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Introduction
Introduction
Some conspiracies are harmless or even fun to play along with, a small number are actually true, but a growing majority are creating a dangerous wave of beliefs that actively threaten the health and safety of those who believe in them as well as those around these people.
If we cannot be clear-minded, with a firm understanding of logic and reality, then we will struggle and fail to make effective strategies to protect ourselves, loved ones, communities, or our planet.
Misinformation can cause massive confusion which leads to inaction, or worse, actions that end up causing more harm, or worse, deaths.
Check out where you or someone you know falls on this interactive conspiracy chart.
The Dangers of Conspiracies Theories & Misinformation
The Dangers of Conspiracies Theories & Misinformation
Stress Strain for Victims, Their Friends, & Families
Stress Strain for Victims, Their Friends, & Families
Family Estrangement
Family Estrangement
Mental Health, Conspiracies, & Misinformation
Mental Health, Conspiracies, & Misinformation
Misinformation and Conspiracies
Misinformation and Conspiracies
These are weapons being used to slow down humanity's progress in tackling climate change, habitat loss, over-extraction, pollution, and human rights violations. Many eco-focused projects are hampered when misguided people believe conspiracies instead of science, slowing or even killing projects like solar or wind farms before they are even built. One way to tackle this issue is through education at a young age, with a focus on STEM and logic skills so that people don't fall prey to sketchy science or bald-faced lies.
The Right's Anti-Vaxxers Are Killing Republicans (Article) "Since Covid-19 vaccines arrived, the gap in so-called excess deaths between Republicans and Democrats has widened, a new study says."
https://www.lifeafterhate.org/
Mental Health
Mental Health
We're dealing with incredible stress globally from geopolitical and climate problems to conspiracy cults and corporate destruction, it honestly feels like we can't get a break any more. There are however things we can do to help protect ourselves from stressors, reduce our stress responses and take care of ourselves.
Our Mental Health page is the first page we have on this topic, with various resources, but this will probably expand over time.
Green prescriptions are an emerging tool for human wellness, and greenbelts or greenways are an excellent solution to many environmental problems, but can also double as a perfect setting for green prescriptions or other wellness activities.
Narcissism
Narcissism
Narcissism is estimated to be present in 1 out of ever 6 people, and has negative impacts not only for the narcissist but the people and environment around the narcissist. Narcissistic abuse can cause severe mental health and even physical repercussions for people who have to live with or frequently interact with them. Even years or decades after escaping from one, you may suffer from decreased feelings of self-worth or confidence, which can reduce our belief that we can have a positive impact on big issues like climate change or local laws
They also have a dangerous tendency towards adopting conspiracy beliefs and trying to spread them, making them more likely to get sucked into climate change denial, anti-vax conspiracies, and political cults that pose a danger to people as well as our planet.
Narcissism & Conspiracy Beliefs
Narcissism & Conspiracy Beliefs
Destructive "Tools" of Narcissists
Destructive "Tools" of Narcissists
14:31 minute video talking about ways to assess if the person you are trying to talk or work with is using ignorance as a tool. This type of behavior can be exhausting, baffling, and discouraging. However, being able to identify if a person simply happens to be uneducated about a topic, vs purposefully trying to be difficult for control reasons, to avoid responsibility, or to get narcissistic supply can help us asses if they are worth continuing with.
Solutions
Solutions
Prevention
Prevention
Studies and personal experience have shown that prevention is far more effective against misinformation than trying to convince someone that they have been deceived. This is in part because people integrate their beliefs into their identities (for example religion and politics), so that when they hear something negative about topics they believe, their brain usually reacts strongly in self defense. This reroutes blood away from the critical thinking portions of the brain, and into the body, in a fight or flight reaction that can quickly spiral out of control, especially in people with low EQ or emotional dysregulation. For example in people who have experienced abuse or trauma.
Accuracy "Nudges" Can Remind People to be More Honest
Accuracy "Nudges" Can Remind People to be More Honest
"Across 70 different modeling types and five accuracy-prompt treatments, the groups found that prompts – even just subtle, unrelated reminders of the importance of the truth – did have an effect on information-sharing for both left- and right-leaning individuals. More specifically, they found that nudges decreased the sharing of falsehoods among Republicans by 3.3% to 14.6%. This was compared to a decrease in falsehood-sharing of 7.6% to 19.1% among Democrats." - Cornell: Accuracy Nudges Decrease Misinformation Sharing Left and Right
Education in Schools
Education in Schools
Integrating lessons on critical thinking, including on identifying sketchy information within other school subjects can help give our communities life-long immunity against misinformation campaigns designed to sow fear and mistrust, as well as avoid scams or dangerous health-related misinformation.
7:11 minute shows how Finland is protecting society against misinformation, starting in school aged children.
Scroll down to the Resources section for more guidance.
AI Has Success Where Humans Fail
AI Has Success Where Humans Fail
Resources
Resources
A Student Guide for Community Organization (PDF) "I wrote this guide as a collection of anecdotes and lessons I have learned from being an undocumented, working-class woman of color who is also an organizer and a student. I want this guide to inspire people to organize in their communities and develop the tools they need in the ongoing fight for liberation and freedom. I chose to write this guide as a form of resilience.
Over the past six years, I have been an organizer and have had to balance school, work, and being an activist. At times I had to prioritize my organizing over my own academic goals, and I am now just understanding how to balance each part of my life." While this guides is directed at students, it's got valuable lessons for people outside of school too."
Conspiracy Chart (interactive)
Media Literacy & Political Literacy there are also media literacy infographics and videos here.
UNESCO: Addressing Conspiracy Theories: What Teachers Need to Know available in English, French, Spanish, and German
For Educators
For Educators
Europe
Europe
UK
UK
Educate Against Hate: Combatting Extremism and Conspiracy Theories in the Classroom "A step-by-step process to challenge a conspiracy theory"
Organizations
Organizations
International
International
ADL "fights all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all."
Antidote "No person deserves to be psychologically manipulated. Our vision is a world where psychological manipulation is recognized as a public health concern and efforts are made, globally, to reduce its harmful effects."
Europe
Europe
UK
UK
Educate Against Hate "Government advice and trusted resources to help safeguard students from radicalisation, build resilience to all types of extremism and to promote our shared values."
Shout Out UK "We are a multi-award winning social enterprise that provides impartial Political and Media Literacy training and campaigns focused on democratic engagement and combatting disinformation online, tailored to local circumstances and culture."
North America
North America
USA
USA
Antidote "No person deserves to be psychologically manipulated. Our vision is a world where psychological manipulation is recognized as a public health concern and efforts are made, globally, to reduce its harmful effects."
The Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI) "is a creative innovation lab and research center that focuses on media for equity and social justice. Our work bridges boundaries between scholars, media producers, social justice organizations, and communication practitioners."
The Disability Culture Lab (DCL) "is the first-ever nonprofit media and narrative lab whose mission is to shift the narrative on disability. Through creative and strategic communications, fellowships, and resources, DCL aims to move from indifference on ableism to action and to shift the narrative from fear and pity to solidarity and liberation. MacArthur is a founding funder of DCL, an organization using the power of media, technology, and pop culture for civil and human rights. Equipping organizations in the disability community with tools to change the dominant stories about disability can help create lasting change."
The Disinfo Defense League (DDL) "is a distributed national network of organizers, researchers and disinformation experts disrupting online racialized disinformation infrastructure and campaigns that deliberately target Black, Latinx, Asian American/Pacific Islander and other communities of color. DDL was created by and for these communities and is supported by services and insight provided by expert partners and organization."
Free Press "was created to give people a voice in the crucial decisions that shape our media.
We believe that positive social change, racial justice and meaningful engagement in public life require equitable access to technology, diverse and independent ownership of media platforms, and journalism that holds leaders accountable and tells people what’s actually happening in their communities.
We seek to change the media to transform democracy to realize a just society."TransLash Media "is an independent news organization that tells trans stories to save trans lives."
Maps
Maps
International
International
More People Care About Climate Change than You Think "The majority of people in every country support action on climate, but the public consistently underestimates this share."
North America
North America
USA
USA
ADL H.E.A.T. Map™ "(Hate, Extremism, Antisemitism, Terrorism) is the first-of-its-kind interactive and customizable map detailing specific incidents of hate, extremism, antisemitism and terrorism by state and nationwide. This interactive map lets you read details on specific incidents, better understand tactics extremists use, compare activity by type and/or state and access and download raw data."
Education & Training Opportunities
Education & Training Opportunities
Grants & Funding
Grants & Funding
Related Topics
Related Topics
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