Wednesday 4 May 2011

It's a conspiracy man !

As Mulder and Scully would have us believe "The Truth is out there" but have programs such as the X files and the ever growing information overload that the internet provides spawned a new generation of Conspiracy Theists ?
Now let me point out I have thought long and hard about this post and feel I am sticking my neck out, such is the strength of feeling some folk have !


Let me start by saying although I am currently self employed, previously I have been both an employee and an employer. I always found that in the former there was always a fellow employee who would have us believe the system was out to get us. If we are honest we all know the type. The guy that believes that the boss is out to get him, that everything is a plot against him, or better still against "us".  I think that this inbuilt distrust many feel towards authority is where theories are hatched. Of course the best conspiracies include "us" because then we feel an instant togetherness with the oppressed.


Conspiracy*
an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.

Theory*
a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact.

Conspiracy Theory*
the idea that many important political events or economic and social trends are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.


Lets list some of the famous ones..

JFK was assassinated by the CIA.
The Moon landing was a hoax
The US government has a secret alien facility known as Area 51
Black unmarked helicopters fill the skies
Diana was murdered
Aliens built Pyramids
The twin towers was an inside job
Immunisations are a way of controlling populations not disease
The Illuminati and Masons are seeking world domination
Planes are spraying us with chemicals (chem-trails)


I have been on the internet for a fair few years now (its easy to forget how young it really is), but I have noticed a growing trend for more and more people to "subscribe" to conspiracy theories. They have always been around but they are just so easy to spread with technology. The other interesting thing is because there is such an abundance, it is very hard for search engines to find opposing thoughts. For example 'Google' Chem-trail and see how many pages of results you have to go through to find a site that discounts the theory, of course to a conspiracy theist this proves the theory; "there is no alternate answer". It's a dangerous world of research that excepts that no opposition proves truth.

Let's look at Chem-trails. The conspiracy is that the cloud like vapours air crafts leave behind are actually chemical dumps. Depending on the theory, the chemical is either a government plot to change the weather or to reduce population. Now logic tells you if the later was the case it would kill the government too, but lets overlook that for a minute !
Now I have a bit of experience with the aircraft industry having held security passes for both military and civil aircraft sites to consult on tooling requirements. I can honestly say I have never seen, or come across additional tanks built into any aircraft. I also believe science confirms that the process of burning jet fuel creates condensation or Con-trails, the original and correct term for the phenomena. In fact given the correct levels of atmospheric humidity large amounts of condensation can be formed that dispel very slowly. If there were chemicals lingering in the skies it would be easily possible to fly through them and collect/analyse the content. But no such proof is forthcoming, unless of course this has been done and covered up !! No doubt, this is the argument used.

I don't claim to be an expert but one thing really jumps out: so many of these theories are impossible to dispute. Not because they are true but because their supporters will never except any truth except the version of truth they want. Any answer to the question that does not fit is discarded. This blinkered search for truth is no real search at all and does us all an injustice. The other thing that always troubles me is how hard it would be to organise these plots in secret and keep them secret. If a politician sleeps with someone he shouldn't it's headline news and his /her career is ruined; if its so easy for governments to hide the truth why not hide these "mistakes"?

So by now you may consider me a naive fool. Do I think governments always tell us the truth and and never make mistakes? NO, but logic and a little hope tell me that the contents of the list above are not plots by conspiring men, even if there are a lot of them around. I also think my energy is far better served in areas I can make a difference rather than those I can't. If Neil Armstrong didn't take a giant leap for mankind what difference will my opinion make? I still got a Teflon frying pan out of the deal...

So am I alone in being naive and trusting ?



image source T shirt Clouds          *dictionary.com                       Edited by Jake