Conspiracy Theories

In Search of the Magic Bullet

Conspiracy Theories provide a valuable resource. They provide an alternate version of a reported event. This resource if used properly, can question conventional wisdom, challenge the status quo, help sharpen our perceptive powers, and better separate truth from fiction. While it might not be useful to actually believe that the moon landings were staged, it does help to examine the possibilities of how and why such an elaborate hoax might have been accomplished. This becomes even more relevant in the case of a disaster or an incident of national or international impact.

When we see the words "Conspiracy Theory" one usually thinks of "nuts" or "kooks" on the fringe of society, subscribing to an alternate reality having little to do with those of us in the so called main stream. But let's take a look some of the current theories and consider their impact on our current state of life.

9-11 was a government plot
Global warming is a man made crisis of major proportions
Global warming is a natural phenomenon with little or no impact by humans
Evolution is a myth
Iraq facilitated the 9-11 Al Qeada attacks and had weapons of mass destruction
Theories of Holocaust denial

All of the above positions are seen by one or another group as conspiracy theories. Some refute long established scientific fact, some are based on partial facts or conflicting beliefs, some are complete or partial fabrications, some are championed to promote a specific agenda. All these and others share the common trait of shaping the policies and opinions of our world every day.

With that in mind, and a growing awareness of how technology and prejudice can shape the information we receive, it becomes imperative that we develop a keen filter with which to process and formulate our personal version of reality. Recently the phrases "We did not anticipate" and "Failure of Imagination" have been used to both make excuses for and explain the reasons for tragic events. Lives can and do depend on the quality of our collective consciousness.

I may, on occasion, post a "Conspiracy Theory" to test this principle. My intention is to keep this blog as ideologically neutral as possible. The theories are put forth as a kind of puzzle or exercise in imagination to test the logic of events that shape our lives. And, of course, perhaps inject a bit of wry humor as well.