# Has everyone been brainwashed by the illuminati? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 10, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328 "2002-08-10T22:57:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hootnholla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e480ec/32.png) [@Hootnholla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hootnholla)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/1 "2002-08-10T22:57:38Z")
OK guys, this may be a lil inapropriate, but i figured it’d be a fun topic if theres any number of conspiracy buffs out there so here goes: The illuminati, as an organizition existing as far back as ancient times has systematiclly utilized the media and other methods to make slaves of the common man. Discuss. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/2 "2002-08-10T23:00:26Z")
Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Hootnholla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e480ec/32.png) [@Hootnholla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hootnholla)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/3 "2002-08-10T23:14:49Z")
well, i was more or less what you guys think, but i guess thats not how this works then huh? sorry ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/4 "2002-08-10T23:21:02Z")
Well, I mean, is there any _evidence_ that the Illuminati are an organization existing since ancient times which has systematically used the media and other means to enslave the common man? In the absence of any reason to accept the hypothesis, I’m inclined to reject it. But I suppose that’s just what they want me to think, huh? Incidentally, you might want to start [here](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_043.html) for information on the _real_ Illuminati. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/5 "2002-08-10T23:31:35Z")
This board is the antithesis of the conspiracy theory fan club. You’re not going to get far introducing a premise you can’t possibly prove and expect us to jump through hoops to give you a detailed analysis, either for or against. By the way, the Illuminati can’t get _me_. I have a closet full of tinfoil hats. ---
**Author:** ![Hootnholla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e480ec/32.png) [@Hootnholla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hootnholla)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/6 "2002-08-10T23:31:54Z")
Thanks for the link, and while information was goal, i was ultimatly aiming for a good laugh ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/7 "2002-08-11T00:04:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hootnholla \* > \*\*Thanks for the link, and while information was goal, i was ultimatly aiming for a good laugh \*\* So you were just gunning for yuks, eh? Try MPSIMS, then. [sub]fnord[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![tcburnett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@tcburnett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcburnett)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/8 "2002-08-11T21:43:11Z")
We don’t brainwash people. We illuminate them. -Biggus Illuminatus ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/9 "2002-08-11T21:50:08Z")
Well, _obviously_ no one will acknowledge the total and true existance of the illuminati because, well, they’ve been brainwashed. ---
**Author:** ![Hootnholla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e480ec/32.png) [@Hootnholla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hootnholla)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/10 "2002-08-11T22:02:51Z")
hmmm, good point. But now i fear theyre after me, can anyone loan me a tinfoil hat? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2002, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/11 "2002-08-11T22:13:23Z")
If the Illuminati really existed, you’d see more bright people. ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/12 "2002-08-12T02:11:01Z")
Fnord. And Deus ex. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/13 "2002-08-12T03:25:22Z")
The illuminati, as an organizition that did not exist as far back as ancient times has not systematiclly utilized the media and other methods to make slaves of the common man. There. My response precisely balances your OP. The sum total of probative value of this thread is now zero, and it can be safely closed. ---
**Author:** ![p\_cific\_812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@p\_cific\_812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/p_cific_812)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/14 "2002-08-12T03:39:55Z")
Well, any rational person would obviously reject the idea that some sort of all-powerful secret society… :: Just then, the Illuminati use their absolute control of electronic devices to flash a Fnord across **p@c** ’s screen… :: MUST… KILL… **Hootnholla** … DESTROY… DESTROY!!! :: Secondary Fnord flashes across screen to indicate completion of re-education and return to normal mental state :: …has been guiding and controling the human race for thousands of years. I mean, surely we would have found evidence of their existence by now. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-everyone-been-brainwashed-by-the-illuminati/123328/15 "2002-08-12T03:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Thanks for the link, and while information was goal, i was ultimatly aiming for a good laugh Oh. Well, in that case… …this thread never existed.