Conspired or Not: A guide to sorting out alternative theories behind world events

The Two Ditches

  There are two 'ditches' which our free thought can veer off, into; in our quest for the truth.

• One ditch is to blindly accept the official version.
• The other ditch is to blindly reject the official version

  I have two observations about the way people ingest and ponder the news about major world events.

• Some Most people have a preset disposition which is fed by their politics, prejudices, and temperament.
• Some people are afraid to question certain presumptions because they would have to make major changes in their worldview if they conclude a different theory.

Col. North exposes Iran-Contra

Realities

We have to come to terms with certain realities. 

• Powerful institutions lie. They do it repeatedly. All administrations conspire, deceive, and subvert. That's true of the political left and right. That's true of city agencies and world powers. It's true in business and society.

Lois Lerner defies congress about
IRS plot to harass Tea Party groups

• The power-hungry operatives who do most of the conspiring are usually low-level and mid-level bureaucrats. They seek the "authorization" of top administration officials. When they do get that "go ahead" it usually is done with a wink & a nod so that top  people have plausible deniability. It's also true that top-level officials recruit underlings who will jump at the opportunity to do the boss's bidding and take the political hit if the plot is exposed. Oliver North did, and Lois Lerner did (so far).

  The only way to fight a dark agenda is to increase individual freedom and shrink  consolidated power. 

• The people who accept official versions of events tend to favor consolidated power (as long as 'their people' are the ones in power. When their opponents become more powerful, they quit advocating for expanded and consolidated power. This is true of government conspiracy and corporate conspiracy.
•  Those who want to decentralize power and promote more personal freedom often promote a narrative of conspiracy.

Silence is often the first method used, to cover up an
incident. If that's not effective, then a narrative is put forth

   Solution: Keep Your Credibility

Personal Credibility is key to establishing truth and exposing dark agendas. Learn to separate evidence from speculation. It's okay to suspect some things and not yet be totally convinced of other things. Don't stake your own credibility on things you merely think are 'probable'.

• Every major catastrophe has it's conspiracy theorists. Sometimes they are right and sometimes they are wrong. 

  

  The John Kennedy assassination, in Dallas

• Even when a "conspiracy nut" is wrong, that doesn't mean there is no conspiracy. It just means his explanation is the wrong one.
• Many events lead to conflicting conspiracy theories and they can't all be right. The Socialist mindset may villainize corporate powers are motivated by money and control of expanding markets, while Libertarian mindset may have a version where totalitarian despots are behind the events. Others may suggest a combination of both corporate global control working in concert with totalitarian despots.
• You may be right about the conspiracy narrative, yet wrong about the political motivation driving it.

Hillary Clinton spun a tale about an obscure Youtube
video leading to the Benghazi consulate attack

  Generally, we all ponder the possibility that we're being lied to. And we are being lied to more than we will probably ever know. But often we are simply trying to make sense out of the senselessness which we are confronted with every day. Sometimes we have to have the courage to accept that some things will never make sense... sometimes.
  We have to accept that we're being lied to. The problem  is that we don't know when and why we are being lied to.
  G.Gordon Liddy (a central figure in the Watergate scandal) said;

"There are two possible reasons for a special investigation."

1. 'To make sure the truth is exposed.'
2. 'Make sure the truth is NEVER exposed.' 

David Van Risseghem

Further Reading

You'll likely enjoy reading the "Top 100 Conspiracies of All Time".

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're NOT.... out to get you.