“Conspiracy theories by definition revolve around a suspicion that some damaging information has been covered up to hide serious misdeeds or to fool the public about a particular plan of action.”
Graham Adams: Will He Puapua propel Winston Peters back into politics? – Democracy Project
Since the beginning of the Covid crash we have been regaled with reports of ‘conspiracy theories’ and ‘rabbit holes’ and of the falling down into such, and of the troubling triplets of information – mis, mal and dis. And yet many of the so-called conspiracy theories either have become true or will likely become so.
What does the word conspiracy mean? From the Latin, con, with or together, and spirare, to breathe. So, to breathe together. Nothing sinister there then, but “the term has a negative connotation, implying that the appeal to a conspiracy is based on prejudice or insufficient evidence.”
Where did the term originate? There are several differing dates and explanations and “The fear of conspiracies has been a potent force across the political spectrum, from the Colonial era to the present, in the establishment as well as at the extremes.”
“According to Zero Hedge, the term Conspiracy Theory was created by the CIA in 1967 as a way to discredit anyone who dared to challenge their official version of the truth.”
“Anything tagged conspiracy theory is automatically discredited. A conspiracy theorist is considered unhinged or at the very least, delusional and misguided. When this stereotype is backed up with conspiracy theory law, it allows real conspiracies to remain hidden. This one phrase taints and discredits whistleblowers and anyone else seeking to expose the truth.” […]
https://theweek.com/articles/459843/brief-history-conspiracy-theories
As Muriel Newman said on June 10th, 2022, “In a world of propaganda, the truth is always a conspiracy.”
History tells us of some famous conspiracy theories that were proved to be absolutely true.
That John Lennon was being spied on by the FBI. True.
That tobacco companies knew of the connection between smoking and cancer and were suppressing the evidence. True.
That the US Government was stealing the bodies of dead children, particularly babies, to test the effects of radiation. True.
That the US military planned to kill Americans and blame it on Cuba. True.
That the oil and gas industries knew the dangers of leaded fuel and concealed the truth. True.
That the Americans recruited Nazi scientists to develop the atomic bomb. True.
(Top 10 Conspiracy Theories That Turned Out To Be True – Listverse)
On Mike’s Minute, 9th June, Mike Hosking asked the question “How much attention should we give conspiracy theorists?” And he answered his own question by saying, “My perception, especially as a result of these past two years, is that there are people who simply won’t be told or taught. Evidence is irrelevant, no matter how widely available that evidence is. They want to believe what they want to believe.”
Those who believed the so-called conspiracy theories listed above were correct. The evidence was relevant, and their beliefs were true. And so, they too, presumably, would have been described as “crazies” by Mike Hosking.
And UFOs – there are plenty of crazies who believe in those. Well, does NASA count as an organisation of crazies?
“NASA has announced the formation of a study team dedicated to UFOs — or unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), as they’ve been rebranded to shed some of their tin-foil-hat stigma. But don’t expect some sort of “X-Files” team seeking to prove the existence of extraterrestrials.”
“The team will be led by astrophysicist David Spergel, president of the Simons Foundation in New York City, alongside Daniel Evans, the assistant deputy associate administrator for research at NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.” […]
NASA assembles a UFO research team to study ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’ | TechCrunch
So maybe re-branding UFOs as UAPs will make them acceptable and “perplexing mysteries” more politically pleasing than a conspiracy theory.
And we can also look to the many conspiracy theories that abound about the Rockefeller family.
“Some even believe we (the Rockefeller family) are part of a secret cabal working against the best interests of the United States, characterizing my family and me as ‘internationalists’ and of conspiring with others around the world to build a more integrated global political and economic structure – one world, if you will. If that’s the charge, I stand guilty, and I am proud of it.”
David Rockefeller David Rockefeller quote: Some even believe we (the Rockefeller family) are part of… (azquotes.com) The quote is taken from the biography of David Rockefeller, Memoirs.
Another conspiracy theory that is true.
Let’s look at just a few here in New Zealand.
That the police would be able to enter homes without a warrant. True.
“The Covid-19 Public Health Response Bill introduced under urgency in time for alert level 2 […] would allow warrantless searches of private property if there was a reasonable belief that the alert level rules were being broken.”
Covid-19 coronavirus: Controversial bill passed to enforce alert level 2 powers – NZ Herald
That Covid vaccinations would become mandated despite the right to choose medical intervention being enshrined in our Bill of Rights. True. Not very much time passed before this became the reality for our lied-to citizenry.
That Three Waters would be introduced regardless of opposition. True.
“The first piece of legislation putting in place the Government’s Three Waters reforms has passed its first reading in Parliament.”
First Three Waters reform bill passes first reading in Parliament – NZ Herald
It is becoming law as we speak.
That water will belong to Maori. A conspiracy theory that will most likely become true.
“As the Government releases more information about its Three Waters reforms, it is becoming obvious that the proposed system is to be dominated by the rights and interests of iwi/Maori. The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) Three Waters paper ‘Opportunities for Iwi/Maori in the Three Waters Reform’ sets out how this will be achieved.”
Planned Three Waters entities’ governance undemocratic – Democracy Action
“We have always owned the water.” said the Maori King in 2012.
We own the water – Maori King – Kahu News – NZ Herald.
That He PuaPua the document existed and would become the blueprint for New Zealand. True.
The document was deliberately withheld from the NZ public, was not campaigned on, and look where we are today. A country increasingly based on apartheid, on tribal rule, on a Maori elite pushing their own barrows, or should that be waka? A government hell-bent on separating us by colour and race – more a divorce than a separation. And an acrimonious divorce at that, with settlements that leave one party at the mercy of the other.
There are many conspiracy theories that defy common sense and logic. The existence of a conspiracy theory does not for a minute (Mike’s or otherwise) make them true and I am not suggesting that. As a cautionary note about conspiracies and rabbit holes try this…
“Lizard people are cold-blooded humanoid reptilians who have the power to shape-shift into human form.”
“According to David Icke, a new-age philosopher and one of the most prominent theorists in the lizard people game, these creatures have had their claws in humankind since ancient time.” He identifies the Queen as being such a creature.
Lizard people: the greatest political conspiracy ever created – Vox
Apparently, about 4% of Americans believe in the existence of lizard people. They may well be the crazies Mike Hosking speaks of.
