Birds aren’t real – How we react to conspiracy theories

In May 2023, a Nobel Summit took place in Washington, D.C. with the meeting theme of building trust in science. The proceedings of the Summit were recorded; you can find them here. If you have time, we encourage you to listen to the entire set of extraordinary conversations. However, if your time is limited, we highly recommend that you listen to the 5 minutes from 4:49:35 to 4:55:05.

This short clip of Peter McIndoe, a performance artist and filmmaker, emphasizes belonging over belief. His key takeaways are as follows: 1) We cannot always control the spread of misinformation, but we can control how we respond to people; 2) People sometimes believe conspiracy theories or misinformation because they provide a sense of identity, belonging, and purpose; and 3) We should invite people to our side rather than condemn them for believing alternative information. We invite you to watch this clip and draw your own conclusions.