Why conspiracy theorists 'want to believe'

+ how website cookies affect us US Edition - Today's top story: Buying into conspiracy theories can be exciting – that’s what makes them dangerous [View in browser]( US Edition | 5 July 2022 [The Conversation]( Conspiracy theories have been around for ages, but it’s easy to think we’re living through their “golden age.” Late last month, QAnon’s unknown leader posted online for the first time in over a year, and standard conspiracist talking points have entered the mainstream. So what to do? Suggestions on how to counter conspiracy theories often focus on ideas and the importance of getting more accurate information out there. But if we’re going to tackle them seriously, we also [need to talk about emotions](, argues religion scholar Donovan Schaefer. A huge part of these theories’ appeal is how they make believers feel: smart, special, certain. “Unraveling their beliefs,” Schaefer writes, “requires the patient work of persuading devotees that the world is just a more boring, more random, less interesting place than one might have hoped.” Also today: - [How a tampon shortage is worsening period poverty]( - [Dems are tweaking the presidential nomination process]( - [What the data tells us about America’s trans teens]( Molly Jackson Religion and Ethics Editor A protester holds a Q sign as he waits to enter a campaign rally with then-President Donald Trump in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in August 2018. AP Photo/Matt Rourke [Buying into conspiracy theories can be exciting – that’s what makes them dangerous]( Donovan Schaefer, University of Pennsylvania Overcoming conspiracy theories isn’t just about information. A scholar of religion explains that the emotions they inspire are part of their appeal. Politics + Society - [Democrats aim to design a presidential nomination process that gives everyone a voice – and produces a winning candidate]( Barbara A. Trish, Grinnell College The Iowa caucuses have traditionally heralded the start of the Democratic Party’s presidential nominating contest. But the party, eager to maintain the White House, is redesigning that process. Health + Medicine - [How the tampon shortage is exacerbating period poverty in the US]( Marni Sommer, Columbia University A severe shortage of tampons alongside sharp price increases have sparked concerns that lower-income women may have difficulty accessing menstrual products. Environment + Energy - [Climate change is making flooding worse: 3 reasons the world is seeing more record-breaking deluges]( Frances Davenport, Colorado State University Destructive flooding in Yellowstone and Australia are a taste of the risks ahead in a warming world. Science + Technology - [Browser cookies make people more cautious online, study finds]( Elizabeth Stoycheff, Wayne State University Cookie notifications remind people that they are being tracked, which affects how people behave online. Education - [Why do kids have to go to school?]( Hawani Negussie, University of Massachusetts The core principle of education is to enable students to become kind, giving and contributing members of their community and the world. Arts + Culture - [A window into the number of trans teens living in America]( Jody L. Herman, University of California, Los Angeles; Andrew Ryan Flores, American University; Kathryn K. O’Neill, University of California, Los Angeles A new study that breaks down the number of trans teens by state could give policymakers a better idea of how many kids will be affected by anti-trans legislation. From our international editions - [Tour de France: Analyzing what makes cycling’s premier race exciting]( - [Trophy hunting will not save Africa’s lions – so the UK ban on imports is a positive step for wildlife conservation]( - [Roe v Wade: A philosopher on the true meaning of ‘my body, my choice’]( Today's graphic [A graph showing how electricity sources have changed from 1950 to 2020. The different sources are coal, natural gas, nuclear renewables and petroleum and other.]( From the story, [The Supreme Court has curtailed EPA’s power to regulate carbon pollution – and sent a warning to other regulators]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](