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Yes. It's comforting to think that it's all orchestrated from the top; that means that, even if it's not you, someone is in control of this chaotic world. The t

Yes. It's comforting to think that it's all orchestrated from the top; that means that, even if it's not you, someone is in control of this chaotic world. The truth is much more frightening. No one quite knows what will happen or how to prepare for it, and we'll all likely get screwed when the unexpected happens.

JonnieCache 13y ago
I used to religiously apply that view, nobody is in the driving seat, chaos reigns, conspiracy theorists are looking to replace their father, etc etc. These days I try to take more of a balanced perspective. There are many examples of covert malevolent acts in the halls of power throughout history, there was a list of confessed false flag operations on here just the other day. Look into any book about the history of military intelligence and you will find all sorts of nasty adventures. Then there's COINTELPRO, MKULTRA, the FBIs attempt to undermine the civil rights movement, it goes on and on. What would be truly irrational would be to believe that this stuff doesn't happen in the present. So now I try to evaluate each "conspiracy theory" on its own terms, lest I blind myself to the one that turns out to be real. (Note: I still don't actually believe in any specific tinfoilery. I just try to evaluate it honestly. Almost all of it, I still dismiss immediately. Most of the really juicy stuff is right there in the history books anyway.)
- redblacktree 13y ago
  If you discover a conspiracy that you believe, in absence of proof, what can you do with that information? I stopped trying to "figure it all out" once I realized that there was very little I can do as an individual, even if I am right about some conspiracy.
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  - JonnieCache 13y ago
    I suppose I worry that if I dismiss this stuff out of hand, one day I'll be blind to the one for which there is proof, or I'll ignore someone else who with hindsight shouldn't have been ignored. Like rms. But you're probably right, this kind of thinking is largely self-indulgent. EDIT: a little understanding of that kind of political history definitely gives useful context to discourse on current affairs, I think. It is helpful to consider how the events of the present might be seen in 30 or 50 years time, even without knowledge of what occurs between now and then.
    - redblacktree 13y ago
      Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I've been on both sides of this. My current position is really only for the sake of pragmatism. I notice that I enjoy my life a lot more when I'm not worried about all the ways that people are trying to screw me.
- ahomescu1 13y ago
  There are plenty of separate (in many cases, even conflicting) conspiracies out there, planned by disjoint groups, but the problem is most conspiracy theories make it sound like there's a single global organization behind all of it. I cringe every time I hear "freemasons are secretly ruling the world". False flag operations and COINTELPRO are very far (in terms of likelihood and being believable) from "freemasons/jews/illuminati are behind all of it".

JonnieCache 13y ago

I used to religiously apply that view, nobody is in the driving seat, chaos reigns, conspiracy theorists are looking to replace their father, etc etc. These days I try to take more of a balanced perspective. There are many examples of covert malevolent acts in the halls of power throughout history, there was a list of confessed false flag operations on here just the other day. Look into any book about the history of military intelligence and you will find all sorts of nasty adventures. Then there's COINTELPRO, MKULTRA, the FBIs attempt to undermine the civil rights movement, it goes on and on. What would be truly irrational would be to believe that this stuff doesn't happen in the present. So now I try to evaluate each "conspiracy theory" on its own terms, lest I blind myself to the one that turns out to be real. (Note: I still don't actually believe in any specific tinfoilery. I just try to evaluate it honestly. Almost all of it, I still dismiss immediately. Most of the really juicy stuff is right there in the history books anyway.)

redblacktree 13y ago
If you discover a conspiracy that you believe, in absence of proof, what can you do with that information? I stopped trying to "figure it all out" once I realized that there was very little I can do as an individual, even if I am right about some conspiracy.
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- JonnieCache 13y ago
  I suppose I worry that if I dismiss this stuff out of hand, one day I'll be blind to the one for which there is proof, or I'll ignore someone else who with hindsight shouldn't have been ignored. Like rms. But you're probably right, this kind of thinking is largely self-indulgent. EDIT: a little understanding of that kind of political history definitely gives useful context to discourse on current affairs, I think. It is helpful to consider how the events of the present might be seen in 30 or 50 years time, even without knowledge of what occurs between now and then.
  - redblacktree 13y ago
    Thanks for the thoughtful replies. I've been on both sides of this. My current position is really only for the sake of pragmatism. I notice that I enjoy my life a lot more when I'm not worried about all the ways that people are trying to screw me.
ahomescu1 13y ago
There are plenty of separate (in many cases, even conflicting) conspiracies out there, planned by disjoint groups, but the problem is most conspiracy theories make it sound like there's a single global organization behind all of it. I cringe every time I hear "freemasons are secretly ruling the world". False flag operations and COINTELPRO are very far (in terms of likelihood and being believable) from "freemasons/jews/illuminati are behind all of it".