Brian Griffin

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A good, legit source cuz we wanna avoid spreading disinformation.

Thanks for stepping up, Octavia.
I tried looking it up through The Oxford English Dictionary online but you have to subscribe to access it--I think that's why link 18 didn't work--shouldn't online dictionaries be free? SMH. it's like a conspiracy in itself, making it difficult to look up the actual definition of words so it's easier for the PTB to manipulate the language. That's my theory, anyway ;)
However, I was able confirm the claim that the phrase was first used in 1871 through https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conspiracy%20theory

Well, here's the thing - CLEARLY you didn't exercise the skepticism and demand for proof that you showed here on this page when someone told you about the CIA story. Does that not alarm you? It's a flaw in the story that YOU should have picked up WHEN YOU HEARD IT - and then you should be wondering what else about the story they've exaggerated or distorted because they knew it was what you wanted to hear and they knew you wouldn't check them on it?

It's not true. You've been lied to.

I did look it up, and found that you were correct. I just wanted to see if you would back up your claims. Octavia responded with information when he didn't have to.
The thing is, I'm not obsessed with when the phrase was coined. You seem to think that the fact that the phrase has been around a long time is more important than how it was used to suppress free thinking. Do you think Oswald killed Kennedy and acted alone? If so, you're in a very small minority. See attached image.
And what is more important--the fact that the phrase was coined almost a hundred years prior to its widespread use, or the fact that the CIA used it to their advantage to cover up who really killed the President?

But you know who DIDN'T back up their claims? The people you believed in the first place. You're pushing this on me but I'm not the one you should be doing that to.

I never said I believed that's where "conspiracy theory" originated, but it was all I ever heard about the origin of that phrase. I appreciate that you came across this information to say the CIA didn't invent it, but you haven't denied that the CIA used that phrase to their advantage. Why are you so upset about the CIA being credited with it in the first place?

I'm upset about the fact that people like you get away with conversations exactly like this.

Oh my, I think I touched a Nazi nerve. You MUST be CIA.

The vast majority of people who frequent the internet have probably heard others say that the CIA invented it. But obviously the whole action of conspiracy has gone on for probably as long as humans have interacted. And therefore the belief in conspiracy theories probably pre-dates anyone choosing to give it it's own label.

The CIA did however weaponise?(for want of another term) the term "Conspiracy Theory" and "Conspiracy Theorist" and it has been misconstrued into the CIA coining the phrase.

Specifically, in April 1967, the CIA wrote a dispatch which coined the term “conspiracy theories” … and recommended methods for discrediting such theories. The dispatch was marked “psych” – short for “psychological operations” or disinformation – and “CS” for the CIA’s “Clandestine Services” unit.
The dispatch was produced in responses to a Freedom of Information Act request by the New York Times in 1976.

The last paragraph is a lifted quote incase anyone hadn't worked that out. A Quote which you should be able to see the document spoken about which resulted from the FOI act request.

You mean this one? Which does not once reference weaponisation of any phrases? Which you clearly have not read to check for the content you were told was in it? Because you believe anything you think sounds like you want to be true?

[image deleted] Yeah I'm not going to spend too much time on this. However, I never said the document referenced weaponisation did I? That is my term, hence the use of "for want of a another term".
They have clearly at many times in US historical events attempted to quell alternative thoery into what occurred and have followed a template to do so which would appear to have begun around the time of the Warren Commision report being published. The events of 911 were particularly ridiculed (although many theories were ridiculous) after they published their report into why and offered the official ridiculous pancake theory for building collapse. Which again would seem to have been following the template for admonishing any alternate theory.

I point to the document as a piece of information supporting the fact that the CIA did wish to discredit alternative theories by labelling them "conspiracy theories" and in the case of said document it does so into regards the Kennedy Assassination. The whole document purposely does not label any particular person but all alternate theories which are not widespread as demonstrably wrong and describes how to go about discrediting people espousing them.

You know I read above someone suggesting you must work for CIA which is laughable but it is altogether apparent that you like to believe everything mainstream, what they told/tell you and thats fine as it's mostly true most of the time. But read the document yourself and the 2nd page and tell me again how it doesn't say they are attempting to discredit any alternate theory.

It would be interesting if someone else would have a look at this document and also report what they see in it.

It's not that long a document. Nor is it a particularly difficult read. And if you don't want to read it, don't stick up for people who haven't either.

You're so angry when you're mad.