# What if there WAS a vast world-wide conspiracy running the world? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 14, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527 "2016-10-14T17:31:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/21 "2016-10-15T22:10:38Z")
I adore a good conspiracy. Unfortunately, they just don’t come around all that often. The idea of a successful ongoing secret conspiracy … well, there are precious few of those. Take for example most criminal conspiracies - most mob business, Hoffa’s death, drug cartels, governments of many third-world countries, and the like. It’s routinely reported that only a very, very few people are enriched and only for relatively brief periods of time. Typically, the people running these businesses aren’t geniuses. So, the profits get poorly invested, gambled away, used for “cost of business” expenses, and so forth. But, if an Illuminati-style group really existed in a successful, on-going sense… and I became aware of it … I would probably pester them with questions until they kill me from pure parental frustration. I’m the guy who goes to Disney World and wonders about the utilities. Do you know how many gallons of water they need to process every hour just for this one ride alone? ---
**Author:** ![ultimate11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/49beb7/32.png) [@ultimate11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultimate11)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/22 "2016-10-15T22:36:19Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Scenario: You are presented with incontrovertible proof that the Illuminati actually exist, and that they have been pretty much running things behind the scenes for the past couple of hundred years. What do you think about this, and how do you react? “Well now that I’ve got paper, I need some tobacco. Indiana, here I come…” ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/23 "2016-10-15T22:41:04Z")
Be relieved that at least somebody’s driving this thing. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/24 "2016-10-16T10:17:13Z")
Go have my meds adjusted. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/25 "2016-10-16T10:28:24Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > Be relieved that at least somebody’s driving this thing. This was my first thought. Great, I’ll go talk to the lizard running the show and tell her to get real about global warming! Also, the Trump-bot is broken and needs replacing with a more convincing model. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/26 "2016-10-16T15:56:23Z")
I am a white male. When they were handing out the black helicopters, and the plantations full of serfs, I must have missed the memo, because I didn’t get mine. The Establishment owes me, man. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/27 "2016-10-16T16:31:00Z")
[The Inebriati and the Knights Tippler](http://www.videobash.com/video_show/mitchell-amp-webb-s-inebriati-the-knights-tippler-1453942). It explains so much… ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/28 "2016-10-16T18:07:12Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > OK, make your case. Why should the conspiracy recruit you? The ability to discover incontrovertibly proof of the vast conspiracy would be all the qualifications you would need. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/29 "2016-10-16T18:15:23Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Well, since the world has _mostly_ improved over the course of the last two hundred years, I guess I would take that as evidence that it’s a more-or-less benevolent conspiracy, and try not to think about it any more. It’s not like there’s anything I could actually DO about it. Same. Compared to two hundred years ago: World hunger - down Democracy - up human rights - up Science - up Technology - up Poverty - down Disease - down Education - up Health care - up I’m content to let the illuminati continue to run things if this trend continues. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/30 "2016-10-16T18:19:28Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > The problem is society has almost been programed to disbelieve “conspiracy theories”. As a result nobody will believe you regardless of your evidence. All you’d get for your troubles is people making mocking references to tin foil hats. While true, various conspiracy theories eventually became accepted as fact Iran-Contra The holocaust Large scale spying in the US Operation northwoods Secret clandestine plans of the CIA (heart attack guns, overthrowing foreign nations, etc) Manhattan project etc ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/31 "2016-10-16T18:24:00Z")
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re _not_ out to get 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:** [October 16, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/32 "2016-10-16T18:26:10Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > The ability to discover incontrovertibly proof of the vast conspiracy would be all the qualifications you would need. _IF_ I were part of this vast, worldwide conspiracy I might answer that, if you are already unknowingly doing our bidding for free, why should we bother putting you on our payroll? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/33 "2016-10-16T18:27:56Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Why do people look for SECRET organizations that rule the world? It’s wholly unnecessary, because the rich, important people who pretty much DO control the world get together OPENLY every year, where their goings on are heavily covered by the media! > > Watch the Davos meetings every year. That’s where the world’s most powerful people get together and decide how we’re all going to live. The people who meet at Davos are members of countries that occasionally fight wars against each-other, so it seems pretty unlikely that they’re all on the same page when it comes to ruling the world. > [@drewder](#): > > The problem is society has almost been programed to disbelieve “conspiracy theories”. As a result nobody will believe you regardless of your evidence. All you’d get for your troubles is people making mocking references to tin foil hats Most of the world (myself included) believes 9/11 was pulled off by a transnational network of conspirators led by a bearded billionaire from a remote mountain base. There doesn’t actually seem to be that much trouble getting people to believe some crazy conspiracy theories assuming there’s enough evidence. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/34 "2016-10-16T20:01:43Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > The people who meet at Davos are members of countries that occasionally fight wars against each-other, so it seems pretty unlikely that they’re all on the same page when it comes to ruling the world. But war is, in fact, less and less common. That’s partly because the leadership of most countries IS, in fact, on the same page. For instance, there is no NEED for elites to meet secretly to plot out Europe’s future. The EU’s bureaucrats and Europe’s billionaires meet to make all of the important decisions OPENLY, and don’t even bother to PRETEND any longer to have anything but contempt for ordinary Europeans who doubt their wisdom. The Junckers and Merkels really DO get together and decide what goes on in Europe. Is that a “conspiracy”? Not really, as it’s no secret to ANYBODY! ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/35 "2016-10-16T21:40:18Z")
I’d shrug and open another beer. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/36 "2016-10-17T03:11:04Z")
What if there was? well, what could I do? Tell someone? What SHOULD I do? I have no idea. I try to live my life as best I can and feel fortunate I don’t live in Syria, Bangladesh, China, or some other third world. My own needs are well provided for. I do worry greatly about humanity’s future, but again, nothing to be done. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/37 "2016-10-17T15:03:53Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > I’d shrug and open another beer. Oh, so you ARE a member of the Inebriati… ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/38 "2016-10-17T17:21:05Z")
I’d finally ascertain that college football is fixed and work to install my favorite team as one of the perennial national powers - and make sure that our historic rival always falls _just_ short of a good season. ---
**Author:** ![Totenfeier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Totenfeier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totenfeier)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/39 "2016-10-17T20:56:08Z")
For my money, _any_ conspiracy involving human beings can only be half-vast at best, so…:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527/40 "2016-10-17T21:06:49Z")
> [@](#): > > “Trouble rather the tiger in his lair than the sage among his books. For to you kingdoms and their armies are things mighty and enduring, but to him they are but toys of the moment, to be overturned with the flick of a finger.” It will pass, as all Mortal things do pass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-was-a-vast-world-wide-conspiracy-running-the-world/768527.md?page=1)