5 Things Wrong with the World -- and The Beauty of "Conspiracy Theory"

There are many things wrong with the world today. Naturally, these things are all perspective, however, I feel that they are more important than some are willing to admit. I understand very well that many of you will TOTALLY disagree with me and that is all good and fine. This is, naturally, just my opinion even though I feel there is plenty of "fact" here as well.

5 - Loss of Morality (Especially in the United States) -- With divorce rates, promiscuity and molestation at possible all time highs, the world is seemingly losing all sense of it's morality. It is becoming the rule, rather than the exception, for people to throw their numbers of sexual partners into the triple digits while their number of days married falls in turn. The average person now sees sex as nothing more than a hobby or just something to do on a slow night with whomever they can find that is willing. Funnily enough, that same person soon quits viewing it this way when the person they marry decides to practice that hobby with someone other than them. I find it hilarious and sad when someone suddenly finds sex to be such an important thing in those particular cases when they see it as nothing most other times. People seem to have forgotten that sex DOES mean something and it DOES have a purpose. Just because they have found many efficient ways to prevent pregnancy, it doesn't mean that you should start going crazy with it. After all, you DO still have that STDs to worry about. Though, like the cheating situation, the STDs only seem to cross their mind once they are stuck with one they can't get rid of.

4 - Drugs (Prescription and Non) -- While I am in NO WAY a proponent of street drugs being illegal, drugs have become a HUGE problem in the world. While they do lead to unnecessary deaths and the ruin of lives, this is NOT my reason for labeling them a problem. I see street drugs the same way I see anti-depressants. They are far too often used as methods for people to escape a reality they don't have the spine/willpower to deal with. Life is not easy now and it has never been, however, people USE to deal with life because they HAD to deal with life. Sure, there have always been people who filled up on various chemicals and alcohol as a means to bypass hardship, but, with this day in age and the availability of anti-depressants, it has become very easy and VERY socially acceptable to medicate yourself to the point of simply not caring. This has done nothing less than cause a dangerous amount of weakness and apathy in a world that already had enough.

3 - Politics -- While I do believe in civility and order in society, politics (as they are currently) are a HUGE scar on the face of humanity. While politics and government can be VERY good things, extreme amounts of power have fallen into the hands of too few people. These people are NOT the politicians themselves, instead they are the people BEHIND the politicians. Such groups as the Federal Reserve and the Pharmaceutical Mafia have gained so much pull in the world that they can basically ensure that chosen slaves of theirs make their way into positions which provide governmental pull. The power has very effectively been taken from the hands of people and placed into the hands of a few powerful groups that have ONLY their interests in mind. Because of this, you have countless thousands of people imprisoned for senseless reasons, honest people being murdered for trying to right wrongs and various other things we view as "horrors" yet we seem to be unwilling to stand up and change.

2 - Money -- We have become a world of people who worship the almighty Euro. Money, I would assume, comes in a close second as the MAIN cause of death (both violent, self inflicted and "natural") in the world today. There are many people in this world who would gladly sell their family down the river for a bit of financial "security". Unfortunately, we have allowed ourselves to become so enamored with money that it has become a virtual necessity in order to even sustain life. There is hardly anything we can do this day in age that doesn't require money or (even worse) credit. Be it a roof over our heads, food or a way to get to work, almost everything we do is determined by finances. IDEALLY, a society with money where everyone did their part to support the good of the whole would actually stand a good chance of attaining a sort of lasting peace. However, I feel we have let ourselves slip so far down the hole that we may NEVER drag ourselves out without the help of some global tragedy that would remind us what REALLY matters.

1 - Religion -- While the IDEA of most religions is a WONDERFUL thing, like a lot of other things in this world, most followers RARELY practice what they preach. Religion has EASILY got to be the number one cause of SENSELESS death the world has ever seen. Unfortunately, it seems that most religions spend more time at conflict with various other ones than anything else. Ironically enough, most of the world's MAJOR religions preach tolerance and peace while their followers spend the majority of their time attacking anyone that doesn't believe in whatever particular invisible man/men they happen to believe in. Religion is probably the single most volatile subject in the world which is quite ironic since most of them are based off of beliefs that are TOTALLY unfounded and unprovable. Yet, people are killed daily over what equates to nothing more solid than the belief in Santa Claus.


The above (and a few more) lead to the reason why I find conspiracy theory to be such a beautiful thing. While many people (most of whom embrace one or more of the above problems tightly) view crazy "conspiracy theories" as utter nonsense, I find most conspiracy theorists to be VERY intelligent and imaginative people.

Sure, some of us may believe in OUTLANDISH things (John Lear and his Moon Based Soul Catcher come to mind), but you will also find (if you actually LOOK) that most of us are CONSTANTLY thinking. We question EVERYTHING because everything NEEDS to be questioned.

If it weren't for people questioning the unbelievable, we would have never had airplanes, radio, electricity, THE INTERNET or many other things that we take for granted these days.

The conspiracy theorist may very well be the last true DREAMER in the world. We spend every waking second looking for answers and meaning in and out of this small world of ours.

(cont)

The mind of the conspiracy theorist, while sometimes kooky, is a mind that is truly alive.

Our "answers" at times may be very wrong and that's okay because MOST of us are able to accept our faults and continue the search. We live to think and think to live and that's what makes us complete. We aren't simply out to try to disprove EVERYTHING, we simply keep fighting for an explanation until we find the one (or more) that lets us be at peace. Whether we are looking for stargates, aliens, secret government plots, the bogeyman, time travellers or simply the reason why our toothpaste seems to make our mouth burn more than usual we are ALWAYS LOOKING.

We relish in the hunt and live for the mysteries this world has to offer. We are passionate beyond points that some people could never understand. We have a desire in us that most people in this world would probably kill to get a feeling of.

The conspiracy theorist, whether kooky, crazy, intelligent or mad, is one of the last true visionaries left in the world and the conspiracy theory is a very beautiful thing.


When I witness a skeptic throwing pity at a conspiracy theorist for his/her views on a subject, I can't help but feel an immediate and deep sorrow for them because they don't seem to know the joy that comes from search.



Jasn


EDIT TO ADD: Mods, please don't move this thread. While I know it's not entirely "Skunk Works", the SW is definitely the home for the "kookier" of the conspiracy theories and (in my honest opinion) the home for some of the better ATS style discussion. Please allow this thread to stay here as this is where I feel it belongs. If there is anywhere on ATS this thread my provoke some thought and nice discussion, it's the SW. A great deal of what I speak of here is discussed on SW daily. Let me slide on the move on this one if you don't mind.

Thanks.

[edit on 11-10-2007 by SimiusDei]

Very good post SimiusDei! I'll comment briefly on your five points before adding my opinion of conspiracy theorists.

5 - While I think there is a major decline in overall morality in the world today, love (sex) is one of those that I'm on the fence about. I think the whole idea of the hippy-esque "free love" was a great concept, as long as it's done as a means of expression and sharing between one another. Most people today treat sex as a purely self-righteous act and don't think past their own desires. Not sure if I got my point across, but that's enough about that for now.

4 - I personally think recreational drugs have a lot to add to human development and understanding, but I am completely against "unneeded" prescription medications. This "new age" of prescription meds amounts to nothing more than putting a bandaid on our boo-boos. Most current western medicine simply treats symptoms of problems, and does nothing about the problem itself.

3 - Yeah, I completely agree that current policy is run mostly by lobbyists and major campaign contributors. I think this will almost always be the case in a representative government when one person can be persuaded to speak for thousands or millions of people.

2 - Money, as they say, is both "the root of all evil" and "a necessary evil." Unfortunately, I have no theories or ideas on how to get by without it. You can't even "live off the land" anymore, as it requires money to buy that land, and pay property taxes on it. Hopefully one day, it will no longer be needed, as we will be living in a utilitarian utopia (one can dream, can't they?).

1 - Ahhh...religion. Many of people have been killed in the name of one God or another. Or, if not in God's name, in God's assurance that his particular followers were right and the others were wrong. Funny part is it is a complete paradox. Love thy neighbor, unless he doesn't worship me, then kill him. Lately though, for most Americans I know anyway, it religion has become nothing more than a line in their MySpace description.


As for conspiracy theorists, I think they are modernistic philosophers. Most look at everyday (and not so everyday) occurrences and realize that there has to be something more to it. And not only do most seek out the solid facts on these things, they hypothesize on possible reasons, causes, and more importantly, repercussions.

-Warlo

reply to post by Warlo


I agree with you 90%.

You are spot on about the representative governments. The representatives have usually (always?) been bought off long before the White House or Congress. I have a theory about this that 99% of politicians are groomed either personally or 2nd hand for office (hence Skull and Bones and other organizations) on their way to the top.

The Federal Reserve is one of the more sickening monopolies in this country. I mean really, what kind of craziness does it take for a government (and it's peoples) to accept a system where their money is backed by NOTHING and where their taxes go to paying INTEREST on nothing more than paper.


BRING BACK THE SILVER STANDARD!!




Jasn

BRING BACK THE SILVER STANDARD!!

Just had an interesting thought. With all of the "Emergency Oil Reserves" we have in the US, why not have an "Oil Standard"? Might even help stabilize the fluctuations it has in the world market?

As for the representative conditioning, I think that's entirely possible. In addition, I would assume that newer reps and senators usually seek out "older" or more seasoned members of their office to ask for advice, no doubt "how to please lobbyists" is a very common question.


-Warlo

reply to post by Warlo



I don't think that would control the oil market a bit since the oil mafia monopolizes the industry and price control.

I think the silver standard is the way to go.