0:00:00.250,0:00:01.827
Yes. We are on the bed.

0:00:01.827,0:00:04.380
You could call it an homage[br]to old YouTube.

0:00:04.380,0:00:05.234
I call it...

0:00:05.234,0:00:06.996
comfortable for my butt.

0:00:06.996,0:00:08.256
Conspiracy theories.

0:00:08.256,0:00:10.686
So as somebody who's lost many a night

0:00:10.686,0:00:12.726
tumbling down Wikipedia[br]rabbit holes,

0:00:12.726,0:00:14.956
I love a good conspiracy theory.

0:00:14.956,0:00:16.808
It's like, "Ooh, aliens!"

0:00:16.808,0:00:19.654
"Ooh, how do people make[br]such big triangles?"

0:00:19.654,0:00:21.181
I think that that it's just fun

0:00:21.181,0:00:23.351
imagining the world[br]to be more interesting

0:00:23.351,0:00:24.467
than what I was taught.

0:00:24.467,0:00:26.277
But then something weird happened?

0:00:26.277,0:00:28.467
A couple weeks ago,[br]I found myself

0:00:28.467,0:00:30.787
in the middle of[br]a conspiracy theory.

0:00:30.787,0:00:34.358
And then, all of the fun[br]was replaced with just...

0:00:34.358,0:00:35.497
pure confusion.

0:00:35.497,0:00:38.547
The conspiracy itself is, like,[br]weird and fun and innocuous.

0:00:38.547,0:00:41.410
However, what I really[br]cared about is, like,

0:00:41.410,0:00:42.558
how do you get to that point?

0:00:42.558,0:00:46.130
How do you start seeing signs[br]that were never there to begin with.

0:00:46.130,0:00:47.440
That's what I want to know.

0:00:47.440,0:00:50.600
And I also want to, like, disprove[br]this whole conspiracy theory

0:00:50.600,0:00:51.590
'cause it's whack.

0:00:51.590,0:00:53.637
However, as the person[br]in the middle of all of this,

0:00:53.637,0:00:56.639
I can imagine why I'd be[br]seen as unreliable.

0:00:56.639,0:00:57.749
So...

0:00:57.749,0:00:59.491
...I'm calling on a friend!

0:00:59.491,0:01:02.370
Uhh, I don't know how to put this.[br]How do you put this?

0:01:02.370,0:01:06.278
People think that I am[br]part of the Illuminati.

0:01:06.278,0:01:07.862
Uh-

0:01:07.862,0:01:09.382
Well, are you?

0:01:09.382,0:01:10.543
[laughs]

0:01:10.543,0:01:12.192
This is just one of the comments,

0:01:12.192,0:01:14.365
but I think it really[br]summarizes the issue.

0:01:14.365,0:01:16.415
"I find this channel to[br]be highly disingenuous-"

0:01:16.415,0:01:18.595
"-Corporate product masked[br]to have the appearance of

0:01:18.595,0:01:21.225
an independently run YouTube channel."[br]"There's no way a single person is that skilled

0:01:21.225,0:01:25.674
at animation, editing, presenting, research-"[br]"Everything is too professional for that-"

0:01:25.674,0:01:27.974
"There's no way this girl[br]is the one who did this"

0:01:27.974,0:01:32.124
"A production company put this video[br]together with you just as a host."

0:01:32.124,0:01:35.283
So now- Now...[br]Now what?

0:01:35.283,0:01:37.139
Why am I calling you? Right?

0:01:37.139,0:01:39.893
Yeah. I'm, like, "How do you[br]want me to prove this?

0:01:39.893,0:01:46.803
I am wondering if you could explain[br]to me and the viewers of this video,

0:01:46.803,0:01:49.848
how could somebody see[br]something so mundane

0:01:49.848,0:01:52.821
that's just, like, a part[br]of my life, I guess.

0:01:52.821,0:01:56.242
How could someone see that[br]and think, like, "There must be more."

0:01:56.242,0:01:58.412
I'm interested. I'm fascinated.

0:01:58.412,0:01:59.532
'Cause I'm, like...

0:01:59.532,0:02:02.745
I'm not only interested in your[br]conspiracy, as interesting as it is.

0:02:02.745,0:02:05.905
I think conspiracies have a[br]knack for, especially nowadays,

0:02:05.905,0:02:07.155
to just....

0:02:07.155,0:02:09.755
just ruin people's lives,[br]you know?

0:02:09.755,0:02:12.865
I'm gonna solve this mystery.[br]♪ Scooby-dooby-doo ♪

0:02:12.865,0:02:14.797
We don't have the copyright on that.

0:02:14.797,0:02:17.867
We're going to investigate[br]this conundrum. I'm-I'm-

0:02:17.867,0:02:19.777
You're doubling down on it, I see.

0:02:21.035,0:02:22.005
Hello, I'm Taha.

0:02:22.011,0:02:24.438
I'm apparently Sabrina's[br]only British friend.

0:02:24.438,0:02:26.908
I've been given free reign[br]over this part of the video,

0:02:26.908,0:02:28.873
so, welcome to my chaos.

0:02:28.873,0:02:31.973
Sabrina's asked me to get into[br]the mind of a Sabrina Cruz truther

0:02:31.973,0:02:34.233
and figure out what's going on.

0:02:34.233,0:02:35.513
Okay, hold on.

0:02:35.513,0:02:37.663
It needs pictures.

0:02:37.663,0:02:39.295
Let's read some conspiracy theories.

0:02:39.295,0:02:40.445
"This is a fake channel

0:02:40.445,0:02:42.415
A propaganda channel paid by others.

0:02:42.415,0:02:44.111
Why the spotty uploads?"

0:02:44.111,0:02:46.841
Maybe because it's-[br]it's just one person?

0:02:46.841,0:02:47.661
I love this one.

0:02:47.661,0:02:49.405
"Who do you work for?

0:02:49.405,0:02:52.365
We all know this isn't your channel.[br]Whose script are you reading?"

0:02:52.365,0:02:53.840
"I think she works for the government."

0:02:54.574,0:02:56.139
Oh. This is the best one.

0:02:56.139,0:03:00.069
"Her main channel is crash course[br]with 10 million subs."

0:03:00.069,0:03:02.242
John and Hank Green,[br]eat your heart out.

0:03:02.242,0:03:03.352
Okay, so basically,

0:03:03.352,0:03:06.470
people think that Sabrina[br]doesn't make her own videos,

0:03:06.470,0:03:09.080
that she's a presenter,[br]that maybe she works for the government.

0:03:09.080,0:03:10.510
How did people get here?

0:03:10.510,0:03:11.510
Let's figure it out.

0:03:26.571,0:03:28.721
Okay. So, here's what I found out.

0:03:28.721,0:03:31.361
There are loads of ways to define[br]conspiracy theories,

0:03:31.381,0:03:33.588
but they all kind of boil down[br]to the same thing.

0:03:33.588,0:03:36.048
It's basically the belief that[br]a group of people

0:03:36.048,0:03:39.024
are secretly working together[br]to do something bad.

0:03:39.024,0:03:40.211
But here's the thing:

0:03:40.211,0:03:41.801
When we talk about conspiracy theories,

0:03:41.801,0:03:45.291
we aren't talking about every time[br]anyone has ever got together

0:03:45.291,0:03:46.941
to secretly do bad things.

0:03:46.941,0:03:50.194
So what are people talking about[br]when they say "conspiracy theory"?

0:03:50.194,0:03:52.714
Or when they talk about conspiracy[br]theories on the internet?

0:03:52.714,0:03:55.254
They talk about a specific type[br]of conspiracy theory.

0:03:55.254,0:03:58.288
It's the type of conspiracy theory that[br]Sabrina is in the middle of right now.

0:03:58.288,0:04:01.545
These conspiracy theories[br]seem to be unlikely by design.

0:04:01.545,0:04:03.668
Here's the really interesting thing that I found.

0:04:03.668,0:04:06.787
These theories have pretty distinctive[br]features that you can spot

0:04:06.787,0:04:09.967
and these features make them[br]not only unlikely to be true

0:04:09.967,0:04:12.197
but also difficult to argue against.

0:04:12.197,0:04:14.646
These features are that[br]they are speculative,

0:04:14.646,0:04:17.916
based on educated or[br]not-so-educated guesswork

0:04:17.916,0:04:19.776
rather than solid evidence.

0:04:19.776,0:04:22.456
The rationale being that[br]if a conspiracy was successful

0:04:22.456,0:04:24.166
then it wouldn't have left a trace.

0:04:24.166,0:04:25.496
They can become contrarian.

0:04:25.496,0:04:29.086
They form in opposition to the[br]obvious or official explanation.

0:04:29.086,0:04:32.105
Conspiracy theories will dismiss[br]this explanation, citing

0:04:32.105,0:04:33.846
"That's what they want you to think."

0:04:33.846,0:04:36.082
Because of this, theories[br]can become esoteric.

0:04:36.082,0:04:40.272
If the obvious explanation isn't true,[br]then the theory is based on speculation.

0:04:40.272,0:04:42.385
The conspiracy theory can run wild.

0:04:42.385,0:04:45.525
Explanations can become increasingly[br]detached from reality.

0:04:45.525,0:04:47.305
Theories are also amateurish.

0:04:47.305,0:04:50.745
Now, that isn't a comment on[br]a theorist's intelligence.

0:04:50.745,0:04:54.225
That's a comment on how qualified[br]these theorists are.

0:04:54.225,0:04:56.755
In most cases, they don't have[br]the relevant expertise

0:04:56.755,0:04:59.176
to be conclusively analyzing evidence.

0:04:59.176,0:05:01.416
Even when they do,[br]they're in the small minority

0:05:01.416,0:05:04.072
and the professional consensus[br]doesn't agree with them.

0:05:04.072,0:05:06.872
And is it more likely that[br]all experts are lying

0:05:06.872,0:05:11.352
or that most informed and qualified people[br]are coming to the same conclusion.

0:05:11.352,0:05:13.812
Conspiracies can also become premodern.

0:05:13.812,0:05:17.052
These conspiracies believe that[br]incredibly complex events

0:05:17.052,0:05:20.692
can be controlled by a small number[br]of people acting in secret.

0:05:20.692,0:05:23.992
Nothing is a coincidence[br]or a series of uncorrelated events,

0:05:23.992,0:05:26.130
but a coordinated conspiracy.

0:05:26.130,0:05:29.332
And lastly, these conspiracies[br]are self-sealing.

0:05:29.332,0:05:30.589
What this means is that

0:05:30.589,0:05:32.747
the conspiracy is difficult[br]to argue against.

0:05:32.747,0:05:35.235
If a conspiracy is based on speculation,

0:05:35.235,0:05:38.905
it dismisses the obvious explanation[br]in favor of a more obscure one.

0:05:38.905,0:05:40.655
if it ignores expert consensus

0:05:40.655,0:05:44.683
and believes that a small group of people[br]can control complex events,

0:05:44.683,0:05:48.659
any explanation against the conspiracy[br]is just what they want you to think.

0:05:48.659,0:05:51.400
Now, that doesn't mean that every time[br]you hear the words "conspiracy theory"

0:05:51.400,0:05:52.520
you should just dismiss it.

0:05:52.520,0:05:55.990
Because we know that throughout history,[br]there are well-documented conspiracies.

0:05:55.990,0:05:57.440
I find this really interesting concept

0:05:57.440,0:06:00.370
that distinguish between[br]conspiracy theory and conspiracy fact.

0:06:00.370,0:06:02.321
Essentially, when you have[br]a bunch of solid evidence

0:06:02.321,0:06:04.531
that supports the fact[br]that a conspiracy occurred,

0:06:04.531,0:06:06.011
you can consider it fact.

0:06:06.011,0:06:08.241
But it isn't sensible to believe[br]conspiracy theories,

0:06:08.241,0:06:11.611
the ones that tick all of the boxes[br]that make them unbelievable.

0:06:11.611,0:06:14.261
And not unbelievable in a way like,[br]"Oh, that's unbelievable!"

0:06:14.261,0:06:16.721
In a way that's like,[br]"I don't believe you."

0:06:16.721,0:06:19.302
And even if conspiracy theories[br]aren't true,

0:06:19.302,0:06:20.792
they still have a function.

0:06:20.792,0:06:23.122
Not a good function,[br]but still a function.

0:06:23.486,0:06:25.260
So, what is it?

0:06:25.400,0:06:27.017
People believe in conspiracies

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that reinforce their[br]political or ideological bias.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Nobody's believing a conspiracy theory

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that goes against what they think[br]the world is like.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We see patterns and theories that[br]reinforce our ideology

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and we're happy to get onboard.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In this way, conspiracy theories[br]are a type of ideological propaganda.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
By spreading the theory, you also end up[br]spreading your own world view.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
In order to believe a theory,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
you have to believe that[br]the world is a certain way.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So, by convincing people[br]of your conspiracy theory,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
you are also implicitly convincing them[br]that the world is the way

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that you believe it to be.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Okay. So, in the process of[br]researching this video,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I ended up going down a lot[br]of conspiracy theory rabbit holes.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Some of them I obviously know were untrue,[br]but others I thought,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
"Maybe they could be true?"

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
That was kind of scary to me.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And I wanted to find out what it was[br]about conspiracy theories

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that made them so... attractive.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And that's when I got into the[br]psychology of conspiracy theories.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
There are 2 key psychological phenomenon[br]that drive a natural inclination

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
towards conspiracy theories.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
First is "pattern perception".

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We're bad at recognizing randomness.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Instead, we are more likely to see[br]a pattern when there is none.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And, secondly, is "agency detection".

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
We tend to think that events occur[br]due to agents acting intentionally,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
rather than recognizing neutral[br]or accidental occurrences.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
These 2 phenomena are compounded[br]by cognitive biases

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that make conspiracy theories believable.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
These include "proportionality bias",

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
which leads to thinking that[br]the cause of an event

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
has to be as big as its consequences.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
When the explanation is not as grand[br]as the event itself,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
people can find it difficult to believe.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This means we assume things happen[br]on purpose rather than by accident.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
When the conspiracy explains[br]how something was intentional,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
believing that it was an accident[br]becomes difficult.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
"Confirmation bias" means that[br]once we believe a conspiracy,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
we tend to only pay attention to[br]evidence that supports our conclusion.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
so, now I know why my brain thinks the way it does,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
but doesn't necessarily change the fact

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that I still felt like those conspiracy theories

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
were true.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
so, now what?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Here is where it gets interesting

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
One of the books I ended up reading for this video

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
was written by a professor

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that I had last year at university

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So, I just asked him.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
This is Quassim Cassam,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
a professor of philosophy at the Universtiy of Warwick.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
His main research interests are knowledge,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Percepiton,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Intellectual Vices and

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
Conspiracy theories.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I also owe him an esseay.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
So, yeah, my sort of, like, initial question

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that I didn't know how to tackle myself was just

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
how do you think about being healhily skeptical

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
versus unnecessarily conpiratorial?

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
-right

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I think a lot of people

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that believe conspiracy theories,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
think that it's a good way to express their skepticism

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
and lack of trust in government and authority.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
My own view is that, well,

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
of course it's a good thing

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
to hold an establishment to account.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
And it's very helpful

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
when journalists and whistle blowers come up with the evidence.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
I mean, I have to conceive

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
that the sources that I regard as trustwhorthy