When conspiracy theories threaten friendships | Wes Regan | TEDxSurreySalon

Wes Regan recounts conflict over conspiracy theories during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to insights on empathy and discourse. He delves into understanding why people believe in conspiracies and proposes focusing on shared emotions rather than facts to bridge divides. Drawing from personal experiences, he advocates for embracing dialogic and facilitative practices like "deep democracy" to address polarization fueled by misinformation. The talk encourages viewers to acknowledge the emotions and feelings behind conspiracy beliefs and offers a method called "distillation" to engage in constructive conversations. Ultimately, it emphasizes the importance of understanding and accepting differing perspectives to preserve democracy and foster meaningful dialogue amidst societal tensions.

Wes has worked in urban planning and public health since 2009. During the COVID-19 pandemic he experienced and observed how misinformation and conspiracy theory beliefs were undermining the response to the pandemic. This led him to devote his Ph.D. research to examining the impacts social media, digital misinformation, and conspiracism are having on public policy discourse and formation today. In 2023 he was the recipient of the Bombardier Sustainable Transportation Fellowship and awarded a coveted placement in the UBC Public Scholars Initiative. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx