On Apollo Hoax Conspiracy Theories

There is a (hopefully small) but loud group of people that truly seem to believe that the Apollo moon landings not only didn't happen, but were deliberately faked.  Their claims largely lie in fundamental misunderstandings of science, selection bias, and just plain wishful thinking.  I'm not going to refute any of that, as it's been well covered elsewhere.

What I want to discuss is the hoax theorist "reasoning", which I consider to represent a short circuit of logic in the brain.  Their "logic" is essentially this:

• I'm an intellegent person
• As an intelligent person, I don't believe everything I'm told
• The US government or other authority figure is telling me that something is a certian way or happened a certain way
• Therefore this is wrong

THAT'S one of the things I find so obnoxious and frustrating whenever I read anyone that holds these views.  Up to the second bullet point, I basically agree.  It's the two after that I consider to be a short circuit of logic.  The idea that, if the government (or other party of authority) says something, it MUST be wrong.

Their arguments are not falsifiable.  Their view doesn't have the option to be false.  It just is.  It's pure stupidity by any other name.

While I make it a point to never, ever argue with these types, its frustrating to read or watch.  If you present evidence that shows their position is flawed, well, whatever you presented is doctored. 
To my knowledge, 3 different space programs have released photos of the landing sites.  India, NASA, and JAXA.  Japan and india have NO vested interest in furthering a hoax if it was real.  Yet people claim, out of hand, with utterly no evidence, that the photos are fake.  Uggghhh.

Its not an uncommon line of thinking for conspiracy "theorists".  Chemtrails, Holocaust denial, you name it.

I think that the Apollo program is mankinds greatest accomplishment, and a great source of national pride for the USA.  To listen to some, to be blunt, dipshit that doesn't understand basic physics not only deny this accomplishment but also denounce the brilliant minds that made it happen as liars and crooks, well, it's a lot to take in.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, no matter how stupid.