17 of The World’s Most Popular Conspiracy Theories
Some of us are never satisfied with the “official” version of a story. From that guy who just knows you’re hitting on his girlfriend to scapegoating Bush for 9/11, conspiracy theories have provided alternative and emotionally satisfying explanations for events throughout history. Some of these stories have become immortalized through sheer repetition, commanding attention whenever the event in question is discussed. Here are 17 of the world’s most popular conspiracy theories and why they have so much staying power.
JFK
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The conspiracy theory to end all conspiracy theories is that president John F. Kennedy was not killed by Lee Harvey Oswald, as is widely believed. Rather, large numbers of people believe that JFK was done in by the FBI, the CIA, the Federal Reserve, Lyndon B. Johnson, the Bush family or anti-Castro Cuban radicals, depending on which wing of the conspiracy fringe you are talking to. Fanning the flames of this theory is how Oswald was mysteriously killed by a petty gangster just two days after being arrested and charged with Kennedy’s murder – before any trial could take place, and despite Oswald denying any involvement. Like so many conspiracy theories, this one is likely to live in forever because there is no way to categorically disprove it. No one alive today was there, and if they were, they certainly aren’t talking about it.
9/11
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Some have claimed that 9/11 conspiracy theories are destined to become the current generation’s JFK story. The theory differs slightly with each telling, but generally centers on the idea that the U.S. government either allowed the September 11 attacks to occur or actively committed the attacks via controlled demolition of the World Trade Center towers. The supposed rationale for orchestrating the largest terrorist attack in history and killing nearly 3,000 of its own citizens – it is argued – was to drum up support for the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and to curtail domestic civil liberties via the Patriot Act. Despite compelling refutations by Popular Mechanics and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the “Bush knocked down the towers” theory retains strong support among those eager to pin blame on the administration. And of course, the “we let it happen” version can never be concretely disproved.
Pearl Harbor
(A similar theory with fewer believers is that Pearl Harbor was allowed to happen without interference. Believers in this version of history’s most infamous terrorist attack contest that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt knowingly courted Pearl Harbor’s destruction because it let him sidestep the publics opposition to entering World War II. Evidence trotted out in support of this theory include supposed warnings from the UK, Australia, Netherlands and USSR that the attack was coming, with the implication being that FDR simply ignored it and did nothing. Some even allege that FDR supplied Hawaii with bogus intelligence about oncoming Japanese fleets to to purposely throw our defenses off. Still other theories claim that FDR warned the Red Cross’ Disaster Relief units to secretly prepare for massive casualties at Pearl Harbor because of the historic carnage that he was going to stand by and watch.
Apollo Moon Landing
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Amazingly, a serious following of people believe that the Apollo moon landing of 1969 did not take place. Rather, conspiracy theorists claim that the entire thing was staged by the U.S. government in some type of dark room in order to spark patriotism and support among the populace. Suggestions that the government tampered with evidence (such as doctoring tapes, transmissions and moon rock samples) are referred to often by believers in this theory, which is argued in outer space discussions to this day. The Flat Earth Society was first and most prominent organization to argue that the landing was staged in a Hollywood studio based on an old movie script.
Area 51
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The conspiracy theory of a secret government testing facility called Area 51 is so seductive that a video game was created based on what such a place would look like and what must go on there. Common claims include alien cover-ups, radioactive testing, nuclear experimentation and genetic modification of humans to create a “super-race” someday in the distant future. Officially, what is typically referred to as “Area 51″ is little more than a military base located in Nevada for development and testing of weapons and aircraft systems. Unsurprisingly, however, conspiracy theorists have taken great imaginary liberties with what they claim is the “real” purpose of the secretively situated facility.
Bilderberg Group
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The super-secretive Bilderberg Group is a conspiracy theorist’s delight. Known to the public only as a group of influential world and business leaders with invitation-only annual meetings, Bilderberg has found itself at the center of of suspicion since virtually day one. The most common theory holds that Bilderberg’s members (which include Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and World Bank president Robert Zoellick) control a “shadow government” bent on world domination by the group’s elites. President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Tony Blair, for instance, are said to have been “groomed” as future leaders during their time in Bilderberg. President Barack Obama has also reportedly selected various Bilderberg members for his cabinet (such as Kathleen Sebelius), triggering new speculation.
Freemasons
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Another shadowy subculture with no shortage of conspiracy theories surrounding its legacy are the Freemasons. Arising in the 16th century from what Wikipedia calls “obscure origins”, there are roughly 5 million people calling themselves Freemasons worldwide, engaging in secret meetings in “Lodges” to discuss God knows what. Of course, the conspiracy fringe would have you believe the Masons are pulling the U.S. government on puppet strings (perhaps in a joint venture with Bilderberg Group?) or, alternatively, worshiping Satan. Personally, we think most of today’s Freemasons just meet up to discuss how cool it is to be Freemasons, but we could be wrong…
Skull & Bones
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No secret society is more shrouded in mystery than Yale’s infamous Skull & Bones fraternity. Known informally as “Bones”, the society has produced several U.S. presidents and presidential candidates (most recently George W. Bush and John Kerry, respectively) and is known for assigning nicknames to members – like “Hamlet” and “Uncle Reemus” – based on classical literature. Like all secret societies, no outsider truly knows what goes on during Bones meetings and initiations, but we do know that each Skull & Bones class meets each Thursday and Sunday night during their senior year to carry out their mysterious activities. One rumor has it that initiation requires spilling the beans on your entire sexual history to the other members, though this of course cannot be confirmed. The group is said to exert influence on its members throughout their lives, including when they rise into positions of power in government and business.
Chemtrails
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Most of us look up at the white, puffy trails left behind by airplanes and smile at the random designs they make. Others look up and see a nefarious government-run plot to blanket the sky with chemicals. Known as “gas trails” or “chem trails”, the idea seems to be that by leaving enough of these trails, we can control the weather, control the population, or vaccinate against disease in preparation for a terrorist attack. While each of these theories has its supporters, the consensus is simply that airplane traffic has increased and that gas trails are little more than an inevitable consequence of it. To the aspiring crusader, even water vapors contain hidden agendas!
Illuminati
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Yet another secret society – the Illuminati – raises the question of how all these diabolical organizations co-exist without stepping on each other’s toes in the quest for world domination. Founded during the Enlightenment in 1776, the Illuminati (literally Latin for “enlightened”) is spoken of among conspiracy theorists as a “shadow behind the throne” dictating world events through business and government, all with the goal of bringing about a New World Order. Exactly who is supposedly doing the Illuminati’s bidding in the present is unclear, though a trip to the local tavern should produce plenty of people willing to chew your ear off about it.
Tupac
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Embattled rapper Tupac Shakur’s death has been called into question by many who allege that he faked his own death. While popular accounts of the story have Shakur being fatally shot after leaving a boxing match at the MGM Grand, dissenters hold that there is far from enough evidence to rule out his still being alive. The most frequent complaint about the common story is how quickly Tupac was cremated after death, such that very few people actually saw his corpse. It is puzzling why his body would be cremated almost immediately after an unsolved and extremely high-profile murder. Tiny explanatory gaps like these are how conspiracy theories grow and thrive, and while this particular one has died down a bit (Shakur’s entourage claim to have smoked his ashes with marijuana) many are still eager to explain how Tupac is alive and well on some tropical island with Bob Marley braids to blend in with the locals. Shakur’s known interest in Machiavelli (who advocated faking one’s death to avoid enemy attention) is also cited as a reason why he might fake his death.
Barcodes
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The fearful fringe has long claimed that barcodes are a means of control sprung upon us by governments or draconian corporations. Subscribers to this view maintain that “666″ is embedded in every product bar code in America, doing Satan’s dirty work as we scan our salt and vinegar potato chips or white on black Adidas sneakers through the register. Super-religious people elaborate that this is the “mark of the beast” referred to in the book of Revelations. Articles such as “RFID and the Mark of the Beast” can be found all over the Internet proclaiming the unspeakable evils of bar codes, though it doesn’t seem to have prevented very many stores from using them.
Roswell
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We have the mysterious 1947 “alien” landing in Roswell, New Mexico to thank for the X-Files and just about every alien-themed TV show or movie since. Much confusion surrounds exactly what happened, but conspiracy theorists allege that an alien landing took place which the government covered up by removing alien corpses and debris before anyone could investigate. Hundreds of eye-witnesses claim to have seen it happen, but researchers have found that only a handful claim to have seen aliens up close with their own eyes. The events at Roswell have generated untold “UFO sightings” ever since (as the tabloids at any local grocery store will readily attest) and it’s unlikely that the whole truth of the matter will ever come out.
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
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The tsunami that slammed Indian ocean nations like Thailand in 2004 was utterly devastating, said to have unleashed force equivalent to 23,000 atomic bombs. With nearly 230,000 casualties across 11 countries, you knew the conspiracy theorists wouldn’t be far behind. Sure enough, sinister explanations have the U.S. military causing the tsunami on purpose in order to distract people from talking about the Iraq war with their family during the holidays. Then, in the ultimate two-for-one deal, Bush reaped the PR rewards of the ensuing “compassion” bestowed on the troubled nations by the U.S. Difficult as this may seem for an adult mind to take seriously, you’d be surprised how many people sincerely and fervently believe it to be true!
Nazi Moon Base
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And you thought we’d let you off the hook with just one crackpot theory about moon landings. Surely you jest. While some believe humans didn’t set foot on the moon in 1969, others maintain that mankind’s first lunar mission was completed in 1942 – by the Nazis! That’s right. According to this unconventional theory of space history, the Third Reich used cutting-edge space craft such as the (supposedly) Canadian-designed VZ-9-AV Avrocar to reach the moon, at which point they made contact with dozens of alien species. More believable versions of the theory claim that Hitler simply wanted to experiment with space-based weaponry for World War 2, though even this is seldom defended with any evidence.
Holocaust Denial
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While we’re at it, what kind of conspiracy theory article would this be without everyone’s friends, the Holocaust deniers? Joseph Schumpeter’s famous quote “the first thing a man will do for his ideals is lie” appears tailor-made for those who sincerely plead with us to believe that the Holocaust never “really” happened. Spitting in the face of concentration camp survivors and ignoring mountains of irrefutable evidence, extremists on the anti-semetic fringe hold that the Holocaust as understood by most of us is nothing but an elaborate ruse designed to elicit sympathy for those perrenial scapegoats, the Jews. Few sane people actually believe this, but the theory was thrust back into the spotlight last year when Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held a Holocaust denial conference in his country.
Elvis
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Finally we arrive at that timeless poster boy of conspiracies, Elvis Presley. The “official” story has Presley’s fiancée being found unresponsive on the floor of his hotel suite 1977. Remarkably few people have accepted this as truth however, choosing instead to believe that “The King” faked his own death. Popular explanations include Elvis wanting to avoid debt collectors and an Elvis look-alike who supposedly bought a plane ticket to Buenos Aeries shortly before his death. Why he would walk away from hundreds of millions in future earnings for any of these reasons is seldom addressed, but then again, we probably “just don’t get it.” Fortunately, this story should die down in another 20 years or so, when no one can claim Elvis is still alive with a straight face.
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