We live in the age of information overload. So much so that, although we have direct access to any scientific data, many prefer to deny it. These are denialist movements.
We will dedicate the following lines to discovering the foundations of these groups and the types of denialisms , why these paradoxical ideas arise. Likewise, we will learn about the most popular types, both historically and currently.
Before starting to list the different types of deniers, we must begin with an introduction in which it is clear what this phenomenon consists of. Denialism is a type of irrational thinking that is studied within psychology. Consists in the non-acceptance of a reality that can be verified empirically
One of the reasons why denialism is exercised is to avoid accepting a scenario that causes the subject some discomfort on a psychological level. In that sense, it is easier for them to choose not to believe the evidence, even if it is easily verifiable, as we will see later when studying the different types of deniers.
This discomfort we were talking about can be generated by a whole series of reasons. Sometimes they are religious in nature, since the reality presented conflicts with the person’s beliefs. In others, political factors intervene, and it is a question of impact on their ideals and tendencies.
Likewise, The person’s own interest can also trigger the rejection of evidence and turn them into one of the types of deniers that we will see later Of course, denial can be generated by a mixture of several of the factors we have listed, since sometimes these facets of people’s lives are difficult to separate.
Tactics of the deniers
A denier will not only reject scientific evidence about the topic in question, but will carry out a series of tactics to strengthen the position he defends, that is, the opposite of the official one. Let’s look at some of these mechanisms before going on to list the different types of deniers.
1. Conspiracy
The first argument generally used by deniers is that of conspiracy. This people They firmly believe that governments, influential people or certain hidden powers have developed a ploy to impose a reality that is not such On the contrary, there is another truth, the authentic one, which is what they defend.
This mechanism also gives them a feeling of moral legitimacy, as it turns them into fighters in pursuit of the truth, in the face of a system that tries to silence them and impose a lie, which the majority of society has accepted.
2. Support in isolated articles
When we review the types of deniers, we observe that these groups usually make a very particular selection of evidence. They reject all scientific evidence about the phenomenon in question and choose very specific articles, generally not very rigorous or with defects in their procedures, but whose conclusions are in line with the position they defend.
Therefore, for these individuals, All the articles are wrong and lie, except those that, in fact, present results consistent with the denialist position in which they stand firm.
3. False experts
They usually turn to false experts, people who also defend the position of denial and who are apparently an authority in the field in question. However, on many occasions it is shown that either this subject is not such an authority or his speech obeys other types of interests.
Furthermore, the various types of deniers choose their experts very well and, as was the case with the articles, reject the opinions of any scientist, professor or other professional who supports demonstrable reality because for them it is a conspiracy.
4. Change the rules of the game
Another strategy used is to change the rules of the game. If a denier on a certain topic asks a non-denier for proof that certifies that reality, and said person provides it, the denier can choose to say that this proof is not valid and that he needs a new one, or more specific or with certain conditions.
This represents a change in the rules of the game or what is popularly known as moving the goal posts The objective is to change the requirements constantly so as not to accept as valid any evidence that supports the concept they deny.
5. Use of logical fallacies
Likewise, among individuals that we can classify into different types of deniers, it is common to make use of logical fallacies. For example, they may resort to false analogy, establishing comparisons between elements that are totally independent of each other and therefore are not necessarily governed by the same logic.
Other logical fallacies would be the use of the red herring, appealing to possible consequences or the use of the straw man, among others.
After a first part that has allowed us to better understand what the phenomenon of denialism consists of and what its most common tactics are, we are in a position to go on to get to know some of the most important types of denialists due to the strength of the facts they deny. , in some cases, or to the current importance they have, in others.
1. Holocaust deniers
When we think about the types of deniers, one of the first that comes to mind is those who believe that the Holocaust never really existed. This people maintain that during World War II, Nazi Germany did not systematically exterminate six million Jews and people of other races.
Regardless of all the documented evidence that exists, these individuals say that this event did not occur or at least not in the way that has been accepted. This would be the case of the Holocaust revisionists.
The most controversial case was that of the British historian David Irving Holocaust denier, who was sentenced to three years in prison for violating one of the Austrian laws of 1947 which expressly prohibits the denial of the crimes of National Socialism.
2. Moon landing deniers
One of the milestones in the history of humanity, such as landing on the Moon in 1969, continues to be questioned today by a group of people who represent another type of denier. In this case, these people They claim that at no time was our satellite reached, and it was all a publicity stunt in the context of the Cold War between the USA and the USSR.
One of the most recurrent arguments used by these deniers is the fallacy of, if it is true that man reached the Moon, how is it possible that he has not returned since then. The reality is that he in fact turned. Through the Apollo program, it was possible to take human beings to the Moon up to six times, allowing twelve people to walk on its surface.
The fact that this feat has been possible does not mean that it is cheap. In fact, the cost of this space program, updated to the value of today’s money, would be equivalent to about 150 billion dollars, reason enough to understand why it has not been returned on a more regular basis.
More bloody than the previous example is that of those types of deniers among whom are the people who, today, in the 21st century, They maintain that the Earth is not spherical but flat Regardless of the fact that even the Greek mathematician, Eratosthenes, more than 2000 years ago, had demonstrated this point with the most rudimentary means possible.
He was able to estimate the circumference of the Earth, calculate the inclination of the planet’s axis and even dared to carry out studies about the distance that separates us from the sun. Although he was not entirely precise, his reasoning and approximations are extraordinary, given the time in which he lived and the means he had.
4. Vaccine benefit deniers
Continuing with the different types of deniers, within the medical field we can find those who They not only deny the benefits of vaccines, but consider them harmful for the body due to the various elements they contain.
Anti-vaccines, therefore, think that these drugs not only do not eliminate the disease against which they are designed (even denying the existence of said pathologies, in some cases), but they consider these pharmacological compounds harmful.
At an even higher level of denialism would be those individuals who consider that through vaccines control chips can be implanted over the population and other conspiracies of the same level.
5. Climate change deniers
Another hot topic would be climate change, which has caused the appearance of another type of denier. This people They think that the temperature differences that are being recorded on Earth in recent decades correspond to the planet’s usual cycles and therefore have nothing to do with human activity.
6. COVID-19 pandemic deniers
Finally, in a list of the types of deniers, we cannot forget those who deny the coronavirus pandemic. While it is true that the situation that humanity has experienced due to the impact of this virus has been extremely chaotic, and misinformation lurks in every corner, there is a group of people who deny the worst.
These individuals, directly, They reject the possibility of the mere existence of the virus and they affirm that it is all a strategy of global powers to subjugate citizens and restrict their freedoms.
