thing I've noticed about conspiracy theories is that they usually allow the theorists to feel like they're "better" than everyone else because they know the "truth" that most people are "too stupid" to understand. I wonder if people with low self-esteem or self-compassion are especially drawn to conspiracy theories? I could see it being a(n unhealthy) coping mechanism.

[You_work_tomorrow]

Shame we all now know hank is paid personally by the alien overlords and he has chosen his reptile brethren over humanity

[DezzieYT]

I like reading conspiracy theories like I like reading fan fiction. The better the story the more enjoyable. But like fan fiction I don't take them as fact.

[RoundPi]

I was going to say "Because they're fun".
But then I realized some people genuinely believed it.

[peachykeen]

I think covert narcissism might explain some conspiracy theorists. Specifically, the "other people just don't understand me" and "i'm different/smarter/better than everybody else" parts of covert narcissism.
I might just think that because I grew up with someone who was both.

[jerryhuff]

I am tired of conspiracy theories for one reason. People never shut up about them! Once they believe it, they will go on and on and on and on about it.

[PostColorGear]

Here's my question. Is it a possibly that people keep pushing conspiracies because even if they spoke about one, or shared it on social media, and then subsequently realized that it was untrue, they won't make any corrections because of typical human nature, and not wanting to admit that we are wrong? I always wondered about this.

[MindLaboratory]

I would bet an equally large factor is loneliness

[cluckeryduckery]

just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you

[dinglejono]

Can we take a second to point out the back of Hank's shirt collar was turned up the ENTIRE time?
I feel better now.

[sophierdz]

I personally think that conspiracy theory urges come also from how we are taught historical facts. Presenting us heroes as kids and good versus bad stories but growing up discovering all the levels, shades and true causes of certain conflicts or even agreements might influence us into finding a darker more twisted explication to a current event....

[DydydyA]

I.e. conspiracy theories are the new religion

[kmdash]

It could also be that there are patterns in what seem to be random, and that there is no such thing as "illusory pattern perception." It could be that people are more sensitive to patterns, and see them when other people don't.

[davebowles]

One of my favorite sayings that I think fits here...
"If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle.
We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us.
It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken.
Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back."
~Carl Sagan

[Nixthyo]

I don't know why society affords these people so much recognition and attention by calling them "conspiracy theorists".
Back in the day they were just called "crazy" and sent to the asylum.

[NewMessage]

This is just what you want us to believe...

[AceAlbatros]

What if this video is a conspiracy theory to turn us off from continuing our conspiracy theories?

[...seattle]

No matter how much you try to get a straight answer with straight forward questions about their findings, you can never get a straight answer. And they actually get deeper into the belief and start to think you have something to do with it. It’s annoying as hell.

[stankybee]

My mom wouldn't let me get my flu shots because of conspiracy theories and now I have had a 10 year long phobia of vomitting as a result of coming down with one of those.

[firen]

1:27
It is a picture of two bears high-fiving with a mushroom cloud in the back and you can't tell me otherwise!!