Ah, speculative theories—the ultimate ego boost for people who think they're in the know while the rest of us are just sheeple, right?
There's a certain allure to thinking you've cracked the code, and now you're part of this elite circle that has access to the "real truth." It's like a VIP pass to the underground world of hidden knowledge, except the entrance fee is often just willful ignorance and a disregard for facts.
Let's talk about some of the mental gymnastics at play here. Ever heard of the "Dunning-Kruger effect"? It's when someone knows so little about a topic that they don't even realize how clueless they are. In the alternative theory world, these are often the people who think they've outsmarted scientists, historians, or whoever else simply because they watched a couple of YouTube videos by Alex Jones, Tenpenny or whatever other whackadoo is in vogue in fringe thought.
Then there's "confirmation bias," the psychological trap where you only pay attention to information that supports your preconceived notions. So, if you're already down the alternative narrative rabbit hole, you will ignore anything that challenges your beliefs, creating an echo chamber that amplifies your ideas back at you. It's not enlightenment; it's intellectual tunnel vision.
So, while some might think subscribing to a speculative theory makes them unique or superior, it often just means they've fallen prey to some fundamental cognitive biases. It's less about being aware or in the know and more about being stuck in a cycle of self-delusion.
