# Quotes about conspiracy theories - Quotes: 14 - Authors: 10 - Broader topic: [Quotes about society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.json ## Quotes > I didn’t know much about Conspiracy, but I did know that its theorists were mostly paranoid and tended to value conviction above evidence. [Jasper Fforde](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jasper-fforde.md) · [One of Our Thursdays Is Missing](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jasper-fforde/one-of-our-thursdays-is-missing.md) · p. 46 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jasper-fforde/one-of-our-thursdays-is-missing/i-didnt-know.md) Topics: [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > There came a point when if a conspiracy was that powerful and subtle it became pointless to worry about it. [Iain M. Banks](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks.md) · [Excession](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/excession.md) · p. 149 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/excession/there-came-a-point.md) Topics: [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > When three men plot, one is a fool and two are government spies. [Harry Turtledove](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove.md) · [Settling Accounts: Drive to the East](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/settling-accounts-drive-to-the-east.md) · p. 456 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/settling-accounts-drive-to-the-east/when-three-men.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > Feeling paranoid? Good: illumination is on the other side of absolute terror. And the only terror that is truly absolute is the horror of realising that you can't believe anything you've ever been told. You have to realise fully that you are "a stranger and afraid in a world you never made," like Houseman said. [Robert Shea](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-shea.md) · [The Illuminatus! Trilogy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-shea/the-illuminatus-trilogy.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-shea/the-illuminatus-trilogy/feeling-paranoid-good.md) Topics: [truth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/truth.md), [fear](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/fear.md), [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > Correctly formulated, the Law [of Fives] is: All phenomena are directly or indirectly related to the number five, and this relationship can always be demonstrated, given enough ingenuity on the part of the demonstrator. [Robert Shea](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-shea.md) · [The Illuminatus! Trilogy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-shea/the-illuminatus-trilogy.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-shea/the-illuminatus-trilogy/correctly-formulated-the.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > Oh, there’s no high quite like getting the focused attention of powerful enemies. Nothing is better guaranteed to make you feel important in the world, which may be why conspiracy theories are so popular among frustrated underachievers. [David Brin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin.md) · [Kil’n People](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/kiln-people.md) · p. 400 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/kiln-people/oh-theres-no-high.md) Topics: [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > There were times when Robert actually envied his ancestors, who had lived in dark ignorance, before the twenty-first century, and seemed to have spent most of their time making up weird, ornate explanations of the world to fill the yawning gap of their ignorance. Back then, one could believe in anything at all. > > Simple, deliciously elegant explanations of human behavior—it apparently never mattered whether they were true or not, as long as they were incanted right. "Party lines" and wonderful conspiracy theories abounded. You could even believe in your own sainthood if you wanted. Nobody was there to show you, with clear experimental proof, that there was no easy answer, no magic bullet, no philosopher's stone. Only simple, boring sanity. > > How narrow the Golden Age looked in retrospect. [David Brin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin.md) · [The Uplift War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-uplift-war.md) · p. 324 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-uplift-war/there-were-times.md) Topics: [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > “How did he get away with pushing a book like this? How is it anyone ever believed him?” > > Gordon shrugged. “It was called ‘the Big Lie’ technique, Johnny. Just sound like you know what you’re talking about—as if you’re reciting facts. Talk very fast. Weave your lies into the shape of a conspiracy theory and repeat your assertions over and over again. Those who want an excuse to hate or blame—those with big but weak egos—will leap at a simple, neat explanation for the way the world is. Those types will never call you on the facts.” [David Brin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin.md) · [The Postman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-postman.md) · p. 255 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-brin/the-postman/how-did-he-get.md) Topics: [lies](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/lies.md), [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > My instinct shouted “Conspiracy” but my head reasoned “Coincidence”. [Michael Moorcock](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock.md) · [The City in the Autumn Stars](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock/the-city-in-the-autumn-stars.md) · p. 291 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock/the-city-in-the-autumn-stars/my-instinct-shouted.md) Topics: [chance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/chance.md), [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > It means this War was never political at all, the politics was all theatre, all just to keep the people distracted...secretly, it was being dictated instead by the needs of technology...by a conspiracy between human beings and techniques, by something that needed the energy-burst of war. [Thomas Pynchon](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-pynchon.md) · [Gravity's Rainbow](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-pynchon/gravitys-rainbow.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-pynchon/gravitys-rainbow/it-means-this.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [technology](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/technology.md), [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > The sane understand that human beings are incapable of sustaining conspiracies on a grand scale, because some of our most defining qualities as a species are inattention to detail, a tendency to panic, and an inability to keep our mouths shut. [Dean Koontz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz.md) · [Fear Nothing](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz/fear-nothing.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz/fear-nothing/the-sane-understand.md) Topics: [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > He made a face. “Arguments, speculation—conspiracy theories of all kind. The usual thing, right? No one is ever simply assassinated anymore. Ever since your Kennedys, it is always a matter of how many stories you can invent to explain the same body of facts. That is the great pleasure of conspiracy theory—not explanation, but narrative. It is like Scheherazade.” [Kim Stanley Robinson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson.md) · [Green Mars](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson/green-mars.md) · p. 495 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson/green-mars/he-made-a-face.md) Topics: [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > Conspiracy theory was tremendously popular, always and forever. People wanted such catastrophes to mean something more than mere individual madness, and so the hunt was on. [Kim Stanley Robinson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson.md) · [Green Mars](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson/green-mars.md) · p. 450 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson/green-mars/conspiracy-theory-was.md) Topics: [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md) > But frankly—may I so speak?—your CIA people's theory strikes me as a miserable bundle of random suspicions, a few separate facts strung together by an intricate structure of ad hoc theorizing, in which everyone is credited with enormous powers for intrigue. A much simpler view can be entertained with more common sense, and as a CIA employee you must be aware that, like all intelligence agencies, it lacks the faculty of common sense. [Philip K. Dick](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick.md) · [Clans of the Alphane Moon](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick/clans-of-the-alphane-moon.md) · p. 123 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick/clans-of-the-alphane-moon/but-frankly-may-i-so-speak-your.md) Topics: [conspiracy theories](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conspiracy-theories.md)