Escaping the Rabbit Hole: Introduction

[Mick West]

Read the introduction to Escaping the Rabbit Hole on Salon.com

https://www.salon.com/2018/09/16/how-to-pull-a-friend-out-of-the-conspiracy-theory-rabbit-hole/

False conspiracy theories—child actors, 9/11 as an inside job, global warming as a hoax, Flat Earth—are becoming more mainstream as they increasingly pervade our political landscape and public consciousness. Mick West, a leading debunker and the author of the upcoming book "Escaping the Rabbit Hole," draws from years of experience in telling us exactly how to help the conspiracy theorist in your life escape that rabbit hole.

Content from External Source

 

[NoParty]

Well, the good news is that it comes out today...
the bad news is that Amazon says my audio version is delayed until the 26th...

Anyways, best of luck, Mick.

 

[Mick West]

the bad news is that Amazon says my audio version is delayed until the 26th...

I got it on Audible (part of Amazon) last night. Should be out there.

 

[Leifer]

I got it on Audible (part of Amazon) last night. Should be out there.

I got it.
It's downloaded now, onto my phone and desktop....Audible.com.

 

[Apanthro]

Just ordered my copy of the hardcover. Been wanting to read this for a very long time!

A friend of mine with some schizophrenic tendencies recently got back into contact with me, and I've slowly been realizing that he believes in every conspiracy theory I've ever heard of. JFK, 9/11 (Israel did it), pizzagate, Qanon, nazi UFOs... It's not difficult to debunk any of his claims when I can get him to form an actual hypothesis, but he believes in these things even when he doesn't know how or why they would have happened.

When we get into it I sometimes get frustrated and dip into condescension without meaning to. If nothing else I hope this book will help me keep a cool head while debating him. Thanks Mick!

 

[Eden]

I’m looking forward to reading this. It’s only fitting that Stephen Fry — a champion of critical thinking — give commentary on this book.

 

[Radapox]

I haven't read the book, but I wonder if it is going to have any effect other than reasonable people going "Yeah! Sounds reasonable." The same goes for websites like Metabunk for that matter, no disrespect meant. I have great admiration for all pursuits of "educating the masses", but that only works if the masses want to be educated. Has there ever, ever been a case where using reasonable argumentation has managed to convince a conspiracy [person] of their misguidings, no matter how respectful? All these attempts ever seem to achieve is strengthen the convictions that both sides already had, rather than one convincing the other.

 

[Mick West]

I haven't read the book, but I wonder if it is going to have any effect other than reasonable people going "Yeah! Sounds reasonable." The same goes for websites like Metabunk for that matter, no disrespect meant. I have great admiration for all pursuits of "educating the masses", but that only works if the masses want to be educated. Has there ever, ever been a case where using reasonable argumentation has managed to convince a conspiracy [person] of their misguidings, no matter how respectful? All these attempts ever seem to achieve is strengthen the convictions that both sides already had, rather than one convincing the other.

Well that's kind of what the book is about.

There's interviews in there with people who did escape the rabbit hole. Those server two purposes. Firstly they show that it's possible, that people do get out and they do it with help from their friends and from online resources. Secondly they help show what works and what does not.

 

[Radapox]

Well that's kind of what the book is about.

Looking forward to reading it!

 

[Marin B]

I got it.
It's downloaded now, onto my phone and desktop....Audible.com.

I used one of my Audible credits and downloaded it today. Listened to the 1st ~45min and I'm really enjoying it. Took me a few minutes to adjust to the narrator's style (and accent), but now I really like it. I'll report back later with my critique

 

[Khan Desi]

I used one of my Audible credits and downloaded it today. Listened to the 1st ~45min and I'm really enjoying it. Took me a few minutes to adjust to the narrator's style (and accent), but now I really like it. I'll report back later with my critique

Same. Audible really is a godsend for me. I used to read so many books growing up, but have barely read any non-technical texts since. But, since I've had Audible the last 2 years, I've "read" more books than I have the 5+ years before that.

I finished Escaping the Rabbit Hole earlier today, and really enjoyed it. I left a good review on Audible, so hopefully that'll help. One interesting thing I noted was that the narrator used the word "listener" a couple of times throughout. I'm guessing that was artistic license from the audiobook production side, and the word in the physical book is "reader?"

 

[Mick West]

I finished Escaping the Rabbit Hole earlier today, and really enjoyed it. I left a good review on Audible, so hopefully that'll help.

Thanks!

One interesting thing I noted was that the narrator used the word "listener" a couple of times throughout. I'm guessing that was artistic license from the audiobook production side, and the word in the physical book is "reader?"

That's correct.

 

[Willie]

I just got the book today and I’m on page 20 (line of demarcation) and I had to put it down to come here and say, “Thank you, Mick West, for helping me get myself out of the rabbit hole and for sharing these tools to help us help others out as well.”

 

[Mick West]

I just got the book today and I’m on page 20 (line of demarcation) and I had to put it down to come here and say, “Thank you, Mick West, for helping me get myself out of the rabbit hole and for sharing these tools to help us help others out as well.”

Thank you!

 

[Marin B]

Still enjoying the audiobook - "My friend" is a 10 on your conspiracy theory spectrum, though doesn't believe in two of the less extreme conspiracies (flat earth & moon landing hoax). However, there are additional conspiracies so far not mentioned in your book that more than make up for those two.

 

[Marin B]

Finished it. I really liked listening to the accounts of former believers and how they escaped the rabbit hole (gave me a bit of hope) and learning more about AI and bots. The one area where I have expertise (patents) was really well-written.

 

[Mick West]

Finished it. I really liked listening to the accounts of former believers and how they escaped the rabbit hole (gave me a bit of hope) and learning more about AI and bots. The one area where I have expertise (patents) was really well-written.

That's great, thanks!

 

[Jason Bush]

Mick,

Question on the graphic used in the article. As far as you know, was that a Salon creation? The credit says (AP/Shutterstock/Salon), so I'm assuming AP for the WTC photo, Shutterstock for the astronaut standing on the flat Earth, and Salon for merging the images. At any rate, a very appropriate yet pleasingly artistic graphic.

 

[deirdre]

Shutterstock for the astronaut standing on the flat Earth,

those are two separate images also. yes both available on shutterstock. WTC "ap photos/Moshe Bursurker"

(there are also 'chemtrails' in the back).

 

[Martin Irving]

Read the introduction to Escaping the Rabbit Hole on Salon.com

https://www.salon.com/2018/09/16/how-to-pull-a-friend-out-of-the-conspiracy-theory-rabbit-hole/

False conspiracy theories—child actors, 9/11 as an inside job, global warming as a hoax, Flat Earth—are becoming more mainstream as they increasingly pervade our political landscape and public consciousness. Mick West, a leading debunker and the author of the upcoming book "Escaping the Rabbit Hole," draws from years of experience in telling us exactly how to help the conspiracy theorist in your life escape that rabbit hole.

Content from External Source

I had a flat earther lodging for a while, there was no reasoning with him, I preceded to let him talk AT me for an hour and 20 minutes, I got the VIP treatment, hand gestures, standing lecture, bending over to my face level to articulate a particularly relevant point, raised voice, and the reason they tell us it's a spherical (oblate) earth, for there are lands with untold wealth beyond the ice wall. I did not know this until I got my exclusive presentation, after he had exhausted himself I said quietly "I still don't believe you" This worked and a few days later used the police to evict him, I am on diazepam to this day.

 

[Mick West]

after he had exhausted himself I said quietly "I still don't believe you" This worked

Worked how?

 

[deirdre]

I had a flat earther lodging for a while, there was no reasoning with him, I preceded to let him talk AT me for an hour and 20 minutes, I got the VIP treatment, hand gestures, standing lecture, bending over to my face level to articulate a particularly relevant point, raised voice, and the reason they tell us it's a spherical (oblate) earth, for there are lands with untold wealth beyond the ice wall. I did not know this until I got my exclusive presentation, after he had exhausted himself I said quietly "I still don't believe you" This worked and a few days later used the police to evict him, I am on diazepam to this day.

is this a round about way of saying "I should buy your book." ?