Some Final Thoughts on the JFK Grand Conspiracy -- Then Moving On!

Now we move into my favorite time of year, Christmas!

For the past few days I have been debating a JFK conspiracy theorist in my post "Pissing On His Grave:  Lee Harvey Oswald."  Neither of us changed the other's mind, but the exercise was interesting and possibly made us more aware of the others facts or pseudo-facts.  Read the debate in the comments section, if so inclined.  I wonder if people will still be arguing about the assassination in another fifty years, when it is a century in the past?  Probably.

The Other McCain comments on the loony Jim Garrison, the rogue D.A. who prosecuted innocent people in the late 1960's for their imaginary participation in the Great Conspiracy.  Read it, and the comments, here.

I purchased the Kindle version of Vince Bugliosi's book, "Reclaiming History:  The Assassination of John F. Kennedy" and am enjoying it immensely.  This is the most current and most thorough book that refutes the conspiracy theorists, and does so in a convincing fashion.  I have learned facts I never knew before, and they only strengthen the Warren Commission's conclusions.  The only question left in my mind is this:  why do people want to believe that a massive conspiracy killed JFK?

This would be an excellent doctoral thesis for a mental health professional.

Update:  Apparently, psychologists are already studying what they call "Conspiracy Theory Psychology."  Slate has an interesting article on the subject here.

The article describes similar conspiracy theories to the JFK assassination:  the UFO and Roswell cover-ups, the 911 Truther movement.  Come to think of it, almost nothing happens now that isn't a "false flag" or staged disaster, all perpetrated in furtherance of the New World Order (or something).  The Boston bombing, the Sandy Hook shootings -- it's all part of the giant, unfolding conspiracy!  Not.

Psychology Today has a better article on Conspiracy Psychology here.  I like this short explanation of what motivates a belief in conspiracies:

...conspiracy theories help us cope with distressing events and make sense out of them. Conspiracies assure us that bad things don't just happen randomly. Conspiracies tell us that someone out there is accountable, however unwittingly or secretly or incomprehensibly, so it's possible to stop these people and punish them and in due course let everyone else re-establish control over their own lives. Conspiracies also remind us that we shouldn't blame ourselves for our predicaments; it's not our fault, it's them! In these ways, believing in conspiracies serves many of the same self-protective functions as scapegoating.