My book review and my own rabbit hole

[HoaxEye]

Hello,

I wanted to write a review on Amazon, but they didn’t let me (haven’t spend min. 50$ on Amazon during the past 12 months). So I used my blog: https://hoaxeye.com/2018/12/09/escaping-the-rabbit-hole-by-mick-west/ (there’s no ads or tracking & Mick gave me a permission to use the book cover picture).

Escaping the Rabbit Hole by Mick West
by JANNEFI9 HOURS AGO

Escaping the Rabbit Hole: How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories Using Facts, Logic, and Respect is a great book written by Mick West. I wanted to write this review on Amazon, but I don’t meet their eligibility requirements: “you must have spent at least $50 on Amazon in the past 12 months”.

Many people know about the Metabunk debunking forum. It is my main resource for checking various conspiracy theory claims. I haven’t posted much on Metabunk, but I’m a frequent user. I learned that Mick West is running Metabunk and is an active member. Mick is an excellent debunker presenting the facts in clear, logical manner often using visual demonstrations. See e.g. a thread I started: “How to calculate the visible fraction of the Earth” (to debunk one Flat Earth claim). You will also notice that there are many other active debunkers bringing new information, asking important questions etc.

Example of working visual demonstration by user Trailblazer on Metabunk. You can compare the 1972 Apollo 17 photo of Earth with a household globe.



Image credit: Trailblazer / Metabunk
You might also notice that Metabunk users treat other persons with respect. Name-calling or attacking people is not allowed. Bunk gets debunked, not people. This is highly important and one of the key messages of Mick’s book: if you want to help someone who is deep in a conspiracy theory rabbit hole, you must be respectful, open and honest. Negative approach only push people deeper into the rabbit hole.

Mick’s book is not so much about Metabunk as it is about how and why people get sucked into false conspiracy theories, and how you can help them to see the light.

The book also covers four popular false conspiracy theories: 9/11 controlled demolition, Chemtrails, False Flags and Flat Earth. All the main claims and their debunks are presented. Understanding the false conspiracy theories and the debunks will help you to help your friends.

The book contains survivor stories from people who have been deep in rabbit holes. These stories prove that it’s possible to get out of the hole – one way or the other.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in conspiracy theories, debunking, communicating/debating or helping someone who believes in a false conspiracy theory.

Content from External Source

While reading the book, I realized my own rabbit hole: JFK assassination. When I was younger, I was convinced that the assassination was carried out by a group of people. Oliver Stone JFK movie played a role, but more importantly, I visited Dallas and the scene of the assassination in late 1990s during a business trip. A local person took me there and shared his views:
1. There’s a big tree near the Texas School Book Depository blocking the line of sight
2. The distance from the book depository to Kennedy’s car was just too long. No way Oswald could have hit a moving target.
That stuck. I was (almost quietly) in this rabbit hole for many years. I got out after seeing some new documentaries and reading official reports. It wasn’t anything dramatic, but now I realize how easy it is to get suck into a rabbit hole.

 

[Mechanik]

...tree...distance...

This struck a chord with me as I recall going there in about 1990 and coming to the opposite conclusion: that the tree had grown in 30 years and that the distance was much less than it appeared on film.

My point is that the observers, you and I, arrived in Dallas with preconceived notions of the event and our minds adjusted our perceptions of the tree and distance to fit our view of the world. I enjoy this site for working to separate the subjective from the objective; to take out observation bias and point out the facts.

 

[HoaxEye]

This struck a chord with me as I recall going there in about 1990 and coming to the opposite conclusion: that the tree had grown in 30 years and that the distance was much less than it appeared on film.

My point is that the observers, you and I, arrived in Dallas with preconceived notions of the event and our minds adjusted our perceptions of the tree and distance to fit our view of the world. I enjoy this site for working to separate the subjective from the objective; to take out observation bias and point out the facts.

I wasn’t obviously observing much in late 1990s. Just listening to a local person who shared (and enforced) my beliefs. I should have known better (says the older me

 

[Mick West]

This struck a chord with me as I recall going there in about 1990 and coming to the opposite conclusion: that the tree had grown in 30 years and that the distance was much less than it appeared on film.

Here's a recreation of Oswald's view done soon after the events.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpAjEPOxjmc


There's a huge amount of information like this available. With most people down a rabbit hole, the main part of the challenge is figuring out what they are missing, and getting that information to them.