# 'Tinfoil Hat'? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 29, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299 "2002-04-29T15:06:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/1 "2002-04-29T15:06:46Z")
Exactly what does the expression ‘tinfoil hat’ refer to? I’ve noticed it’s used here quite often, in an accusatory tone. ---
**Author:** ![Arwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@Arwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arwen)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/2 "2002-04-29T15:15:21Z")
[http://www.trilobyte-mag.com/tinfoilhat.htm](http://www.trilobyte-mag.com/tinfoilhat.htm) [http://tinfoilhat.shmoo.com/](http://tinfoilhat.shmoo.com/) Typical timfoil hat wearers believe that the aliens are coming to get them, using mind-rays, and their aluminum hat will protect them. Usually it’s just a creative way of saying “you’re crazy”. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/3 "2002-04-29T15:57:47Z")
Also, Cecil Adams himself recently discussed the phenomenon in: [Do tinfoil helmets provide adequate protection against mind control rays?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000609.html), although that of course was two years ago, so who knows what sort of advances in hat design have been made since. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/4 "2002-04-29T17:51:35Z")
That column is a modern classic. Essentially, referring to the tinfoil hat is the _cool_ way to insinuate that someone’s a loony. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/5 "2002-04-29T18:36:18Z")
Don’t listen to the skeptics. You can find the facts [here](http://zapatopi.net/afdb.html). ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2002, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/6 "2002-04-29T18:40:25Z")
Part of me wants to know how Arnold found that excellent link. Part of me is off alerting the boys with the tight fitting jacket and the really long sleeves. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/7 "2002-04-30T14:27:48Z")
> [@](#): > > Warning signs of psychotronically affected pets: > > ``` > * Does your cat stare intently at empty space as if watching something? > * Does your dog follow you around as if keeping track of you? > * Does your goldfish seem content to merely swim around in a little bowl observing you? > * Does your parrot say things that you never taught it to say, especially pro-NWO slogans? > > ``` BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/8 "2002-04-30T18:30:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Why A Duck \* > Part of me wants to know how Arnold found that excellent link I felt somehow compelled to go to that site. My fingers were saying “no! no!” but my brain was saying “yes! yes!” ---
**Author:** ![Winnowill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@Winnowill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnowill)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-hat/106299/9 "2002-04-30T22:03:11Z")
Of course, if you have faith in Conspiracy Theory, you already, of course, know that the [shiny side](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_172.html) is treated with a dangerous chemical. Yet, Arnold’s site wants me to put this chemical in DIRECT CONTACT with my cranium! (Although, further reading of that site advises that I should add a further piece of foil, with the dull side down, to keep my brainwaves from escaping.)