# Why do the secret societies have so much power and freedom in America? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 4, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121 "2013-06-04T16:24:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/61 "2013-06-05T15:34:28Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > They do like sheep, though. We all like sheep who’ve gone astray. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/62 "2013-06-05T15:43:05Z")
Exactly. I learned it from _Messiah_, where everyone says they like sheep, leave it at that and stop, and then let others say it. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/63 "2013-06-06T05:04:31Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > We all like sheep > who’ve gone astray. Meh. I’m lazy. If I want a nice bit o’mutton, I’ll pick the sheep in the pen over chasing a free range sheep any day. Course, it does get a bit boring after awhile. Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don’t look like mutton again tomorrer… ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/64 "2013-06-07T15:13:08Z")
> [@Oldeb](#): > > … I wouldn’t consider them more free or powerful than a group like **Tau Kappa Epsilon**. Which I can attest from personal experience, my membership gives me _no_ influence on _anyone_. ☹ That’s what we _want_ you to think, anyway… Mwahahahaha! ---
**Author:** ![KNP950](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@KNP950](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KNP950)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/65 "2013-06-08T02:06:15Z")
I saw your reply on another post in which I replied to the other day which obviously sparked your posting of this question. The other post was discussing the Knights of Columbus. I want to reiterate that the KOC is a Catholic male fraternity that’s basis is deducted to family, charity, unity and helping others. Anyone believing KOC is a secretive group or quasi cult is just outright prejudice against Catholics. ---
**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:** [June 8, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/66 "2013-06-08T02:35:29Z")
Uh… who are you talking to? ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/67 "2013-06-08T12:07:05Z")
In the other thread (a zombie about the KoC )he or she was talking to **Moriah**. Who keeps Atlantis off the maps? ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/68 "2013-06-08T13:30:25Z")
They are secret because they have power and they are powerful because they are secret. Proof of that is their hold over the SDMB … what else would explain why this thread is ongoing. Prove me wrong!! ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/69 "2013-06-08T14:55:53Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Meh. I’m lazy. If I want a nice bit o’mutton, I’ll pick the sheep in the pen over chasing a free range sheep any day. > > Course, it does get a bit boring after awhile. Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don’t look like mutton again tomorrer… great - now you know what I want? a nice MLT: a mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe. They’re so perky, I love that. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/70 "2013-06-08T16:54:55Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Truth. > If I had the political connections, maybe I wouldn’t need to wait in line at Sally’s, or I could use the (fabled) back entrance. You would also be given a secret code word that can be used to ask for ketchup on your burgers at Louis’ Lunch. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/71 "2013-06-08T17:20:36Z")
[Obligatory Marx Brothers reference.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Gwe5gKgjo&sns=em) ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/72 "2013-06-09T02:23:48Z")
In many ways the OP has things backwards. In the US, you can get a lot done because contracts between businesses are readily enforceable. Not so much in middle and lower income countries. As a result, outside of the West you often need to trust the person you work with and personal contacts become that much more important. This means that the routes to wealth and power are more restricted and tend to involve having good relations with a smaller number of people. So you get oligarchies or references to the “Forty families” that allegedly rule the country. The US in contrast is a large pond with a lot of scope for arms length exchanges. Also, if the secret societies are so powerful, what’s the point of being secret? IME, people like to show off their influence: that’s one of the perks of power. Secrecy implies vulnerability. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Quatro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bc8723/32.png) [@Mr\_Quatro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Quatro)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/73 "2013-06-09T03:23:42Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > In many ways the OP has things backwards. In the US, you can get a lot done because contracts between businesses are readily enforceable. Not so much in middle and lower income countries. As a result, outside of the West you often need to trust the person you work with and personal contacts become that much more important. This means that the routes to wealth and power are more restricted and tend to involve having good relations with a smaller number of people. So you get oligarchies or references to the “Forty families” that allegedly rule the country. The US in contrast is a large pond with a lot of scope for arms length exchanges. > > Also, if the secret societies are so powerful, what’s the point of being secret? IME, people like to show off their influence: that’s one of the perks of power. Secrecy implies vulnerability. By golly gee, your right about other countries depending on who you know, but this meeting even takes place in north America sometimes. It’s called the Bilderberg meeting. This was just in the news today: [http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/world/20130607\_ap\_clubofrichpowerfulmeetinsecretnearlondon.html](http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/world/20130607_ap_clubofrichpowerfulmeetinsecretnearlondon.html) Saturday, June 8, 2013 > [@](#): > > Club of rich, powerful meet in secret near London > > The annual forum for prominent politicians, thinkers and business leaders has been held since 1954 in either Europe or North America. No minutes are taken, there is no media access and the public is kept away by a large security operation. LONDON - It’s a busy weekend at the luxury Grove Hotel, favored haunt of British soccer players and their glitz-loving spouses. > [@](#): > > More than 100 of the world’s most powerful people are at the former manor house near London for a secretive annual gathering that has attained legendary status in the eyes of anti-capitalist protesters and conspiracy theorists. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/74 "2013-06-09T03:29:41Z")
It’s funny you should mention the Bilderberg Group, as _we_ were discussing _you_ at the meeting today. You’ll hear further from us later. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/75 "2013-06-09T05:15:09Z")
Heh. While I see that Google’s Steve Schmidt and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos are both attending that London gabfest, I sort of doubt they needed the group’s permission _before_ they launched their respective companies. And I really doubt that Henry Kissinger does much for their bottom line today, positively or negatively. And he’s an old member at the Bohemian Grove as well! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/76 "2013-06-09T13:57:04Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > By golly gee, your right about other countries depending on who you know, but this meeting even takes place in north America sometimes. It’s called the Bilderberg meeting. > > This was just in the news today: [http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/world/20130607\_ap\_clubofrichpowerfulmeetinsecretnearlondon.html](http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/world/20130607_ap_clubofrichpowerfulmeetinsecretnearlondon.html) > > Saturday, June 8, 2013 > > LONDON - It’s a busy weekend at the luxury Grove Hotel, favored haunt of British soccer players and their glitz-loving spouses. That’s a typo. The media got it wrong. They are actually at Build-A-Bear Workshop. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/77 "2013-06-09T15:01:20Z")
Nm ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/78 "2013-06-09T15:05:08Z")
Whoops. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/79 "2013-06-09T19:09:09Z")
> [@Mr\_Quatro](#): > > By golly gee, your right about other countries depending on who you know, but this meeting even takes place in north America sometimes. It’s called the Bilderberg meeting. > > This was just in the news today: [http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/world/20130607\_ap\_clubofrichpowerfulmeetinsecretnearlondon.html](http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/world/20130607_ap_clubofrichpowerfulmeetinsecretnearlondon.html) > > Saturday, June 8, 2013 > > LONDON - It’s a busy weekend at the luxury Grove Hotel, favored haunt of British soccer players and their glitz-loving spouses. You’re in your element, sir. From the article- > [@](#): > > Others go even further, putting Bilderberg at the heart of a global web of conspiracy. The protesters in Watford include U.S. talk-radio host and Sept. 11 “truther” Alex Jones, and former professional soccer player David Icke, who believes the world is run by a race of reptiles in human form. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121/80 "2013-06-09T22:42:51Z")
[Disney Secret Club](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_33) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-the-secret-societies-have-so-much-power-and-freedom-in-america/660121.md?page=3)