Conspiracy Minded: The Psychology of Belief in Conspiracy Theories

29 September 7.30pm - 10.30pm

The first London Fortean Society meeting. There will be the first Fortmanteau; our monthly summary of strange news. LFS host and Fortean Londoner Scott Wood goes on the hunt for the ‘Helpful Terrorist’, a warning, a 9/11 rumour or an urban legend for troubled times? 

Main talk (8pm):

Chris French  & Robert Brotherton: Conspiracy Minded: The Psychology of Belief in Conspiracy Theories
 

Conspiracy theories have come to play a prominent role in contemporary culture. It is almost inevitable that any significant event will become the subject of conspiracy theorising, and considerable numbers of people endorse such theories.

Although the psychology behind belief in unsubstantiated and implausible conspiracy theories is not yet well understood, social scientists are now beginning to address this important topic. This talk will introduce the topic of conspiracy theories and outline the difficulties that arise when trying to formulate a universally acceptable definition of this deceptively complex concept.

Upstairs at The Bell, 50 Middlesex Street London E1 7EX Map.
7.30pm – 10.30pm
£3 / £2 concessions
Tubes: Aldgate, Aldgate East and Liverpool Street.
Many, many buses.

39a Marchmont Street: 6 August 2011

The London Fortean Society were a brave and happy few standing outside 39a Marchmont Street, a home of Charles Fort's when staying in London, to celebrate the birthday of Charles Fort, the inspiration for the fortean approach to life.


Photo by David V Barrett

 There was a reading from the opening paragraphs of  'The Book of the Damned', Fort's first 'fortean' book and then a fall of Fort Fish.

The Society then marked the New Yorker's name across his adopted city by visiting 4 pubs, the Friend at Hand, the Old Crown, the Royal George and the Tottenham.

Despite passing Fort's old reading ground of the British Museum, and a trip into occult bookshop Atlantis Books and quite a lot to drink, nothing fortean took place during our outing.

Many thanks to those who came along with LFS founders Scott and David: Rachel Carthy, Lindsey Clarke and John Fraser. The London Fortean Society hope to make this an annual event - all forteans and friends are welcome!

Rain of the Fort Fish photo by David V Barrett.

Read more on Charles Fort in London on Londonist and further adventures outside 39a Marchmont Street on Blather.




UFO Over Croydon!

UFO spotted in Croydon town centre
"At first we thought it must be a star, but it was too low. Then I thought that it must be a helicopter, but there were no flashing lights. We could see other planes flying in the sky, but this was different. I was glad my son was with me as he agreed it did not look like an aircraft. The light then emitted a beam into the cloud, which was followed by the light itself. However, the dazzling light then returned and continued to hover."

Full story here.

Charles Fort Birthday Saunter: A Procession of The Damned

The naïve and the pedantic and the bizarre and the grotesque and the sincere and the insincere, the profound and the puerile.
The Book of the Damned


From 4pm, 6 August 2011
Meet outside 39A Marchmont Street, Fort’s home in London, with a reading and toast (ale and cheese optional).


Followed by a swift drink in his honour:
Friend at Hand, 4 Herbrand Street, WC1N 1HX

and after a short saunter and for the sure-footed and brave, the opportunity to write his name across London in pubs:
Old Crown, 33 New Oxford Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1A 1BH
Royal George, Goslett Yard, Soho, London, WC2H 0EA
Tottenham, 6 Oxford Street, W1D 1AR

All forteans and friends welcome.

2010 procession revelry photographed by Nick Granger-Taylor

"I am a collector of notes upon subjects that have diversity—such as deviations from concentricity in the lunar crater Copernicus, and a sudden appearance of purple Englishmen—stationary meteor-radiants, and a reported growth of hair on the bald head of a mummy—and "Did the girl swallow the octopus?"
Wild Talents