Why do most conspiracies seem to originate from America

Hi all, my question to you is..
We can probably all agree that the vast amount of conspiracies seem to originate from America, why is this the case?

Is it because they are the most active in developing secret projects, is it because of world perception of America or is it because they aren't as covert as they may think they are & let too much information public?

Even during the cold war period before the current information age there was a lot of information flying about regarding secret weapons programs being developed in America although less was heard about the russians.
Now is this because the structures of both societies are vastly different with regards to expression; for example the former U.S.S.R was a very secret & pulicly repressed society whereas America had the freedom of speech (to a certain extent) which meant people were able to invistigate more freely?

When we look at current superpowers there aren't too many remaining but you hear very little about the likes of China & Russia. There are other countries who aren't superpowers, who are in all probability developing new covert technologies (Britain, France, Germany, Japan etc..) & again you don't hear much about them or even theories about their secret projects.

So why is this?
I haven't really got a complete picture as to why this is but it seems to me they use the freedom of information as a tool to confuse. Information + disinformation = Mass confusion.
America is still a young country & I think experience plays a big hand in our world.
What I mean by this is that the older countries have vast experience about covert tactics & perhaps have a better control overall in their respective societies. The people of these countries perhaps not even thinking they are developing secret programs & thus the questions not being asked.

I do believe that because of the financial muscle of the U.S. that they probably are developing the vast majority of secret projects but it would be very naive to think that others aren't also.

It would be interesting to hear all your opinions, thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

Mclaren MP4/20.

[edit on 23-6-2005 by mclarenmp4]

It doesn't depend on what your definition of "is" is. That's a conspiracy.

It depends on what your definition of "conspiracy" is.

There are over 20 times more people conspiring around water coolers and behind closed doors and in smokey bars right now around the world than there are in America.

Fair point.
Let me clear that question up for you MaskedAvatar.
Conspiracies (Noun)

1. The act of plotting in secret.
Thesaurus: intrigue, treason, collusion.
2. A plot.
Thesaurus: intrigue, scheme, plot, machination, cabal.
3. A group of conspirators.
Thesaurus: confederacy, cabal.

A government conspiracy is what i'm talking about if you want to nit pick.

Excellent Post
This, ladies and gentlemen, is someone using their brain.


You bring up many, many valid points. The US is one of the most--if not the most--open societies in the world. Yet, claims are put forth on a daily basis about the secret agenda of the US government.

Why is this not the case with, say, oh I don't know, North Korea? Yes, I'm going to pick on them. They are a completely closed society (in modern terminology). Shouldn't a government this oppressive be under constant scutiny by the conspiracy machine?

It is my opinion that this is not the case because, well, it requires far too much effort. It is 100 times easier to say, "Bush _______________ because he is evil and wants to take over the world". Or, "The US military____________UFOs/aliens/green slime_____________", and then back it up with some speculative opinion piece by someone with no real information. Trying to do this about a country where there is little information flow is, well, difficult.

My sincere A+ goes out to you mclaren.

But, your topic is from the point of view of an American, correct?
How do we really know that we have more conspiracies?
Maybe more Americans just spend more time talking about them online and offline

I offer you this.....America is a country founded by those who question "authority" and believed that less government is best......and have learned not to trust "authority". Therefore, it is a country that doesn't accept everything that is given as fact, etc.

I believe one of our founding fathers (Jefferson), said that the less power the government had, the better the country is (something to that effect)

Also, I believe that we like to THINK that we have control (or some kind of control over our destinies/opportunities.

So.......we are constantly questioning what the government tells us is "true" or "fact".


Hope that makes sense.....
Faeryland

Because, EVERYONE hates the BIG DOG.

It's factual stuff.

Be the best, you'll get people who hate you - haters!
Be the richest, people will want your money.
Be the strongest, people will feel threatened at a stronger power.
Be the smartest, people will envy you.

It just comes with the stomping grounds I suppose.

-wD

Originally posted by backtoreality
The US is one of the most--if not the most--open societies in the world.

Originally posted by mclarenmp4
Why do most conspiracies seem to originate from America

I think it is just a matter of perception and numbers. The fact that America is a large country and fairly free minded in its speech is going to encourage alot of heresay as well as disinformation for the purpose of distraction.

And if you really traced alot of business roots, you'd find that Europeans have a large amount of influence dating from the dominance of te Old World to their more behind the scenes influence of today.

Thanks for your replies it's appreciated.

I don't look upon this from an American perspective because i'm from Scotland but I try to look upon it objectively.

I have to admit that I do look upon some of these theories as being semi truthful but as I said in my original post, it's very hard to work out what is truth & what is not. I do feel that the culture in America with freedom of speech is also part of their problem & that too often they hang their dirty laundry out for all to see.

It's late for me 3am so i'm off to bed, I will respond when I get back from work tomorrow but it would be good to hear what anybody else thinks about this question.

Take Care
Mclaren MP4/20


[edit on 23-6-2005 by mclarenmp4]

I feel its simply because the US is the dominant culture right now... also with freedom of speech you can say and claim what you like with or without evidence...

China, another dominating culture, dont give their citizensa a chance to conspire... thus few conspiracy theories evovle...

Also it could be there are more paranoid people in the USA... kidding...

Originally posted by specialasianX
Also it could be there are more paranoid people in the USA... kidding...

No apology needed, whatsoever.


And yes, China is another good example. Approaching a billion and a half people; don't hear many conspiracy theories coming from there. Well, I guess that's because the Chinese governement is perfect.

Maybe more Americans just spend more time talking about them online and offline

Good point, it's not that America is involved in more conspiracies or America is the conspiracy epicenter of the universe..........it's just that more people bring these "conspiracies" to the open...publicize them more often then say France or the UK.

Good thread

Well maybe America has more conspiracy theorists...

America does dominate the world media, so more American conspiracies are out there to read about. Question is how many of us read news from countries other than America? If you read Russian or Chinese news every day, you might know more about what is going on conspiracy wise in those countries.

Also, I think the American government is sneakier than some other countries. In China, they don't bother with secret assassinations, they use a public firing squad. Also, the government actively tries to cover up anything they don't want people to know about, like AIDS (they put Chinese AIDS patients in concentration camps, along with their healthy families) and then deny that there is a problem.

This stuff does come out in Chinese-American media, but if you don't know Chinese, or subscribe to the Chinese-American cable station it is hard to find out about this.

Also one example that comes to mind is Mexican UFO mania. They have many UFO sightings in Mexico (going back for 100's of years apparantly), but hardly any of the topics in the UFO/Alien section on ATS are about sightings in Mexico. Why? probably because most ATS members don't read/watch/listen to Mexican media.

Of course- the less government the better (when the economy is good) but the more government the better (when the economy is bad).

Why are there somany America conspiracy theories?

We are fickle.

Several reasons;

1) Your conspiracy count may be based on that which you read on the internet, where the population of the US compared to other countries and therefore internet users is higher in comparison.

2) The U.S is front and centre at this present time in world domination, as with all historical events in kind, the dominant country recieves the headlines.

3) You frequent a site, this one, which is dominated by Americans, and so whatever the opinion it would naturally be of an American flavour. Since this site is predominantly American, run by an American; mostly full of American threads, (to the extent that the terms; U.S or America are not even considered as required in thread headers) and filled with American symbology.

It is all relative.

Originally posted by Uma
Also, I think the American government is sneakier than some other countries. ... Also, the [Chinese] government actively tries to cover up anything they don't want people to know about, like AIDS (they put Chinese AIDS patients in concentration camps, along with their healthy families) and then deny that there is a problem.

Denying the existence of 'concentration camps'? And this is 'sneakier' than than US government how exactly??

Originally posted by mclarenmp4
When we look at current superpowers there aren't too many remaining but you hear very little about the likes of China & Russia. There are other countries who aren't superpowers, who are in all probability developing new covert technologies (Britain, France, Germany, Japan etc..) & again you don't hear much about them or even theories about their secret projects.
[edit on 23-6-2005 by mclarenmp4]

Two words... Umm No.

Speculation. You probably don't hear conspiracies from these countries because they don't speak, write, read, or commune in english. The rest is speculation from the distant american media getting lost in customs, translation and the fact that the news has better BS to tell you than the rioting japanese students opposing marshall law.

Truth is, every nation is in a f'ed up, power drunken, dictatorship of their own, and uhh this just in..No one gives a flying FACK exept the spoiled, fattened countries whom will complain about anything. No one is right, not even me, but no one is wrong so, fack it. Total anarchy and thats the way I like it.





[edit on 24-6-2005 by PsychevolvedApe]

Interesting book on the subject of America and Conspiracy Theories:

"Conspiracy Culture - American Paranoia from the Kennedy Assassination to The X-Files" by Peter Knight

Also, the somewhat less in-depth but still fairly interesting (especially good is the chapter about the change in public percetion of the FBI from the postwar years to the 90's) is:

"Deny All Knowledge: Reading the X-files" by Lavery, Hague and Cartwright (might be out of print now though but worth getting second hand)

Don't be put off by the title containing the words "X-files" that only relates to the popularity and pervasiveness of conspiracy theories in general.

Hope that might be of some use to someone.

Originally posted by backtoreality

Originally posted by Uma
Also, I think the American government is sneakier than some other countries. ... Also, the [Chinese] government actively tries to cover up anything they don't want people to know about, like AIDS (they put Chinese AIDS patients in concentration camps, along with their healthy families) and then deny that there is a problem.

Denying the existence of 'concentration camps'? And this is 'sneakier' than than US government how exactly??

Well I'll admit that lying about concentration camps is pretty sneaky, I was mainly referring to their outright policy of shooting dissidents, criminals etc. Our dissidents "commit suicide" for example Hunter S. Thompson kills himself before he can write his expose on 9/11. Who knows what really happened there? In China, it would have been more likely that he would be arrested and shot. There would be no conspiracy necessary.

I have Chinese friends that go on and on about human rights violations by their old government. One friend says, 'when you have more than 1 billion people in your country, human life is cheap."

Originally posted by Uma
Well I'll admit that lying about concentration camps is pretty sneaky

Wow. I'm glad you atleast admit that much.

Our dissidents "commit suicide" for example Hunter S. Thompson kills himself before he can write his expose on 9/11. Who knows what really happened there?

That's not a very convincing example you chose. Got anymore?