# Alex Jones... A Serious Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 27, 2018, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671 "2018-07-27T13:44:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/1 "2018-07-27T13:44:37Z")
Since Alex Jones is in the new lately with some of his rhetoric being labeled as hate speech and pulled from Facebook and Youtube I thought this question topical. While 99.999 percent of sane humans think Alex Jones is a crackpot and avoid his brand of “news/snake oil” at every turn… I have always wondered if HE actually believes ANY of his wacko theories? How much is just an act where he goes home at night, has dinner and laughs at the miniscule minority of uneducated sheep that spread his lies while he counts his money? I mean it is one thing to have far from center ideologies like Ted Cruz or Maxine Waters… and from an “entertainment” perspective I would posit that Rush Limbaugh believes a significant percentage of what he says on air. But surely Alex Jones is just playing to his (insane) base, right? He does not really believe that: Glenn Beck is a CIA Operative The Government can and is controlling weather and creating natural disasters Bill Gates is trying to wipe out minorities through eugenics Sandy Hook was a “false flag operation” with crisis actors acting as the dead The Government is putting chemicals in our water to turn people homosexual I have friends who often talk about how shady our government is and I often agree with that assessment. When it comes to things like corruption, lobbyists buying votes and burying legislation, coverups for greed and incompetence (i.e. Flint Water Crisis) and general pandering and doing what gets you re-elected even when it is opposed to what is right. Heck I can even LISTEN (but not agree) with those that question the climate change, the JFK assassination (The Warren Report WAS flawed) or that we did not go to Moon (we did) but I find it really hard to believe that a single human with anything over an 80 IQ would actually believe anything coming from that guys mouth, including the man spewing the crap. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/2 "2018-07-27T13:52:58Z")
That argument didn’t work well when he tried it in court for his divorce/custody hearings, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/3 "2018-07-27T14:03:34Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > That argument didn’t work well when he tried it in court for his divorce/custody hearings, IIRC. Wow I did not know about this… dude is either (medically and legally) insane or super committed to his lies. > **[Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones' Custody Trial: 10 WTF Moments](https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/alex-jones-custody-trial-10-wtf-moments-108404/)** > > From blaming his poor memory on a bowl of chili to the story of him disrobing during a therapy session, this was not just another day in family court. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/4 "2018-07-27T14:29:57Z")
> [@chargerrich](#): > > Since Alex Jones is in the new lately with some of his rhetoric being labeled as hate speech and pulled from Facebook and Youtube I thought this question topical. > > While 99.999 percent of sane humans think Alex Jones is a crackpot and avoid his brand of “news/snake oil” at every turn… I have always wondered if HE actually believes ANY of his wacko theories? > > How much is just an act where he goes home at night, has dinner and laughs at the miniscule minority of uneducated sheep that spread his lies while he counts his money? > > I mean it is one thing to have far from center ideologies like Ted Cruz or Maxine Waters… and from an “entertainment” perspective I would posit that Rush Limbaugh believes a significant percentage of what he says on air. > > But surely Alex Jones is just playing to his (insane) base, right? > > He does not really believe that: > Glenn Beck is a CIA Operative > The Government can and is controlling weather and creating natural disasters > Bill Gates is trying to wipe out minorities through eugenics > Sandy Hook was a “false flag operation” with crisis actors acting as the dead > The Government is putting chemicals in our water to turn people homosexual > > I have friends who often talk about how shady our government is and I often agree with that assessment. When it comes to things like corruption, lobbyists buying votes and burying legislation, coverups for greed and incompetence (i.e. Flint Water Crisis) and general pandering and doing what gets you re-elected even when it is opposed to what is right. > > Heck I can even LISTEN (but not agree) with those that question the climate change, the JFK assassination (The Warren Report WAS flawed) or that we did not go to Moon (we did) but I find it really hard to believe that a single human with anything over an 80 IQ would actually believe anything coming from that guys mouth, including the man spewing the crap. You should have listed his 9/11 CT as well as it’s one he’s pretty well known for. I actually did an IMHO thread on this a year or so ago and the consensus seemed to be that…he’s a huge asshole who doesn’t believe everything he’s saying. My own proof was from a John Oliver episode where John talks about all of the product placement in his show. Once you really start looking into it and know what to look for (and, full disclosure, I haven’t watched or listened to his show, nor his YouTube videos, so the most I saw was what John showed) it’s pretty apparent he’s in it for the money. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/5 "2018-07-27T14:43:32Z")
I did not forget about the 9/11 conspiracy, I left if out because while I personally find it offensive and nearly as unbelieveable as Sandy Hook, Chemtrails and Gay Water it has - unfortunately - been taken somewhat into the mainstream (thanks to Jessie Ventura among many others). It is however the modern day equivilent of the grassy knoll so i agree…sadly… it is relevant. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/6 "2018-07-27T15:13:31Z")
So, just saying something a sufficient number of times automatically makes it relevant? I hope not. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/7 "2018-07-27T15:14:44Z")
I don’t think Cruz or Waters believe their own speeches either. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Peebles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Jim\_Peebles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_Peebles)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/8 "2018-07-27T16:11:30Z")
There is strong evidence comedian Bill Hicks faked his own death, and took on the character of Alex Jones. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/9 "2018-07-27T16:32:10Z")
There’s an old joke about a guy who decides on a prank where he spreads a rumor that there’s free money being given out on the other side of town. The prank is successful, and bigger and bigger crowds of people head over to the other side of town, talking about the free money being given out there, adding additional detail as these things go. After a while, the prankster starts to think, hey, maybe there really _is_ free money being given out on the other side of town, and heads over there himself so as not to miss out. I don’t know anything about Alex Jones specifically. But I think in general that many people who start off with an incentive to spread these types of theories eventually come to believe them to a large extent, regardless of their original motive. They find themselves immersed in arguments and “evidence” in favor of their theories, and in the company of other people who believe them, and - perhaps most significantly of all - after arguing passionately in favor of the theories against others who dispute them their thinking adjusts to conform to what they’re saying. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/10 "2018-07-27T17:56:34Z")
I refer you to the book Them: Adventures With Extremists by Jon Ronson, published almost twenty years ago, in which the author, then a Guardian journalist and now some sort of Hollywood producer, went to meet various self proclaimed extremists. David Icke. The father from the Ruby Ridge incident. An Islamic extremist, pre-9/11. And a pre-fame Alex Jones. The gatecrashed Bohemian Grove together. He recounts Alex Jones running out to the street to shout at a phone company worker who he thought was sabotaging his internet connection for the Illuminati. I’m inclined to thing that, at least back then, he believed his stuff. ---
**Author:** ![survinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@survinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survinga)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/11 "2018-07-28T10:59:44Z")
Jones has learned how to profit off of his lunacy. He’s got the best gig. Be crazy as hell, and have your own talk show. Combining those two things is lucrative. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/12 "2018-07-28T11:12:49Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > So, just saying something a sufficient number of times automatically makes it relevant? I hope not. We’re living in an Alternate Facts world. ---
**Author:** ![Modesty\_Blaise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Modesty\_Blaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Modesty_Blaise)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/13 "2018-07-28T11:51:44Z")
> [@chargerrich](#): > > Wow I did not know about this… dude is either (medically and legally) insane or super committed to his lies. > > [https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/alex-jones-custody-trial-10-wtf-moments-108404/](https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/alex-jones-custody-trial-10-wtf-moments-108404/) He’s both. > **[Doctor: Alex Jones Diagnosed With Narcissistic Personality Disorder](https://www.thedailybeast.com/doctor-alex-jones-diagnosed-with-narcissistic-personality-disorder)** > > Revelation was made public during a child-custody trial. He’s been diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. This is a rare diagnosis because people with NPD do not seek help, but he was forced into therapy. The NPD makes him committed to his lies. He’ll double, triple down on each and every one of them. With NPD it’s whatever works, in the moment, for HIM. Belief isn’t really the right word. Trump is also a Narcissist, although not actually diagnosed as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/14 "2018-07-28T11:58:15Z")
Read this article, and see where it leads you: > **[Alex Jones Will Never Stop Being Alex Jones](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/charliewarzel/alex-jones-will-never-stop-being-alex-jones#.etBpWO3mk4)** > > After two decades toiling at the fringes of politics, Alex Jones and his Infowars media empire have architected the current moment and helped usher a president into office. Now, the only person standing in Jones' way is Jones. My take on it is, he started out believing a lot of this crap, because hey, young people often believe lots of crap, but when he realized he could make millions of dollars off other people who believed this crap, he knowingly went all-in on just making stuff up. I think the most telling anecdote is this one: > [@](#): > > Former Infowars employees suggested that Jones’ secret fear was that his opposition would someday run out — especially if Obama lost re-election. One recalled Jones pacing back and forth on Election Day in 2012, nervous over the prospect of losing the polarizing president that had helped usher in ratings gold. > > “He just kept saying, ‘Oh my God, if Obama loses, we’re out of business,’” the employee said. “One of the guys in there asked, ‘You didn’t vote for Obama, did you?’ And Alex said nothing. Just a grimace. I don’t know what it meant.” A member of Jones’ staff during the 2012 election speculated that he would do anything for the sake of his show. “I personally think he voted for Obama to keep ratings going,” another former employee said. A third employee recalled Jones dropping hints that he was planning to cast his vote for Obama. If he really did believe all this “Obama is a literal demon!” business, why would he be worried about the prospect of Obama losing the election? That should have been his greatest desire, but it wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/15 "2018-07-28T13:22:59Z")
I recall his ex wife saying in court that their children are not vaccinated. If so, it meas AJ sincerely believes the B.S. spewed by the anti-vaxxers. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/16 "2018-07-28T14:15:36Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I recall his ex wife saying in court that their children are not vaccinated. If so, it meas AJ sincerely believes the B.S. spewed by the anti-vaxxers. Or it means he’s willing to sacrifice his kids’ health in order to avoid the “Alex Jones vaccinates his kids!” scandal headlines. Whether he believes any of his crap or not, what I’m pretty sure of is, he’s a sociopath, who basically doesn’t care who he hurts in order to succeed. Even if it’s his own kids. ---
**Author:** ![survinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@survinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survinga)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/17 "2018-07-28T14:31:00Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > So, just saying something a sufficient number of times automatically makes it relevant? I hope not. I’m reminded of a 20th century dictator who said that the big lie needs to be repeated over and over. If you say it enough, people will believe it. I think people like Jones understand that. ---
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/18 "2018-07-28T14:35:16Z")
> [@survinga](#): > > I’m reminded of a 20th century dictator who said that the big lie needs to be repeated over and over. If you say it enough, people will believe it. I think people like Jones understand that. Trump certainly does…sorry could.not.resist. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/19 "2018-07-28T14:40:32Z")
I guess the question is how many times you have to repeat the lie before YOU start believing it. ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671/20 "2018-07-28T15:18:50Z")
To summarize various anecdotes I’ve seen from people in the infotainment world who have interacted with Alex Jones off-stage, the consensus seems to be: 1. He’s not as crazy as he appears to be on-air. A lot of it is an act. 2. He’s still pretty crazy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alex-jones-a-serious-question/818671.md?page=2)