Apr 10 2009
Conspiracy Theories
One popular pastime of many individuals is the speculation about various conspiracy theories. Theories about the CIA, the FBI, the Free Masons and so many other organizations run around the internet, the media, and the water cooler. The idea that great secrets are being hidden from the common man is titillating.
People enjoy the discovery process. Learning new things is fun. The concept of knowing something that others do not also gives a sense of power. These emotions lend themselves to a belief in and pursuit of conspiracy theories.
While there is nothing really wrong with speculation. My question is what is the point? Why put time, money, and energy in excess into speculation? If there is a great conspiracy to take over the world, for example, is the hope to put a stop to it by exposing it? Or is it just seeking for that feeling of power by knowing something that others do not.
I don’t buy your either/or conclusion, i.e., that such speculation is necessarily an effort to put a stop to it by exposing it, or that it is for a feeling of power.
I suspect it has as much to do with pattern recognition as anything else. The human mind excels at pattern recognition, seeing patterns that are not really there, e.g., the various constellations, which are actually made up of stars which have no spatial relationship to one another at all, the human “face” seen on the surface of Mars, , etc.
Because people are so adept at pattern recognition, when something is not fully understood, it is only natural to start trying to put the pieces together, and thus, a conspiracy is born.
In other words, the point is that it is human nature. Besides, in spite of serious people in our mass media poo pooing all such possibilities, historically, there actually have been real conspiracies from time to time …
I agree. The media is so controlled, it is difficult to get any info other than pravda.