"They" and "Them": Understanding Conspiracies and the Need to Believe (re-release from 2024)

As we approach the holidays, When We Disagree is re-releasing episodes about tough conversations with friends and family. This week's episodes are both about arguing with friends about conspiracy theories. When communication professor Bill Keith found himself unable to reason with a close friend consumed by conspiracy theories, he faced a humbling question: what happens when dialogue fails? In this episode of When We Disagree, Keith examines the limits of civility, the psychology of self-sealing arguments, and the heartbreak of watching reason collapse into paranoia. Together they explore how systems, not secret cabals, shape our world—and why boundaries, not just empathy, are sometimes the most civil choice.

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