I have found a gross misunderstanding of what skepticism is amongst the conspiracy minded. All too often they equate skeptical thought with resistance to learning. They constantly say or imply that I do not have an open mind.
This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Skepticism is not denial of evidence. It is the withholding of belief until sufficient evidence is provided. And here we must first understand that assertion is not evidence. Examining someone’s claim to determine if they have provided sufficient evidence to accept the claim is skepticism. Demanding that an assertion be supported by evidence, and that the evidence so provided is valid and provable rather than speculative is a reasonable minimum. That is being skeptical.
Refusing to accept the evidence when provided is not skepticism; it is irrationality. This is what most of the conspiracy minded people I’ve encountered do.