I heard this idea on a podcast last night: “Conspiracy theories are comforting.”
It wasn’t even the focus of the episode — just a passing comment later in the discussion — but it stuck with me. The whole episode is worth a listen if you’re curious.
I’d never really thought of conspiracy theories as a coping mechanism. I’m not someone who dwells in them, but like everyone else, I get sucked in sometimes. How can you not, in the world we live in today? They’re sexy, compelling, and hard to ignore.
Comfort in the Chaos
The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Conspiracy theories can give shape and order to confusing events — whether it’s a global crisis, a historical mystery, or something happening in your personal life.
When things feel random and overwhelming, they offer a neat, if often false, narrative. That can be especially appealing if there’s an emotional connection to the event.
A Few Examples
Here’s a quick list I pulled together with the help of ChatGPT:
- Weather manipulation & “chemtrails” – Allegations that planes disperse chemicals to control weather or populations, boosted by recent claims from U.S. officials and state-level legislation against cloud seeding.
- “Royal robot” Princess Beatrice – Viral resurfacing of 2018 Met Gala footage fuels speculation she’s a robot due to her stillness and expressionless demeanor.
- False flag surge – A steep rise in labeling disasters and political events as staged “false flag” operations meant to distract or control the public.
- Illuminati & New World Order – Belief in a secret global elite orchestrating world events, often tied to symbols like the Eye of Providence.
- Moon landing hoax – Persistent claims that the Apollo missions were staged on Earth, despite decades of scientific evidence to the contrary.
- 9/11 was an inside job – Theory alleging U.S. government involvement in orchestrating the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Why They Hook Us
Trying to “get to the bottom” of any of these is like diving into a bottomless rabbit hole. As soon as you latch onto one version of the story, another pops up to contradict it. It’s a hamster wheel of information, impossible to organize unless you’re Carrie Matheson with a wall of string… or maybe a forensic accountant with unlimited coffee.
For some people, conspiracy theories function like a Rubik’s Cube — a puzzle with a logical solution if you twist it the right way. But I think they’re more like a rubber band ball: a messy, wound-up tangle in your brain. Every new theory is another rubber band you wrap around it, making it harder and harder to find the center without tearing the whole thing apart.
The Illusion of Certainty
When you find a theory that “fits,” it’s easier to accept — whether it’s right, wrong, or somewhere in between. It gives the confusion structure. Sometimes it sparks curiosity; other times, anger. But there’s a trigger that sets you down a seemingly ordered path, rather than letting you fall aimlessly through uncertainty.
Add in the fact that the information often comes from a source you trust — or from a community of people who share your beliefs — and the comfort deepens.
“If I were wrong, why would so many people think the same thing I do?”
That’s how we all get trapped. Conspiracy theories become soap operas: they never end, they just evolve. New characters arrive, old ones fade, and sometimes a familiar role is played by someone entirely different — but we’re expected to believe it’s the same person.
The Real Takeaway
In the end, the comfort of conspiracy theories is a double-edged sword. They can make the world feel less random, but they can also keep us from grappling with the messy, often uncomfortable truth.
That’s why thinking is paramount. Seeing both sides, listening to perspectives we disagree with, and working to understand events realistically — whether they involve a conspiracy theory or just a tangle of current events — is the only real way forward.
Because comfort is nice.
But clarity is better.
Leave a Reply