---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the thing about conspiracy…"
description: "\"That's the thing about conspiracy theories: in a comforting sort of way, they give rise to the feeling that someone, somewhere, knows what's going on.\"..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/glenn-reynolds-16238_comforting_that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theori_919163.png"
---

#  That's the thing about conspiracy theories: in a…

![“That's the thing about conspiracy theories: in a comforting sort of way, they give rise to the feeling that someone, somewhere, knows what's going on.” quote by Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/glenn-reynolds-16238_comforting_that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theori_919163.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/glenn-reynolds-16238_comforting_that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theori_919163.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/glenn-reynolds-16238_comforting_that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theori_919163.png)

> “That's the thing about conspiracy theories: in a comforting sort of way, they give rise to the feeling that someone, somewhere, knows what's going on.”

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Conspiracy theories comfort people by suggesting hidden knowledge exists somewhere, providing a sense of order amidst uncertainty.

**In simple terms:** They make us feel someone knows the truth.

Key Takeaway

Recognize comfort in false certainty.

Themes

trust uncertainty comfort knowledge

Mood

anxious reassuring

Type

analytical critical

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- online forums
- media consumption
- personal anxiety

Key Concepts

psychology social dynamics information theory

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you rely on hidden narratives for comfort?
- How does this affect your view of reality?

A Different Perspective

They can mislead and erode factual understanding.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comforting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comforting/) [Conspiracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conspiracy/) [Conspiracy theories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conspiracy-theories/) [Conspiracy theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conspiracy-theory/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/)

## Related quotes

> [“Oh, forget it,” he says with feeling. “Nobody knows anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/oh-forget-it-he-says-with-feeling-nobody-knows-anything/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [I think my friend Tom Hanks knows me. He understands me very well. He's always had a sort of parental feeling toward me. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-think-my-friend-tom-hanks-knows-me-he-understands-me-very-well-he-s/)

[John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/)

> [“So how can we determine what’s real and what’s not? We can’t. We can just pick and choose what we want to believe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-spence/so-how-can-we-determine-what-s-real-and-what-s-not-we-can-t-we-can/)

[Richard B. Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-spence/)

> [Maybe we're all a little too desperate these days for a simple formula to explain how our safe world came unhinged. That, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-keller/maybe-we-re-all-a-little-too-desperate-these-days-for-a-simple/)

[Bill Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-keller/)

> [I feel like some of the news we watch on TV is conspiracy theories. What if Fox News is a conspiracy theory? What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naughty-boy/i-feel-like-some-of-the-news-we-watch-on-tv-is-conspiracy-theories/)

[Naughty Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naughty-boy/)

> [The play of Hillary Clinton is to do exactly what she did with Whitewater, with the conspiracy theories about Vince Foster's suicide, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-roberts/the-play-of-hillary-clinton-is-to-do-exactly-what-she-did-with/)

[Thomas Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-roberts/)

> [Human beings, thanks to culture and genetics, are inclined to be pessimistic, fearful, skeptical and believers in conspiracy theories. We also don't like change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/human-beings-thanks-to-culture-and-genetics-are-inclined-to-be/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [The only time I commit to conspiracy theories is when something way retarded happens. Like Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/the-only-time-i-commit-to-conspiracy-theories-is-when-something-way/)

[Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/)

> [ The \[Donald's\] Trump war on the press continues. Tonight, the national cost of a conservative media bubble, now featuring alien conspiracy theories. And about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/the-donald-s-trump-war-on-the-press-continues-tonight-the-national/)

[Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/)

> [ I always say Manny \[Ramirez\] is a strange guy. Outwardly, he's happy-go-lucky. On the inside, he's got a lot of conspiracy theories going on.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bronson-arroyo/i-always-say-manny-ramirez-is-a-strange-guy-outwardly-he-s-happy-go/)

[Bronson Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bronson-arroyo/)

> [That is what I want to make clear today. A man with a long history of racial discrimination, who traffics in dark conspiracy theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/that-is-what-i-want-to-make-clear-today-a-man-with-a-long-history-of/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [“Believing in a conspiracy theory is one strategy people use to regain a sense of control, even if the conspiracy theory is unrelated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice-junior/believing-in-a-conspiracy-theory-is-one-strategy-people-use-to-regain/)

Oscar Auliq-Ice Junior

> [“Not to mention the fact that the belief in conspiracy theories is already a form of conspiracy theory in itself. It's to me not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martinus-hendrikus-benders/not-to-mention-the-fact-that-the-belief-in-conspiracy-theories-is/)

[Martinus Hendrikus Benders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martinus-hendrikus-benders/)

> [So Pakistan is a country that I'm very fond of and have spent a lot of time, but it is a country where conspiracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/so-pakistan-is-a-country-that-i-m-very-fond-of-and-have-spent-a-lot/)

[Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/)

> [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. But it seems that some people are trying to push the same agenda of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/we-have-internet-now-and-people-are-not-stupid-but-it-seems-that-some/)

[Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/)

## More by Glenn Reynolds

> [I'd actually love to think that I could trust Kerry on national security. But the only way I could do that, at this point,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-d-actually-love-to-think-that-i-could-trust-kerry-on-national/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [A 'well regulated militia' was thus one that was well-trained and equipped, not one that was 'well-regulated' in the modern sense of being subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/a-well-regulated-militia-was-thus-one-that-was-well-trained-and/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [One reason that a lot of people see me as cheerful and optimistic is that my expectations are really rather low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/one-reason-that-a-lot-of-people-see-me-as-cheerful-and-optimistic-is/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [But remember: All this talk of tolerance and diversity is basically just a way for one group of white people to pursue power over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/but-remember-all-this-talk-of-tolerance-and-diversity-is-basically/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [The purpose of the right to bear arms is twofold; to allow individuals to protect themselves and their families, and to ensure a body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/the-purpose-of-the-right-to-bear-arms-is-twofold-to-allow-individuals/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [Personally, I'd be delighted to live in a country where happily married gay couples had closets full of assault weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/personally-i-d-be-delighted-to-live-in-a-country-where-happily/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [The nannyism is partly to distract from the corruption — and partly just another opportunity to leverage it. A good general rule is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/the-nannyism-is-partly-to-distract-from-the-corruption-and-partly/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [When people say things like "don't let this moment pass without acting on gun control," what they're really saying is our arguments are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/when-people-say-things-like-don-t-let-this-moment-pass-without-acting/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [Let's be honest: Kerry has no idea what it is to be even a middle-class white in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/let-s-be-honest-kerry-has-no-idea-what-it-is-to-be-even-a-middle/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [Government, we are sometimes told, is just another word for things we choose to do together. Like a lot of things politicians say, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/government-we-are-sometimes-told-is-just-another-word-for-things-we/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/political-wire-is-one-of-the-absolute-must-read-sites-in-the/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [The proverbial thirteenth chime of the clock - is not only wrong itself, but calls into question everything that came before it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/the-proverbial-thirteenth-chime-of-the-clock-is-not-only-wrong-itself/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [Hmm. Petty? Yes. Ineffectual? Yes. Infuriating and off-putting? Yes. Counterproductive? Yes. It's got to be a product of the French Foreign Ministry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/hmm-petty-yes-ineffectual-yes-infuriating-and-off-putting-yes/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [As my father-in-law once said, when they talk about taxes it's always for teachers, firemen, and police - but when they spend your taxes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/as-my-father-in-law-once-said-when-they-talk-about-taxes-it-s-always/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

> [I can think of no better reason to vote against Obama than the prospect of an administration where any criticism of the President is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/i-can-think-of-no-better-reason-to-vote-against-obama-than-the/)

[Glenn Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

[Explore all 40 Glenn Reynolds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/)

## More Comforting quotes

> [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [“Because the truth wouldn't be comforting and wouldn't bring them closer again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/because-the-truth-wouldn-t-be-comforting-and-wouldn-t-bring-them/)

[Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/)

> [Soothing touch, whether it be applied to a ruffled cat, a crying infant, or a frightened child, has a universally recognized power to ameliorate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deane-juhan/soothing-touch-whether-it-be-applied-to-a-ruffled-cat-a-crying-infant/)

[Deane Juhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deane-juhan/)

> [“Reth reached out and took my fingers in his own, his touch light but comforting. “I’ve found that sacrifice is called that for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/reth-reached-out-and-took-my-fingers-in-his-own-his-touch-light-but/)

[Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/)

> [Euthanasia" is an excellent and comforting word! I am grateful to whoever invented it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/euthanasia-is-an-excellent-and-comforting-word-i-am-grateful-to/)

[Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/)

> [At first, I had such stage fright, and it was always comforting to look over and see my big brother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-spielberg/at-first-i-had-such-stage-fright-and-it-was-always-comforting-to-look/)

[Sasha Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-spielberg/)

> [Truth is often uncomfortable. It is only comforting to those who do not wish to ignore it. Then, truth becomes not only comforting, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/truth-is-often-uncomfortable-it-is-only-comforting-to-those-who-do/)

[Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/)

> [I've been sent down to the minor leagues six or seven times in my career. You've just got to have that stability. It's huge.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-diaz/i-ve-been-sent-down-to-the-minor-leagues-six-or-seven-times-in-my/)

[Matt Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-diaz/)

> [The upshot here is that Gil Scott-Heron is still a warrior, even if the front lines have moved. He's made a record not without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hermes/the-upshot-here-is-that-gil-scott-heron-is-still-a-warrior-even-if/)

[Will Hermes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hermes/)

> [The person in misery does not need a look that judges and criticizes but a comforting presence that brings peace and hope and life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/the-person-in-misery-does-not-need-a-look-that-judges-and-criticizes/)

[Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/)

> [The search for God is a reversal of the normal, mundane worldly order. In search for God, you revert from what attracts you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/the-search-for-god-is-a-reversal-of-the-normal-mundane-worldly-order/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [“Soeur Marie Emelie" Soeur Marie Emelie is little and very old: her eyes are onyx, and her cheeks vermilion, her apron wide and kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryll-houselander/soeur-marie-emelie-soeur-marie-emelie-is-little-and-very-old-her-eyes/)

[Caryll Houselander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryll-houselander/)

> [I just found it interesting to talk to adults I admired, and to discover that the path they took was never all that clearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/i-just-found-it-interesting-to-talk-to-adults-i-admired-and-to/)

[Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/)

> [What is this Charity, this clinking of money between strangers, and when did Charity cease to be a comforting and secret thing between one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-benson/what-is-this-charity-this-clinking-of-money-between-strangers-and/)

[Stella Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-benson/)

[Browse all 697 Comforting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comforting/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "That's the thing about conspiracy theories: in a comforting sort of way, they give rise to the feeling that someone, somewhere, knows what's going on.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Glenn Reynolds"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theories-in-a-comforting-sort-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comforting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theories-in-a-comforting-sort-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/glenn-reynolds-16238_comforting_that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theori_919163.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/glenn-reynolds-16238_comforting_that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theori_919163.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e6/glenn-reynolds-16238_comforting_that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theori_919163.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That's the thing about conspiracy theories: in a comforting sort of way, they give rise to the feeling that…” — Glenn Reynolds",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Glenn Reynolds",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-reynolds/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "That's the thing about conspiracy theories:...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theories-in-a-comforting-sort-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-reynolds/that-s-the-thing-about-conspiracy-theories-in-a-comforting-sort-of/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
