Видео

Thanks Dee!!!

Nice images. I like how they change with the subject. Excellent.

Belle and team PLEASE reach out to your audience to call email text President Biden Vice President Harris and First Lady Jill Biden to have President Biden publish the 28th ERA amendment before January 20, 2025. There was some sort of deal where he agreed to NOT have his archivist publish???!!! Please make the women in your life FINALLY equal under the law.

If only I'd thought to apply these things when dealing with 2024 election theories that are toeing the line of misleading. (This chatter has died down a bit, but boy, was it bad last month. Anyone familiar with Taylor Lorenz's recent writings know what I'm referring to.)

Talking to a MAGA is like talking to a rock!!!

:I recommend 3-to-8 minute videos." lovely!

I commend you and this is why women need to be in charge, everywhere. My initial response to the question, was "Bye. You don't 'own' me anyway. If you want to be a hate filled shit and horrible parent, that's on you." then walk out. Belle's response is a much better one.

I have to disagree that this isn’t your area of expertise. I followed you on Twitter in 2020. You were so good at talking to people with “different” views than you. Asking questions respectfully and answering honestly without being condescending. Staying calm when we all wanted to blow up. You taught me a lot back then and now. 💙

Start with the religious, the believers in make believe

Cheers for this, Belle and the team, this is great information and an excellent strategy.

This video offers such a thoughtful roadmap for reaching out to loved ones who believe in conspiracy theories. The emphasis on empathy and patience is key-it’s a reminder that building trust and fostering dialogue is a long-term process, not a one-time fix. I especially appreciated the advice to ask open-ended questions like, ‘What convinced you of this?’ or ‘How do we know this source is reliable?’ These questions encourage critical thinking without triggering defensiveness. Focusing on shared values and introducing evidence-based alternatives slowly feels like the right balance between respect and accountability. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and this video lays out a compassionate yet practical approach.

Hold up you were doing 4 videos a day!? That's insane.

Been there. I can tell what made me wake up was realizing how any popular conspiracy theorist are always on the same side of most issues. Always theist, always climate skeptic, always pro-Trump. Encourage them to apply the aame doubt toward alt-medias as the one they have developped against traditional medias. They'll inevitably ask for what interest at some point. Point to both the money and the electoral weight. The money Alex Jones made from Info-Wars. The money televengelists makes on donations. The money big oil has been documented paying to fuel climate skepticist disinformation while planning for the rise of water and melting of the north. They're missing on the biggest most obvious conspiracy of our time. They've been turned against their childrens. Conspiracy theories have become a conspiracy to control the thoughts and minds in itself.You'll never hear that from any conspiracy theorist.

im done with maggats. fully and completely done. never going to try again. they dont care about anything at all. theyre emotionally void.

Ok so 50% of these recommendations are just "treat them like children." And tbh I refuse, because I just expect and demand more from grown humans and especially my *parents*. This kind of utter stupidity should not be possible in grown ups and doesn't deserve to be treated seriously or with any respect - even if it's only pretend. On top of that I hate lying and a lot of this "pretend to be interested" feels like lying (because it is). Instead, if my mom is again being stupid beyond what should be humanly possible, I just want to keep it real and tell her what I think: Namely that she's a useful idiot and doesn't count as a full person, if she refuses to use the mental capabilities that make an adult an adult. I realise that this means I'm basically just waiting for them to die before the world can get better. Yes, that is sad.

Thanks Belle.

Got another one... Invite them to watch a Beau/Belle video with you daily and normally-toned, share with them: "Hey, I've been getting these videos by the algorithm; they're very interesting. But, I wanted to ask you just how you'd answer their views and points." ... Do you guys see the beauty of this particular approach? 1) You'd speak to them as you normally do = non-confrontational, i.e., they think you're on the dame team as your relatives are. 2) They'd feel compelled to watch the video's information in a more honest way. 3) If their answers fall short, gently prod them for a more precise answer, such as: "Well, that sounds kinda OK, but then the guys on the video would tell you (such and such) so, how would you then respond to that?" On and on and on. Also, know "how to read the room" and stop the exercise organically. This way, you can redo the exercise on some other video's topic at some other time. Note: A wall is built brick by brick, and so, if you want to take it down without much damage, you must then take it down brick by brick. 👈👀

I've had to give up on formerly beloved family members who went down the rabbit hole. My offerings of trying to understand, questions about how they thought these conspiracies would help improve their lives, just listening without comment, then asking why they believe the people telling them these things... providing links to facts refuting conspiracies and lies being fed them... NOTHING has gotten through. Because my family members WANT to believe the garbage they've consumed. It makes them feel better to hate. For instance, a few years ago they bought into a lie about a proposed tax increase that would only affect those making above $250,000 a year. My relatives (who are lucky to bring in $30k a year told me that we were going to be having to pay 80% of our income now. I laughed and said, oh, hah, were you planning on winning a lottery this year? Anyway, I know what you're talking about, but the numbers are wrong. Here are the facts, and it is only a proposal that still has to get past congress. But NOPE. They kept repeating that I'd better pull my money out of the bank and start buying gold, because the "Demoncrats" were coming for our money. Months later, they STILL were repeating their hysterical convictions that the 'Demoncrats" wanted their money even though the tax proposal never happened. I have no idea if they actually bought gold. I mean, they were living paycheck to paycheck! Then they shared a meme of Michelle Obama as a chimpanzee, I guess, assuming I'd think that was funny. That was the last straw. I realized then, Q-Anon/MAGA fed something in them that facts and decency will never replace. And that I could not, in good conscience associate with these hate-filled, purposely ignorant people anymore. Seeing the things they said and believed was like constantly being punched in the gut for me. It hurt too much. I used to love them. I had to walk away.

The definition of functional stupidity is the ability to see what they want to see, hearing what they want to hear, and understanding what they want to understand.

Thanks!

Good job Ms. B.

Thank you for your insights and analysis! It is greatly appreciated!

As someone dealing with a parent firmly in the conspiracy camp (anti-vax, weather control, etc.) this has been a timely video. I considered asking this in the question email, but public is fine... I have recently discovered that I can access said person's Facebook rather easily (surprise they don't have a good password), and I am planning to "de-program" their algorithm from there over time and see how it helps. Any recommendations on resources that I *should* train it to recommend slowly? It can't just hop from insanity to breadtube and be effective...

I don't know if anyone will see this, but I have a helpful resource for people dealing with this mindset. Daniela, The Knitting Cult Lady (on both RUclips and TikTok) is a survivor of the Children of God, and has studied cults since she was kicked out. Her book, Uncultured, is a story about her life growing up in this cult and then joining the Army. She has given this book to people like her mom to help start deprogramming them (Daniela was a 3rd generation member of the cult. She is also a great resource for dealing with cult members. She does respond to questions in the comments.

How would you handle it in reverse? I am 63 and my 39 year old son is into so many conspiracy theories plus other beliefs. He is really happy that our foods are going to healthier (or so RFK jr promises) although the now maga does not seem to remember the backlash Michelle got when she made school lunches healthier. I am all for harmful chemicals out of food etc., but he is convinced nobody had adhd or autism until the increase in childhood vaccines, he rants about chemtrails, and something about being able to make weather. I tune him out honesty. I send him reputable sites to read but he comes back with his own website , or he will say I am too close minded. 9/11 was an inside job and this one hurts the most since my mom retired from the Pentagon in 1997. I also had a classmate that got killed on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon. My sister retired from working for the department of the Navy and I once worked for the department of the army. I know the government does shady things. I just can't wrap my mind around them being that shady but maybe I'm being naïve? I know children don't always have their parents beliefs. I just find it so strange that my son is so very different from me granted I grew up in northern Virginia and then moved to rural North Carolina before he was born so he has a different growing up experience, but I was still his mom, and I thought I passed on my values to him, but I guess he has his own- which he should. But man they are whacked out lo..

You have not disowned them, you have a right to your own views and you’re saying they would disown you. You don’t need to discount their beliefs but you don’t need to hide or lie about yours. This may be as much about setting your own boundaries rather than trying to change them. I cannot change my dad’s mind, but I have made it clear I do not see things the way he does and to stop and respect my boundaries.

I'm sorry but I found it easier to just say bye bye. I honestly did my best, but i got a headache from continuously banging my head against brick walls. When my family showed it's true colors by going after my Mexican husband(3rd generation American) . I disowned them all.

To be fair, there are people in boardrooms and in the halls of power currently conspiring against your best interests. The best way to cover up a legitimate conspiracy is to get a loose nut to agree with it publicly "... And there are reptiles..."

The best thing my mother ever did for me was to say, "if that's how you feel about it, we'll just have to go our separate ways." I accepted her invitation and started to go to therapy. Life got better without my parents in it.

Thank you. This was a great informational video.

These conspiracy theory believers are SCREAMING "WAKE UP!!" at the illuminati.

I'm so glad to hear about AZ suing Saudis for pumping too much ground water. I expected this would happen years ago when I first heard that the Saudis were buying up land in Arizona to grow alfalfa

The best argument used against an Anti-Vaxxer was: "Interesting. Are your sure this isn't a conspiracy made up by Russia and China to make Americans weak in preparation for an invasion?"

Regardless of what either parties political beliefs are, disowning your children over their beliefs is incredibly selfish. Remember, it's their world moving forward. They have to live with the outcomes of decisions longer than us.

If they are anything like my parents, they are constitutionally incapable of hearing ANYTHING from their children that is new and or contrary information. I have just given up on them in that department.

I would recommend a series here on youtube known as "street epistemology"

Great advice Belle 👍, thank you 😊.

I just feel anyone willing to cut me off because of a difference of opinion is someone I don't want in my life, family or not.

Remeber, conspiracy theories are a way to try to understand, explain, and deal with a crazy, chaotic, messed up world that doesn't make a lot of sense.

The earth is hollow and dinosaurs live inside. That is the only conspiracy theory i approve. 🦖

I've gone thru this with family. With them I do not discuss politics and asked them to not discuss it with me. It has worked and kept the peace for the most part. I live in an area that lives on conspiracies and after the Helene disaster, it's only gotten worse. I tend to stay with facts and give my experiences, which is totally different than conspiracies and it does make others think. I always add, what can it hurt? Try it. I hope they have. Too many will be hurt desperately here by believing in conspiracies and misinformation and it breaks my heart for them. A rude awakening is what it's going to take and I feel they are going to get it and we will suffer with them. Knowledge is everything. My favorite saying. Knowledge is truth.

I spoke to someone the other day who believed both that the Earth was flat and that we have colonies on Mars. Explain that please.

Another great video ty Mrs belle!! Something I needed to hear too. I've always tended to go the combative route this is much smarter!

Good job!

I lost my best friend to conspiracy theories. We haven't talked since the plague. I miss that guy.

To be fair, there's some _really good_ birds-aren't-real kinds of evidence for the Reptilian Overlords hypothesis, such as Dick Cheney taking a loooong time between blinks. Sadly, our shadowy plutocratic masters are just as dangerous, human or no.

People who believe all those conspiracy theories, have low self-esteem, and these theories give them a sense of "being in the know", being special, being the smartest person in the room. You are not going to be able to debunk these beliefs, as it is now part of their identity.

Ask the parents point blank if family is more important than their belief. You might lead with they can always change their minds, develop new conspiracy theories, but they don't get new family.

PLEASE disown me