Conspiratorial thinking is all about mistrust – distrust in authorities, in mainstream media, in what “most people” think. If you are to help a person escape the rabbit hole, you must take the time to build a level of trust between you – or all your efforts will be in vain.
The best way of creating trust is acting in a trustworthy manner and showing respect. If a person believes in a conspiracy theory, what reason do they have for it? Do not dismiss them, as most people would and probably already have. Instead, try to perceive the subject as if you knew nothing about it. Allow the other person to explain to you how they see things, and what their arguments are.
Want to find out more? Read the Critical Balance e-book for youth workers on critical thinking and conspiracy theories!
