Conspiracy theories are best contained socially, not legally

Evidence

A bottom-up approach is humbler and better. Conspiracy theories cannot be crushed individually or collectively, and so there is no point in trying. A worthier goal is to contain what cannot be stopped, and that is best done by friends, neighbors, and one’s self. With patience and good humor, people should use the tests laid out in Chapter 2 to see how likely it is that an idea they treasure might be wrong. — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 822

Categorization

• APHORISMS: The advice to interrogate treasured ideas with patience and good humor is a broadly applicable wisdom.
• XREF: connects to: Conspiracy theories are necessary lymph, not sickly disease, of politics — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 841; Some conspiracy theories may strengthen political immune systems — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 824