Originally Posted by Dollarmansteve

People choose their reality.

World-changing events like 9/11 shock people - it disrupts the warm cocoon of their life (that they thought they had figured out). This causes people to force major events into the 'box' that is their life (ie their mind). People cannot imagine things they are ignorant of and can only rationalize and explain events to themselves with the mental constructs of reality they already possess.

So, whether it be religion, conspiracy theories, etc.. people believe these things so they can sleep at night.. to make the chaotic events that go on around them fit into their limited mental scope.