9/11 Truthers

It is now the 8th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Well a group of people who believe it was all an inside job are parading outside the BBC just now. I have no idea what causes people to believe in a conspiracies. Sometimes there is good evidence for horrible actions taken by people in positions of responsibility for political gain (such as the reichstag fire). However, it is the tendency to believe in malice in the face of all evidence that amazes me. A rough transcript of what was said is here.

Them: We just want to know what REALLY happened
Me: Bullshit - you want to blame someone, who do you think did it
Them: we dont know Bush! Inside job!
Me: So you think that every security official and the world's media are all in one giant conspiracy so that they can do...what?
Them: Invade Iraq
Me: what evidence do you have that it was an inside job
Them: what evidence DO YOU have that it wasn't
Me:
Them: there are 800 architects and engineers that say it
couldn't have happened that way
Me: so if the official story is true 800 architects and engineers should find another job
Me: if the conspiracy is true than 100s of thousands if not millions of security personel and eye witnesses are lying to everyone and keeping it absolutely quiet
Me: now apply Occham's razor

I believe they were filming me as well

The problem with this position is that the more you deny it could have happened the more convinced they are that they have uncovered the truth. The more people that disagree with them, the more they think that you are simply entrapped in the conspiracy. My main problem, I told them, is that it assumes far too much intelligence on behalf of the Bush administration. Anyone intelligent enough to pull off that kind of inside job would be able to find a better way to do it.
Or, Hanlon's razor - "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

I agree with them the 9/11 has been abused for political gain, and I agree that Iraq should never have happened, but why do they need to believe in "a plan". There is plenty of reason why the hijackers would want to launch an attack on the US. Reasons to which I don't think we have paid enough attention. Whereas what purpose is served by killing thousands of your own people? Why do they insist on barking up the wrong tree. Isn't there enough credible evidence to be angry about torture, weapons inspections, Haliburton, Blackwater, climate change, Katrina, wildlife parks, Bush v. Gore, politicisation of the justice department, etc.

This last point seemed to do the most to get one of the truthers to pause and think. Basically, I was asking her what she hopes to gain from this. The Bush Administration is gone. The people responsible are out of power. I agree some of them should go to jail, but for reasons for which there is a lot of credible and acceptable evidence.