A rumor is a subject of propaganda whose veracity is not hurriedly or ever confirmed. It is an account of events that are of public concern and circulate from one person to another. The information circulating could be true or false. Rumors are the oldest form of media. Word of mouth was the only form of communication before the modern forms of communication were invented. With the new inventions, rumors have become even more specialized. However, there is little known about rumors, and it is a significant social phenomenon as it constitutes no man’s knowledge (Kapferer, 2011).
A conspiracy is any occurrence in action that in combination brings about a predetermined result. There are several theories that may be termed as conspiracy theories. These theories usually cannot be proven by historical method and are not similar to each other, even when verified.
The conception that rumors are mysterious is erroneous. They comply with strict logic with mechanisms that can be illustrated. We can answer many questions brought about by rumors and also translate the rumors. They play major roles in our daily lives. They help us to comprehend on how to tackle situations in life. The very heart of rumors is their logic and the fundamental aspect of belief.
It would be dangerous to dismiss conspiracies as just mere curiosity of any given culture. Over time, many dramatic events have provided reminders of the link between mass violence and conspiracy culture. Conspiracy theories are often stories about global power; they fall among the rich societies, movements and political cultures that feel marginalized. Some leaders may reach out to conspiracy theories to justify their economic failures as a means of reinforcing their power...
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...theories and rumors are a form of historical explanation of events. They could be regarded as rational theories if the explanations are intentional. They keep the society aware of the occurrences and explanations of nature. Those who are aware of the explanations can understand the truth about those statements. They choose what to believe according to their wants and needs. Hence, it is correct to say that rumors thrive in the minds of only those who have been predisposed to believe in them. Therefore, truth is in the ear of the beholder (True or not true)
Works Cited
Byford, J. (2011). Conspiracy Theories: A Critical Introduction, Palgrave Macmillian.
Kapferer, J.-N. (2011). Rumors: Uses, Interpretations and Images
True or not true. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2014, from www.psaudio.com: www.psaudio.com/vanilla/discussion/4377/true-or-not-true./p1
... the rumor. In December of 1981 they received 1,152 queries, about the rumor, and then by “June, however, the center was receiving more than 15,000 queries monthly”. In just a matter of months the Rumor had skyrocketed, and this information shows just how big the rumor actually was.
Conspiracy theories are entertaining for many to speculate and demand a great deal of thought to constitute. A conspiracy theory is defined as the idea that many important political, economic, and social trends are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public (“The Definition of Conspiracy Theory”). Many conspiracy theories are thought up around children’s shows, which offers a feeling of nostalgia and pleasure. A few children’s show conspiracies that need a deeper light shone on them are from Max & Ruby (2002-2013), Winnie the Pooh (1977), Rugrats (1990-2004), and All Grown Up (2003-2008).
Brunvand collected many short stories that revolved around a deceased grandmother, but each story varied in location, origin, timing, and purpose. People manipulated the context of the story to completely change the moral of the story to either amuse, frighten, or inform their audience. He talks about how a rumor can equally be manipulated as an urban legend would. I would use this source to explain what rumors say about the general public. I would also explain how some rumors can be traced and how people tend to believe them even though the evidence suggest
Perhaps some of the best stories told are classified as urban legends. Urban legends have become a part of culture, and a way to tell stories. They can tell us things about ourselves and about how we lead our lives. They serve to entertain us, but can also teach us lessons, such as morals to live by. Urban legends are passed on between generations, and become a part of the oral history of a place. Whether the stories are true or not, urban legends are often taken to hold at least some truth about a culture. No matter how radical some of the stories may be, people often take the urban legends to be true. People may take these stories to be true simply for entertainment purposes, but mostly because the morals the stories teach are important. Urban legends can become a part of the place where they originate, and can help define a culture, and shape its history.
Conspiracy theories accuse others of a cover up by secret planning. They may be based on a hunch or even backed by evidence. To the curious mind, they bring about unanswered questions that have attracted the attention of many people throughout history. Among some of the more popular theories are the assassination of President John F. Kennedy; the death of Princess Diana; alien encounters in Roswell, New Mexico; and the idea that Elvis may still be alive. Perhaps the most intriguing theory, because of our neighboring location, is the underground bunker and seemingly strange characteristics at the Denver airport.
The day that President Kennedy was assassinated, people started to view the world differently. His death was the first time that a conspiracy theory transformed into a conceivable form of knowledge among the general public. "It was because of Kennedy's death in Dallas that the conspiracy theory was born" (Wensley). It started with an article written ...
Several rhetorical concepts are used to approach the readers of this article, these being proofs known as reasoning (logos), credibility (ethos), and emotion (pathos). Conspiracy theorists, such as Mock, often use logic or reason to attract readers. They understand that conspiracies are seen as lies and paranoia, so to build their audience they appeal to their logical side. In today’s society logic is everything, and being able to prove something is what is important. Making a reference to a factual document or book is always a source of proof. The reference towards a dictionary is used because it is something we use every day, something that is impo...
This, of course, was never proven, but people still spoke of these rumors like they were
Conspiracy is a business that many people thrive on daily for their career. The number of theories associated with the John F. Kennedy assassination should show people that conspirators do not know the truth themselves. If there was one conspiracy that was proven a fact, there would be no need to continue making up others. The conspiracy theories of the assassination of John F. Kennedy do not show enough evidence to be considered fact.
Gregory Rodriguez, the author of “Truth Is In The Ear of the Beholder” shares his ideas of why there are rumors and how rumors are able to thrive because people who believe them are “predestined to believe them” (Rodriguez 484). Rodriguez supported his ideas with other’s work and gave examples to support his ideas. Throughout Rodriguez’s work he left readers questioning more about why people participate in listening and/ or spreading rumors. The reason why rumors are listen to and spread is because societies want answers and will accept rumors as answers; it doesn 't matter whether they are right or wrong as long as our curiosity is fed.
In researching this and many other conspiracy theories, one can see many uses of sensationalism, mainly by the media. This media- the news (local and national), magazines, tabloids, television shows, movies, and so on- has a huge e...
It is hard to believe that a country founded on honesty, hard work, and good morals is involved with lies, deception, and manipulation. Since birth, as U.S. citizens, there has always been an underlying theme to accept things as is. Questioning the way society runs has never been popular. There are very few who actually go against the grain and offer inquisitions when they suspect things are differently than they appear. Rather than dismaying the skeptics or completely trusting the media, everyone should examine the facts individually and question the amount of government involvement and distorted truth in the American people's lives- and particularly in Sandy Hook on December 14, 2012.
In the article, “Why We Believe Obvious Untruths”, by Philip Fernbach, Fernbach argues that people need to realize their individual ignorance in order to differentiate truths from lies. He believes that people are quick to believe anything they are told, even is what they are being told is obviously untrue. Fernbach convinces us of the nescience of human nature through the use of logical reasoning, scientific evidence, and a clever metaphor.
Unwarranted Conspiracy Theories (UCTs) are defined by Kelley as conspiracy theories that hold the general characteristics of all Conspiracy Theories (see Definitions of ‘Conspiracy Theory’), but have additional aspects that make them unworthy of belief.
Since the beginning of settled civilizations, people have had more mutual sharings than ever before. By the same token, there have been some conspiracy theories that are usually against the culturally accepted beliefs of religions, science and society. A conspiracy theory can be described so differently. However, as in his text, Marshall Brain explicates, a conspiracy is generally defined as a theory seeking to explain a disputed case or matter as a plot by a secret group or alliance rather than an individual or isolated act (Brain). Especially, after the new media has become quite popular, more and more conspiracies are theorized every single day, which aim to catch society’s attention via such media tools as the internet, journals and newspapers. Thus, people who theorize those conspiracies tend to use such objects as spiritual and mysterious ones in order to interest people. To illustrate, many examples can be given. For instance, many people have claimed that they were abducted by aliens, although they could show no evidences. Here, a citation from Blackmore could facilitate to understand the circumstance better. She states that people occasionally claim that they have been abducted from public places by aliens, in this case that may provide them with witnesses and affirmations but no evidence could be shown so far (Blackmore). As it is well known, only a small number of people believe such alien abductions, however, rating of this kind of news is quite high on media, because humankind has been wondering if there are extraterrestrial creatures out of the earth. Another example can be conspiracy theories which are about the origins of religions such as the rejection of Jesus Christ. There are some people who pay attention to...