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How many out there have had family members fall into a paranoid state brought on by the “targeted individual” conspiracy theory and books by Michael Bell? My sister and mother are completely consumed by this and unable to have a normal conversation at this point. My mother sent me the books which are horrible and negative. They have become zealots of the worst kind. I think meds might help, but of course that makes me part of the conspiracy.

Elusia8 6 May 26
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Leave them be, to each his/her own.

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Not, so far. I hope your mom and sister snap out it soon. Critical thinking is the cure, but it sounds as though they be inoculated from that already.

I had an in-law that was convinced, and proud of it, that there were owls living around his SoCal residence. One afternoon, we were all having dinner outside when the "owl" made its signature sound. My in-law sat up and exclaimed that as evidence of owls. I knew right away that it was no owl, so I gently explained his error, but he wasn't buying it. So, an idea came to me. I quietly whipped out my smartphone, downloaded an mp3 file of the "owl", and played it for all to hear. He sat up again and exclaimed it as continued proof and that is when I held out my phone and played it again. It's a Mourning Dove, Jack. A Mourning Dove.

He had no choice but to concede and shut up after that. Ya, it was kinda cruel of me, but fuck his pride and ignorance.

@Elusia8 i agree. Proof isn't the answer as they didn't require proof to get sucked into the conspiracy in the first place, but a creative method that demonstrates how they are easily duped has the potential to persuade them to question what they think they know.

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You are right. There isn't much of a path forward unless you can get them reading something else. I went through that decline with my first wife. You become more of the enemy the more you try to help. If you can get someone outside of the family to intercede it might be easier and not focus things back towards yourself.

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