spacehabitats
08-06-2008, 03:57 PM
(I apologize in advance for the long read. I have worked on this article/post for weeks. I think it tackles a very important topic that is central to the mission of the CFL and to our challenges in implementing it as a grassroots organization.
Since I posted this on DailyPaul I have gotten very favorable comments from those brave enough to actually read it.
Thank you in advance for your patience.:))
“Is there a Conspiracy?” That is the question that is plaguing so many intelligent, concerned people today. As we see our once proud nation brought to its knees economically, as we see our soldiers being butchered at the hands of a phantom enemy, as we see our liberties here at home being eroded daily, as we stand by helplessly watching our elected leaders betray our interests; it seems a question that is inescapable.
“Is there a Conspiracy?”
The question may take different forms and certainly has many objects of interest. It may be asked regarding international banking, the events of 9/11, mainstream media bias, global-warming, assassination, electric cars, and on and on Ad infinitum. But throughout all of these controversies and mysteries what remains consistent is the fact that the problems which prompted the question in the first place often get placed on the back burner, sometimes indefinitely. Well-intentioned people stop looking for solutions to problems and start looking instead for people to blame. If they detect the scent of conspiracy, they become obsessed with identifying the conspirators and then uncovering evidence to convince others of their theories. “The truth is out there” becomes the siren song leading them down bewildering paths of confusion and obfuscation. One can hardly blame them. Popular culture, novels and movies all encourage us to believe that if we can only find that one elusive clue, that crucial piece of the puzzle, the “smoking gun”; then and only then will Truth and Justice prevail. In our zeal we even turn on one another; competing and debating in the hope that we will be able to batter the world, and each other, into agreeing with our theories.
As a recovering paranoid I would like to share the wisdom I have attained concerning the nature of conspiracy in the hope of allowing at least some of you to avoid “hitting bottom”. Brothers and sisters, I am here to set you free! I will explain how there can be a secret global conspiracy, bent on world domination, that is totally invisible and, in a conventional sense, impregnable. But I will also tell you how we can fight it and eventually regain our freedom!
The answer to the question, “Is there a conspiracy?” is a resounding, “Yes!” There, wasn’t that easy? And now you may go on with your life. What, you say, that isn’t good enough? You need to know who is behind the shadow empire. You need to expose their corrupt cabal for what it is? You need to know what they knew and when they knew it? You need to bring the guilty parties to justice?
Actually what you need is to read “The Illuminatus! Trilogy” by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. This circa 1970 masterpiece of psychedelic, satirical fiction ties scores of conspiracies (from “who killed Kennedy” to the “23 synchronicity principle”) into a grand tapestry of drugs, sex, historical fact, myth, and confusion. For page after page the authors lead the reader through an endless, serpentine maze, leaving a trail of “tantalizingly almost relevancies” as clues and, ultimately, leaving the reader breathlessly awaiting a resolution that never comes. This is high art (pun intended) that mirrors the “real world” without trying to explain it. One of the “lessons “ of the trilogy is that not only is the struggle by honest people to discover the truth behind the conspiracy futile, it is an essential part of the conspiracy! When conspiracy theorists, or people posing as conspiracy theorists, fail to turn up compelling evidence for their pet theory, or, even worse, make accusations or assertions that later turn out to be demonstrably false, they play into the hands of the conspirators. Not only have they wasted their time, they have undermined the credibility of anyone who agrees with them, anyone they agree with, or anyone that is working to find a solution to the problems created by the conspiracy.
I know that this last part is a little less obvious, but please bear with me. “Divide and conquer” is the essential strategy of all unholy conspiracies. An often unrecognized fact is that most people are basically good. A corollary is that bad people are always outnumbered and continually run the risk of being ganged up on and defeated by sheer numbers. I think this is the main attraction for conspiracy theorists. We feel that if only we could expose these vermin for what they are, the public would rise up and get rid of them once and for all. It is a very seductive thought but one that sadly has never seemed to work. Watergate brought down a president, his administration, and even sent some of his cronies and co-conspirators to prison. The poisonous legacies of President Nixon (and his puppet-masters) live on, however, continuing to undermine the Republic: the Federal Reserve Note, unquestioned legitimacy of the undeclared war, deficit spending, a “moderate” Republican Party. We won the battle and lost the war.
In answering a question about conspiracy during a debate, presidential candidate Ron Paul, gave a very cogent response. To paraphrase, there is no secret conspiracy, the groups that people associate with conspiracy (Council on Foreign Relations, for example) do exist and they do believe and promote ideas that undermine American sovereignty. Also they do and are creating institutions and passing laws to incrementally move America, and the world, toward their vision of an all-powerful global government. Some see his answer as an evasion. On the contrary, his answer was a simple statement of facts. He then quickly and legitimately focused on the real question, whose side are we on? Of these competing philosophies and ideologies, of these visions of the future, which do “We the People” choose?
So in answer to the question, “Is there a conspiracy?” I must answer, “Of course not.” How could there be a global conspiracy that spans decades and involves thousands of people without leaving an obvious trail of evidence? Is every news commentator in on the deal? If so, when are they inducted into the inner circle? And what could keep all of them, every last one of them, from ever telling the truth? Even if one confines the question to just the United States, the theories become grotesquely complicated. Where does it stop? Where does it begin? How are people recruited? How are they kept from defecting? How are they silenced if they do? Are all political party officials in on the conspiracy? Does that include John from down the street who chairs the county committee? Does it include all politicians? How about the city councilman, state legislator, our congressman, senator, every president? Isn’t it easier to believe that George Bush, and every president since Howard Taft, is simply stupid, greedy, or short-sighted? Such a sweeping Conspiracy theory is obviously ridiculous. It is simply impossible.
So to return to the question, “Is there a conspiracy?” Yes, Virginia, there is a conspiracy. There are people in this world who wield money and political power to further their own ends. They do so in secret, when it serves their ends, or, more usually, hide in plain sight. They are very adept at covering their trail and have almost infinite financial resources to do so. Their relationships, meetings, organizations, and even policy papers have been well documented. But you will never be able prove that a conspiracy exists, because there is no fact or piece of evidence so compelling that it will convince the public at large. There will never be a “smoking gun” because there will never be a defection by anyone in a position of true leadership.
But that still does not explain how the conspiracy could extend its power so deeply into our society without tipping its hand.
As an answer to this paradox, I would propose the theory of the “virtual conspiracy”. The sad truth is that there is “none so blind as he that will not see”. And it is just too painful for most of us to believe that the men and women we have trusted as our leaders are either co-conspirators or witless tools in the hands of malevolent powers. Add to this the fact that those who have wrested control of the news media and public education have attained control over the only weapons we have to liberate ourselves; language and information. George Orwell described the process quite eloquently in his classic novel, 1984. By controlling and degrading the language, the tyrannical masters of his dystopia were able to insure their power forever. By substituting the truncated language “Newspeak” for English, they established a world in which words such as “liberty”, “freedom”, and “rebellion” no longer existed. Without the words, the concepts which they represented disappeared from thought. In the world of 1984, “revolution” was, quite literally, unthinkable.
How does that apply to our world? “They” do not have to bribe or coerce their minions into obedience. They do not have to worry about secret contracts that could be uncovered or loyalties that could switch. By the time a journalist, economist, lawyer, or politician has risen through the ranks he or she has already been transformed into an intellectual eunuch. Not stupid, oh no. These are intelligent, well-mannered, educated, and sophisticated zombies. They “know” that certain things are true, and are contemptuous of those who do not share their “enlightened” world view. For example, they pity the unwashed masses that do not understand why a nine trillion dollar debt is nothing to worry about because it is such a small percentage of the Gross Domestic Product. They smile knowingly and shake their heads at the ignorant peasants that don’t realize the dangers inherent in a currency backed by precious metals, or that fail to see the benefits of losing their jobs to Chinese peasants. They can only look on with pity at those who do not see the benefits of helping humanity finally transcend these barbarous loyalties to nations, ethnic groups, or family.
The Conspiracy is even more insidious, however. Membership in the virtual Conspiracy is not absolute, it is relative. Almost anyone can be a member of the virtual conspiracy to some degree or even on some occasions.
For example, when I use the term “letter carrier” instead of the “sexist” word, “mailman”, I am promoting the idea that our gender neutral society is somehow superior to the one in which I was raised. It implies that we have “advanced” to the point where a male is no longer the assumed breadwinner. I am doing my small part to erase from our collective consciousness the time when a husband and a father were not only an essential part of the family, but were also capable of supporting a family with a single income. In using the euphemisms of politically-correct speech, instead of the more straightforward, accurate, or archaic terms that have been expunged from “polite” language, I am encouraging the mind numbing effects of the Conspiracy’s Newspeak. It may have been a slip of the tongue on my part, or, more likely, I may have made a conscious decision to avoid the hassle and controversy associated with speaking plainly or honestly. Nevertheless, I have reinforced (in the mind of my reader or listener) the prohibition against logical thought in proscribed areas. I have tacitly admitted certain assumptions about history and our society that have become the secular religion. I have become a tool of the Conspiracy.
So, finally, the boundaries between the witless tool of the conspiracy and a true puppet master become blurred. The distinctions, for practical purposes, become meaningless. The true conspirators, the “inner circle”, must be pleased to see the “paranoid” conspiracy theorists charging across the political landscape, accusing one hapless victim after another. Like the bull charging after the cape of the matador, they become exhausted, discredited, and eventually humiliated. Simultaneously, they antagonize and discredit both themselves and their potential allies. Anyone observing this spectacle is unlikely to feel anything but pity or contempt for the “bull”. Such a scenario works so well to the conspirator’s ends that if the conspiracy theorists did not exist , the conspirators would be compelled to create them!
Faced with such a daunting foe, what then are we to do? Well, we can stop wasting our time and energy attempting the impossible. As sensible and attractive as it is to “Know thy enemy”, we need to set our priorities and pick our battles. We do NOT need to be able to define and describe in detail the workings or members of the virtual conspiracy. We do not need to determine who knew what and when they knew it. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck; IT’S A DUCK!
I propose that we approach the Conspiracy with a technique called “reverse engineering”. Software developers, given the exact specifications for what a program will do, can produce another program that will reproduce its behavior exactly. In the end, it does not matter if every line of code is identical. If it looks like a duck, it’s a duck. And for our purposes, I propose that we can do the same with the Conspiracy. We need to observe “it” and the behavior of all relevant players in light of the competing goals of individual liberty and global fascism. If someone or something moves our nation or world toward slavery it ultimately does not matter if they are consciously evil or simply stupid; “they” are part of the virtual Conspiracy. With enough data we can produce an intellectual model, a replica that will allow us to predict “its” behavior and fight it at every turn.
If the forces of evil are using the events of 9/11 to undermine our personal liberties, bankrupt our nation, and destroy the middle-class; do we REALLY need to know whether the Conspiracy caused it to happen, let it happen, or is just taking advantage of a serendipitous event? Can we not vigorously oppose all of these developments on their merits? Do we really want to make our cooperation with other like-minded patriots contingent on their agreeing with our interpretation of a grainy video of an imploding skyscraper?
If John McCain has been known to make critical votes to undermine the sovereignty of America, if he consistently espouses policies that are harmonious with a New World Order of global fascism, if he attacks and smears those who would defend our Constitution; do we REALLY need to show that he has ties to unscrupulous international bankers or is a member of the Bilderberg Group?
We do not need to document secret oaths, laundered money in offshore accounts, Masonic rituals, or black helicopters. We do not need to become super sleuths, prosecuting attorneys, polygraph operators, or forensic demolition experts. If it looks like a “duck”.... we need to get a better “shotgun”.
We should all strive to become better educators, authors, organizers, recruiters, and, yes, politicians. We do need to realize that we are all tainted by the virtual conspiracy, but that very few of us are consciously working to further its ends. We do need to become masters of discerning the policies, practices, and rhetoric that move us away from liberty. We do need to become relentless at exposing these things to public scrutiny. And when enough of us have done our homework, networked, and paid our political dues; it will become obvious who we can trust, and to what degree.
Since I posted this on DailyPaul I have gotten very favorable comments from those brave enough to actually read it.
Thank you in advance for your patience.:))
“Is there a Conspiracy?” That is the question that is plaguing so many intelligent, concerned people today. As we see our once proud nation brought to its knees economically, as we see our soldiers being butchered at the hands of a phantom enemy, as we see our liberties here at home being eroded daily, as we stand by helplessly watching our elected leaders betray our interests; it seems a question that is inescapable.
“Is there a Conspiracy?”
The question may take different forms and certainly has many objects of interest. It may be asked regarding international banking, the events of 9/11, mainstream media bias, global-warming, assassination, electric cars, and on and on Ad infinitum. But throughout all of these controversies and mysteries what remains consistent is the fact that the problems which prompted the question in the first place often get placed on the back burner, sometimes indefinitely. Well-intentioned people stop looking for solutions to problems and start looking instead for people to blame. If they detect the scent of conspiracy, they become obsessed with identifying the conspirators and then uncovering evidence to convince others of their theories. “The truth is out there” becomes the siren song leading them down bewildering paths of confusion and obfuscation. One can hardly blame them. Popular culture, novels and movies all encourage us to believe that if we can only find that one elusive clue, that crucial piece of the puzzle, the “smoking gun”; then and only then will Truth and Justice prevail. In our zeal we even turn on one another; competing and debating in the hope that we will be able to batter the world, and each other, into agreeing with our theories.
As a recovering paranoid I would like to share the wisdom I have attained concerning the nature of conspiracy in the hope of allowing at least some of you to avoid “hitting bottom”. Brothers and sisters, I am here to set you free! I will explain how there can be a secret global conspiracy, bent on world domination, that is totally invisible and, in a conventional sense, impregnable. But I will also tell you how we can fight it and eventually regain our freedom!
The answer to the question, “Is there a conspiracy?” is a resounding, “Yes!” There, wasn’t that easy? And now you may go on with your life. What, you say, that isn’t good enough? You need to know who is behind the shadow empire. You need to expose their corrupt cabal for what it is? You need to know what they knew and when they knew it? You need to bring the guilty parties to justice?
Actually what you need is to read “The Illuminatus! Trilogy” by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. This circa 1970 masterpiece of psychedelic, satirical fiction ties scores of conspiracies (from “who killed Kennedy” to the “23 synchronicity principle”) into a grand tapestry of drugs, sex, historical fact, myth, and confusion. For page after page the authors lead the reader through an endless, serpentine maze, leaving a trail of “tantalizingly almost relevancies” as clues and, ultimately, leaving the reader breathlessly awaiting a resolution that never comes. This is high art (pun intended) that mirrors the “real world” without trying to explain it. One of the “lessons “ of the trilogy is that not only is the struggle by honest people to discover the truth behind the conspiracy futile, it is an essential part of the conspiracy! When conspiracy theorists, or people posing as conspiracy theorists, fail to turn up compelling evidence for their pet theory, or, even worse, make accusations or assertions that later turn out to be demonstrably false, they play into the hands of the conspirators. Not only have they wasted their time, they have undermined the credibility of anyone who agrees with them, anyone they agree with, or anyone that is working to find a solution to the problems created by the conspiracy.
I know that this last part is a little less obvious, but please bear with me. “Divide and conquer” is the essential strategy of all unholy conspiracies. An often unrecognized fact is that most people are basically good. A corollary is that bad people are always outnumbered and continually run the risk of being ganged up on and defeated by sheer numbers. I think this is the main attraction for conspiracy theorists. We feel that if only we could expose these vermin for what they are, the public would rise up and get rid of them once and for all. It is a very seductive thought but one that sadly has never seemed to work. Watergate brought down a president, his administration, and even sent some of his cronies and co-conspirators to prison. The poisonous legacies of President Nixon (and his puppet-masters) live on, however, continuing to undermine the Republic: the Federal Reserve Note, unquestioned legitimacy of the undeclared war, deficit spending, a “moderate” Republican Party. We won the battle and lost the war.
In answering a question about conspiracy during a debate, presidential candidate Ron Paul, gave a very cogent response. To paraphrase, there is no secret conspiracy, the groups that people associate with conspiracy (Council on Foreign Relations, for example) do exist and they do believe and promote ideas that undermine American sovereignty. Also they do and are creating institutions and passing laws to incrementally move America, and the world, toward their vision of an all-powerful global government. Some see his answer as an evasion. On the contrary, his answer was a simple statement of facts. He then quickly and legitimately focused on the real question, whose side are we on? Of these competing philosophies and ideologies, of these visions of the future, which do “We the People” choose?
So in answer to the question, “Is there a conspiracy?” I must answer, “Of course not.” How could there be a global conspiracy that spans decades and involves thousands of people without leaving an obvious trail of evidence? Is every news commentator in on the deal? If so, when are they inducted into the inner circle? And what could keep all of them, every last one of them, from ever telling the truth? Even if one confines the question to just the United States, the theories become grotesquely complicated. Where does it stop? Where does it begin? How are people recruited? How are they kept from defecting? How are they silenced if they do? Are all political party officials in on the conspiracy? Does that include John from down the street who chairs the county committee? Does it include all politicians? How about the city councilman, state legislator, our congressman, senator, every president? Isn’t it easier to believe that George Bush, and every president since Howard Taft, is simply stupid, greedy, or short-sighted? Such a sweeping Conspiracy theory is obviously ridiculous. It is simply impossible.
So to return to the question, “Is there a conspiracy?” Yes, Virginia, there is a conspiracy. There are people in this world who wield money and political power to further their own ends. They do so in secret, when it serves their ends, or, more usually, hide in plain sight. They are very adept at covering their trail and have almost infinite financial resources to do so. Their relationships, meetings, organizations, and even policy papers have been well documented. But you will never be able prove that a conspiracy exists, because there is no fact or piece of evidence so compelling that it will convince the public at large. There will never be a “smoking gun” because there will never be a defection by anyone in a position of true leadership.
But that still does not explain how the conspiracy could extend its power so deeply into our society without tipping its hand.
As an answer to this paradox, I would propose the theory of the “virtual conspiracy”. The sad truth is that there is “none so blind as he that will not see”. And it is just too painful for most of us to believe that the men and women we have trusted as our leaders are either co-conspirators or witless tools in the hands of malevolent powers. Add to this the fact that those who have wrested control of the news media and public education have attained control over the only weapons we have to liberate ourselves; language and information. George Orwell described the process quite eloquently in his classic novel, 1984. By controlling and degrading the language, the tyrannical masters of his dystopia were able to insure their power forever. By substituting the truncated language “Newspeak” for English, they established a world in which words such as “liberty”, “freedom”, and “rebellion” no longer existed. Without the words, the concepts which they represented disappeared from thought. In the world of 1984, “revolution” was, quite literally, unthinkable.
How does that apply to our world? “They” do not have to bribe or coerce their minions into obedience. They do not have to worry about secret contracts that could be uncovered or loyalties that could switch. By the time a journalist, economist, lawyer, or politician has risen through the ranks he or she has already been transformed into an intellectual eunuch. Not stupid, oh no. These are intelligent, well-mannered, educated, and sophisticated zombies. They “know” that certain things are true, and are contemptuous of those who do not share their “enlightened” world view. For example, they pity the unwashed masses that do not understand why a nine trillion dollar debt is nothing to worry about because it is such a small percentage of the Gross Domestic Product. They smile knowingly and shake their heads at the ignorant peasants that don’t realize the dangers inherent in a currency backed by precious metals, or that fail to see the benefits of losing their jobs to Chinese peasants. They can only look on with pity at those who do not see the benefits of helping humanity finally transcend these barbarous loyalties to nations, ethnic groups, or family.
The Conspiracy is even more insidious, however. Membership in the virtual Conspiracy is not absolute, it is relative. Almost anyone can be a member of the virtual conspiracy to some degree or even on some occasions.
For example, when I use the term “letter carrier” instead of the “sexist” word, “mailman”, I am promoting the idea that our gender neutral society is somehow superior to the one in which I was raised. It implies that we have “advanced” to the point where a male is no longer the assumed breadwinner. I am doing my small part to erase from our collective consciousness the time when a husband and a father were not only an essential part of the family, but were also capable of supporting a family with a single income. In using the euphemisms of politically-correct speech, instead of the more straightforward, accurate, or archaic terms that have been expunged from “polite” language, I am encouraging the mind numbing effects of the Conspiracy’s Newspeak. It may have been a slip of the tongue on my part, or, more likely, I may have made a conscious decision to avoid the hassle and controversy associated with speaking plainly or honestly. Nevertheless, I have reinforced (in the mind of my reader or listener) the prohibition against logical thought in proscribed areas. I have tacitly admitted certain assumptions about history and our society that have become the secular religion. I have become a tool of the Conspiracy.
So, finally, the boundaries between the witless tool of the conspiracy and a true puppet master become blurred. The distinctions, for practical purposes, become meaningless. The true conspirators, the “inner circle”, must be pleased to see the “paranoid” conspiracy theorists charging across the political landscape, accusing one hapless victim after another. Like the bull charging after the cape of the matador, they become exhausted, discredited, and eventually humiliated. Simultaneously, they antagonize and discredit both themselves and their potential allies. Anyone observing this spectacle is unlikely to feel anything but pity or contempt for the “bull”. Such a scenario works so well to the conspirator’s ends that if the conspiracy theorists did not exist , the conspirators would be compelled to create them!
Faced with such a daunting foe, what then are we to do? Well, we can stop wasting our time and energy attempting the impossible. As sensible and attractive as it is to “Know thy enemy”, we need to set our priorities and pick our battles. We do NOT need to be able to define and describe in detail the workings or members of the virtual conspiracy. We do not need to determine who knew what and when they knew it. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck; IT’S A DUCK!
I propose that we approach the Conspiracy with a technique called “reverse engineering”. Software developers, given the exact specifications for what a program will do, can produce another program that will reproduce its behavior exactly. In the end, it does not matter if every line of code is identical. If it looks like a duck, it’s a duck. And for our purposes, I propose that we can do the same with the Conspiracy. We need to observe “it” and the behavior of all relevant players in light of the competing goals of individual liberty and global fascism. If someone or something moves our nation or world toward slavery it ultimately does not matter if they are consciously evil or simply stupid; “they” are part of the virtual Conspiracy. With enough data we can produce an intellectual model, a replica that will allow us to predict “its” behavior and fight it at every turn.
If the forces of evil are using the events of 9/11 to undermine our personal liberties, bankrupt our nation, and destroy the middle-class; do we REALLY need to know whether the Conspiracy caused it to happen, let it happen, or is just taking advantage of a serendipitous event? Can we not vigorously oppose all of these developments on their merits? Do we really want to make our cooperation with other like-minded patriots contingent on their agreeing with our interpretation of a grainy video of an imploding skyscraper?
If John McCain has been known to make critical votes to undermine the sovereignty of America, if he consistently espouses policies that are harmonious with a New World Order of global fascism, if he attacks and smears those who would defend our Constitution; do we REALLY need to show that he has ties to unscrupulous international bankers or is a member of the Bilderberg Group?
We do not need to document secret oaths, laundered money in offshore accounts, Masonic rituals, or black helicopters. We do not need to become super sleuths, prosecuting attorneys, polygraph operators, or forensic demolition experts. If it looks like a “duck”.... we need to get a better “shotgun”.
We should all strive to become better educators, authors, organizers, recruiters, and, yes, politicians. We do need to realize that we are all tainted by the virtual conspiracy, but that very few of us are consciously working to further its ends. We do need to become masters of discerning the policies, practices, and rhetoric that move us away from liberty. We do need to become relentless at exposing these things to public scrutiny. And when enough of us have done our homework, networked, and paid our political dues; it will become obvious who we can trust, and to what degree.