# What did Cecil mean by this paragraph? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 5, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258 "2016-04-05T15:14:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.NoName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@Mr.NoName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.NoName)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/1 "2016-04-05T15:14:36Z")
Hello, I think this is the right forum to post this on. I were reading through an answer by Cecil on the question “_Is the dollar bill’s eye-on-a-pyramid the symbol of a secret society?_” I understood the answer for most part, however, I didn’t understand the last paragraph which is: “_And then, of course — you knew I was getting to this — there’s the Illuminati connection. As you know from our previous discussions of this subject, the Illuminati are the grand cabal behind everything, including, some think, weird stuff on money. The question is, who’s behind the Illuminati? Wise individuals, I venture to say. Indeed, we may characterize them as wise guys. I’m thinking of Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea, who in the mid-70s wrote the conspiracy satire Illuminatus!, which has become a cult classic. Wilson et al have been shoveling baloney about the Illuminati/eye on the pyramid/world-domination conspiracy for more than 20 years, and some credit them with single-handedly keeping the thing alive. At the risk of belaboring the obvious, it’s a joke intended to separate hip folk (who get it) from right-wing losers (who don’t) So Jason, let me ask you. You think it’s real?_” Maybe I’m just too dumb to understand but I don’t really know what Cecil meant by this paragraph. What do you guys think he meant? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/2 "2016-04-05T15:16:40Z")
These questions go in “Comments on Cecil’s Comments.” I’ll report the thread for a move to that forum. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/3 "2016-04-05T15:18:59Z")
Thread relocated from IMHO. I haven’t had time to look for a link to the article, but would appreciate it if someone could track it down. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/4 "2016-04-05T15:20:09Z")
Here you go: _[Is the dollar bill’s eye-on-a-pyramid the symbol of a secret society?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1064/is-the-dollar-bills-eye-on-a-pyramid-the-symbol-of-a-secret-society)_ And I take it to mean that Cecil thinks secret societies (the world-ruling, all-knowing kind, at least) are bunk. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/5 "2016-04-05T15:36:00Z")
Of course **The Master** says it’s bunk … it’s in our bylaws … what’s the point of having a secret society that secretly controls everything if it’s not a secret. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/6 "2016-04-05T15:45:14Z")
By “our previous discussions on this subject,” I assume Cecil is referring to this earlier column: [Does May Day actually commemorate the birth of the Illuminati?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/40/does-may-day-actually-commemorate-the-birth-of-the-illuminati). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.NoName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@Mr.NoName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.NoName)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/7 "2016-04-05T15:59:51Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > These questions go in “Comments on Cecil’s Comments.” I’ll report the thread for a move to that forum. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/8 "2016-04-05T16:02:11Z")
_They_ are more likely to see it in this forum, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.NoName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@Mr.NoName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.NoName)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/9 "2016-04-05T16:06:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _They_ are more likely to see it in this forum, anyway. Who? ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/10 "2016-04-05T16:33:30Z")
> [@Mr.NoName](#): > > Who? **Czarcasm** would respond to you, but I’m guessing he’s been disappeared for that little comment. It’s never a good idea to demonstrate too much knowledge of them, or who knows what mig ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/11 "2016-04-05T18:02:09Z")
**Mr.NoName** , has your question been answered? Cecil first defines what the illuminati is thought to be. He then contends that the belief in the illuminati is primarily kept alive by a few people writing satire that others gullibly believe to be fact. Is there some specific point about the paragraph that confuses you? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/12 "2016-04-05T18:37:11Z")
I read somewhere the eye on the pyramid is the “Eye of Providence”, whatever that means. I was never much for heraldry. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.NoName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@Mr.NoName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.NoName)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/13 "2016-04-05T19:08:14Z")
> [@Greg\_Charles](#): > > **Mr.NoName** , has your question been answered? Cecil first defines what the illuminati is thought to be. He then contends that the belief in the illuminati is primarily kept alive by a few people writing satire that others gullibly believe to be fact. Is there some specific point about the paragraph that confuses you? I’m confused about the part where he talks about belabouring the obvious and how to separate the hip people from the right-wing people who don’t get it ---
**Author:** ![Mr.NoName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@Mr.NoName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.NoName)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/14 "2016-04-05T20:01:52Z")
Alright, I get what the get what the paragraph was about: it’s describeibing the illuminati in the conspiracy theory way and it’s saying that people make jokes about the illuminati which separates normal people (who believe in common sense) from cranks (who believe in their little conspiratorial world). Rational people get that it’s a joke whilst CTs don’t and think it’s real. Thank you all for commenting and helping me clear things up 🙂 I appreciate that. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/15 "2016-04-05T21:02:52Z")
Of course, now that we’ve told you, we have to kill you. Have you driven a fnord lately? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/16 "2016-04-05T21:17:24Z")
> [@Mr.NoName](#): > > Alright, I get what the get what the paragraph was about: it’s describeibing the illuminati in the conspiracy theory way and it’s saying that people make jokes about the illuminati which separates normal people (who believe in common sense) from **cranks (who believe in their little conspiratorial world)**. Rational people get that it’s a joke whilst CTs don’t and think it’s real. Thank you all for commenting and helping me clear things up 🙂 I appreciate that. With the further little political jibe that “cranks” == “right-wing losers”. Generally, we aren’t allowed to make political jabs around here, but **Cecil** , of course, gets to do that. (I myself just might agree with that, but it would probably be considered a forbidden political jab if I said so.) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/17 "2016-04-05T21:23:04Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > I read somewhere the eye on the pyramid is the “Eye of Providence”, whatever that means. Providence is the capital of Rhode Island. Founded in 1636, it is a very old city. It is where The Watcher lives. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/18 "2016-04-05T22:13:33Z")
Thank you, **Mr NoName**. someone’s well on their way to filling their quota of blabber-mouth reporting this month … anyone else wanna say what they think about the Illuminatí? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/19 "2016-04-06T14:10:19Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Of course, now that we’ve told you, we have to kill you. Have you driven a fnord lately? The Illuminati does not “kill” people. They are merely erased from existence, never to be remembered by anyone. Just ask …, what was his name? I had it a minute ago … ---
**Author:** ![Mr.NoName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@Mr.NoName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.NoName)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258/20 "2016-04-06T14:46:06Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > With the further little political jibe that “cranks” == “right-wing losers”. Generally, we aren’t allowed to make political jabs around here, but **Cecil** , of course, gets to do that. (I myself just might agree with that, but it would probably be considered a forbidden political jab if I said so.) Oh sorry, I thought crank just meant a loony person, I didn’t know it was a political jab. Again, I’m sorry for that [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-cecil-mean-by-this-paragraph/751258.md?page=2)