About 10 or so years ago, my brother got really into the Illuminati. He spent hours reading and researching and knew everything about the Illuminati. He could recite lectures when asked. I used to tease him about being a conspiracy theorist.
Then, I met a new friend of his. My brother and his friend bonded over their obsession with the Illuminati, but I never teased my brother again. That's because, after meeting his friend, I realized I had it easy.
My brother's friend constantly talked about the Illuminati. He'd find a way to bring every conversation back to the Illuminati or relate every action or word of the Illuminati. My brother only talked about this when asked. His friend didn't even need the slightest prompting.
That was when I first learned that people who are really deep into conspiracy theories show signs that they're deep into it. I'm not the only one who knows this. Redditors know that there are signs people show when they're deep into conspiracy theories and are eager to share what those signs are.
It all started when Redditor sheerduckinghubris asked:
"What is a sign someone is way too deep into conspiracy theories?"
No Tech Please
"An extended family-member-in-law keeps the Wifi router and all other TVs and communication devices, aside from their cell phones, in their house unplugged. If you want to use them while visiting, you have to ask permission, plug them in, then unplug them when you are done. They’re legit afraid of 5G and other radio waves on their physical and mental health, and seriously believe that” the government” is listening and tracking everything they do."
"I always remind them that “the government” is literally other humans that you can interact with, possibly your neighbors that sit on elected and voluntary boards and councils, and not some arbitrary anonymous “the government” entity."
"Them: But but “they’re” poisoning our water!"
"Me: Who? You mean Bill, the director of public works? Let’s call and ask him."
"Them: You can’t just call “them.”"
"Me: Actually, you can, let’s call Bill and ask him if he’s poisoning your water, and while we’re at it, let’s call Tom the major and ask if he’s trying to mind control you."
– jklolffgg
Social Media Signs
"I have a friend from college who has gone down this route. My only reference at this point is the rants he posts on Facebook. But everyone starts out the same: "Facebook keeps taking this down and flagging it because they don't want you to know the truth........""
– CoolHandRK1
"I'm sure this friend has no problem with the cognitive dissonance of "private businesses should be able to do whatever they want" and "I'm being CENSORED by SOCIAL MEDIA.""
– HaveAWillieNiceDay
Too Far Gone
"I think when they start fearing 5G or saying the earth is flat/stop brushing their teeth...I'm good."
– unmistakably
"Wait what stop brushing their teeth?"
– notaveryuniqueuser
"I could be wrong but I think they are scared of fluoride."
– ConnerennoC
"yep. that AND they think their diet makes it so they don't have to brush their teeth. YOU'RE WRONG. I CAN SMELL YOU."
– unmistakably
"This reminds me of how Steve Jobs insisted that he didn't need to bath or wear deodorant because his fruitarian diet flushed his body of mucus so he couldn't smell bad, but everyone around him could smell how utterly wrong he was."
– lesbowski
Signs Of A Shot
"I have a buddy from college who lost his mind during COVID. Now he posts all sorts of weird things on FB. Any time anyone of note dies it’s, “I bet they got the jab! No one just DIES for no reason!”"
– Prsop2000
"I’m a funeral director and embalmer and I had a guy call me one day and ask if I had seen white threads in the blood of people who had died and gotten the Covid shot. MFer how the hell am I going to know if they got vaxxed or not? I had another dude tell me conspiratorially that he knew I was seeing the white threads in blood because other funeral directors had told him that. Uh no they didn’t."
– PsychoticMessiah
Check Out My Ride
"Stickers all over the car."
– harajukukei
"I’ll do you one better. Saw a white beater car with conspiracy theories written all over it in sharpie."
– Ct-5736-Bladez
"My neighborhood has one...I always give it a wide berth..."
– breakermw
Eels, Energize!
"They have conspiracy theories that you’re not ready for."
– Telrom_1
"Like throwing your used car batteries into the ocean so the electric eels can charge."
– One-Permission-1811
"Where do you think the electric eels get their energy from?"
– unsmartkid
Free Thinkers
"They wear a "Warning: Free Thinker" tee shirt to Costco."
– flibbidygibbit
"Ironically mass produced and bought by "free thinkers.""
– mr_remy
"They need a Costco card to shop at Costco. Doesn't that concern them? Why does Costco need to know their names and addresses and keep records of their purchases?"
– CoralSkinRot
Cheeto Hands
"When professionals like doctors and historians are lying but some rando on YouTube in his basement with LED lights in the background and Hot Cheeto cheese on his fingers is telling them the REAL truth about (insert topic here)."
– Late_Comedian_5269
Medical Quacks
"What I find even worse are the (very few, but loud) doctors and other professionals who fall down the rabbit hole and give a bunch of false information. They become a beacon to other nut jobs.
Which is crazy because these nut jobs have 0 trust in doctors but once they find a crazy doctor who shares their opinions, they suddenly trust that one specific doctor."
"The regulatory boards need to remove these doctors who spread harmful messages."
– DantesEdmond
"This happened with the "autism is caused by vaccinations" doctor. He was stripped of his medical license for the insane amount of damage he did with that campaign."
– agolec
"They often do strip them of licenses or whatever the equivalent is in what field they're in. The problem is that for many conspiracy theorists, that's simply proof that the "expert" is right and "they" are trying to hide it by attempting to destroy the person's credibility. Unfortunately, people can delude themselves into believing almost anything."
– CityofOrphans
It's Always Them
"They say something like "It's all a distraction. You see, they don't want you to know what's really going on.""
"Then when you ask them what they think is "really going on", they laugh and call you a "sheeple".
– BubbhaJebus
The Flat-Earthers
"When they install satellite dishes but don't understand how the satellites stay in space because the earth is flat."
"True story when I had satellite internet installed."
– Dijiwolf1975
Chicken Little
"They all have a look in their eye's that screams "the sky is falling". Hyper aware, anxious, paranoid, easily triggered."
– buffslens
Talk Talk Talk
"Don't worry, they'll tell you."
– FishAndRiceKeks
"Yes. And every video they post is from a dude sitting in a car. Just endless dudes in trucks and cars, that's who they get their news from."
– PreferredSelection
"I have a few friends who fell down the rabbit hole."
"The most tell tale sign is that it's literally all they will talk about. At all. Every convo you have? Back to conspiracies, Illuminati, QAnon, pizzagate, the elite, the NWO (not the wrestling kind...)... heavy fixation on Covid.... etc.. Every single one.
"Most of them sound VERY uneducated, but think they solved some master life puzzle. Some may be sovereign citizens."
"Another obvious one... I had one friend who ghosted me. I finally got a hold of him and asked him what's up and he said "well it's because you're a deep state spy.""
– BlackIsTheSoul
"There is this tour provided by this lady in Seattle visiting 90s Seattle music landmarks. It's typically small groups. Around 6 people when I did the tour."
"Most of them sound VERY uneducated, but think they solved some master life puzzle. Some may be sovereign citizens."
"In the middle of the tour, we stopped by a pub for a drink and just to talk. One of them was this US Army dude who tagged along with his wife. 3 minutes after talking about the places we just visited he started telling me his opinion on how certain events like 9-11 were actually perpetrated by the government."
– muthaflicka
"I nodded, and immediately got up and told him I wanted to check out the album covers being displayed on this wall."
"He was around 30-ish, fit, looked sharp and smart, and spoke eloquently about other things. Caught me off-guard."
– muthaflicka
"This is the answer."
"Most of these people have zero self awareness and will reveal themselves pretty early lol."
– nsfwtttt
Yup, that's the biggest sign (and the one my brother's friend gave me)!
@joehas/X