I am interested in hearing peoples conspiracy beliefs/thoughts (or lack thereof) about our future.
I am grateful to live in America, but I think(logically) and feel(emotionally) that there is no hope of our government becoming smaller.
Governments, World Banks, and Tin Foil Hats
I take in my daily and weekly doses of news programs (e.g., CNBC, Tech Ticker, Financial Sense Newshour, Wealthtrack), along with various survival forums, because I want to get a sense of where things are headed so that I can prepare myself accordingly.
Take your pick about the future: Deflation? Inflation? Hyperinflation? Peak Oil? Economic collapse? Social unrest? Natural disasters? Terrorist attacks? Global wars? Humongous deficits? The set of "expert opinions" are all over the map (i.e., no one really knows what is going to happen).
I will be surprised if the Federal Government contracts rather than expands, however. State governments, on the other hand, are another story because they aren't allowed to print money. I expect states to continue to shed workers. The Feds are likely to continue to hire because of all the new positions created by recent legislation (e.g., health care reform and financial regulation).
I've decided to go into "don't worry, be happy" mode because trying to hit an ambiguous target is a waste of worry. I would rather devote my time to expanding my income base so that if my current clients have less work for me to do, I can continue to earn money doing other things.
Take your pick about the future: Deflation? Inflation? Hyperinflation? Peak Oil? Economic collapse? Social unrest? Natural disasters? Terrorist attacks? Global wars? Humongous deficits? The set of "expert opinions" are all over the map (i.e., no one really knows what is going to happen).
I will be surprised if the Federal Government contracts rather than expands, however. State governments, on the other hand, are another story because they aren't allowed to print money. I expect states to continue to shed workers. The Feds are likely to continue to hire because of all the new positions created by recent legislation (e.g., health care reform and financial regulation).
I've decided to go into "don't worry, be happy" mode because trying to hit an ambiguous target is a waste of worry. I would rather devote my time to expanding my income base so that if my current clients have less work for me to do, I can continue to earn money doing other things.
@Matthew
Thank you for your vote of confidence but I am often not sure I could tell you my own name!!
I will, however write a bit on your subject. I wrap up all the conspiracy stuff into one term. I prefer the "New World Order", as most of the stuff is aimed at that.
When I was a Master Sergeant, Brigade Logistics Officer, my office was next door to a military accounting and finance guy named "Carl". If anyone I ever knew was a Conspiracy Theorist, Carl was. He would slip into my office and roll out all the talk on The Trilateral Commission, The Federal Reserve, the Council on Foreign Relations, The Rockerfellers, Rothschilds, Warburgs, The Club of Rome, The Illuminati, David Icke books, and countless other stuff. I would say "Carl, my man, GIVE it a break!!!! I would ho ha and he hum his talks and chants and humor him a little by listening. To be honest I wasn't interested nor paying attention.
LATER IN LIFE, I, too, got the big bug on this stuff. I mean I got it bad. I must have spent a year on the net, and ordering books on the stuff. I even tried to talk to other people about it, and I got the same treatment I gave Carl. I got to believing some of it, no, most of it. I gave long hours of reading and studying it. I questioned everything and anything.
A while back, I got enough of it. I canned all my books and papers. I shook it out of my head. I tried to forget it.
In summary, yes, I think a lot of it is truth. I, of course, am willing to share my thoughts. I think its all interconnected in some way we will not understand. I came to the conclusion that it all fits together, and is valid. I also think that thanks to the internet, and people having time to read it, this will come into it's own. It is all based on knowledge being power, and that knowledge is held by a chosen few. It is esoteric in nature. It goes way back in our history, a lot of that history is kept a secret. To really learn about it, you need a background and understanding of ancient history.
I am not opposed to a discussion on it, at any time.
Thank you for your vote of confidence but I am often not sure I could tell you my own name!!
I will, however write a bit on your subject. I wrap up all the conspiracy stuff into one term. I prefer the "New World Order", as most of the stuff is aimed at that.
When I was a Master Sergeant, Brigade Logistics Officer, my office was next door to a military accounting and finance guy named "Carl". If anyone I ever knew was a Conspiracy Theorist, Carl was. He would slip into my office and roll out all the talk on The Trilateral Commission, The Federal Reserve, the Council on Foreign Relations, The Rockerfellers, Rothschilds, Warburgs, The Club of Rome, The Illuminati, David Icke books, and countless other stuff. I would say "Carl, my man, GIVE it a break!!!! I would ho ha and he hum his talks and chants and humor him a little by listening. To be honest I wasn't interested nor paying attention.
LATER IN LIFE, I, too, got the big bug on this stuff. I mean I got it bad. I must have spent a year on the net, and ordering books on the stuff. I even tried to talk to other people about it, and I got the same treatment I gave Carl. I got to believing some of it, no, most of it. I gave long hours of reading and studying it. I questioned everything and anything.
A while back, I got enough of it. I canned all my books and papers. I shook it out of my head. I tried to forget it.
In summary, yes, I think a lot of it is truth. I, of course, am willing to share my thoughts. I think its all interconnected in some way we will not understand. I came to the conclusion that it all fits together, and is valid. I also think that thanks to the internet, and people having time to read it, this will come into it's own. It is all based on knowledge being power, and that knowledge is held by a chosen few. It is esoteric in nature. It goes way back in our history, a lot of that history is kept a secret. To really learn about it, you need a background and understanding of ancient history.
I am not opposed to a discussion on it, at any time.
Here are interviews about conspiracies from the Financial Sense Newshour podcasts for August 21, 2010.
History and Mechanics of an Agenda
The History of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Globalist's Agenda, a Global Currency, the Bilderbergers, and the Trilateral Commission
The Dark Side of the Federal Reserve
Founding of the Federal Reserve; How the Nation's Money System Really Operates
The CFR and Media Elites
Media Bias; Globalist Agenda and What They Want to do to Achieve That Agenda
I happen to believe in the networked agenda theory rather than the conspiracy theory about world government and the new world order. But maybe I'm wrong and I'm really one of them.
History and Mechanics of an Agenda
The History of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Globalist's Agenda, a Global Currency, the Bilderbergers, and the Trilateral Commission
The Dark Side of the Federal Reserve
Founding of the Federal Reserve; How the Nation's Money System Really Operates
The CFR and Media Elites
Media Bias; Globalist Agenda and What They Want to do to Achieve That Agenda
I happen to believe in the networked agenda theory rather than the conspiracy theory about world government and the new world order. But maybe I'm wrong and I'm really one of them.
@Cashflow--
Those are good links on the topic. It all really boils down to World Government and World Domination. Another way to put it more simply would be "good vs evil". Age old. The mission is to achieve a One World Government headed by a Supreme Dictator. (Where could one find a similar story about this?)
Somewhere along about the founding of America, there were splits in procedural opinions coming out of Europe. The Black Nobility and Knights Templar had intermingled their associations with the Freemasons now fully established in America. London was, however still driving the train. In response to this, the Black Nobility of Eastern Europe through Rothschild direction, created the War of Independence and America was then established via the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This split the drive for World Domination into two groups. Later, China and Russia regained power in this endeavor. Today, we have infighting between these powers.
Also as you point out, there is networking among all powers to achieve the goal.
Those are good links on the topic. It all really boils down to World Government and World Domination. Another way to put it more simply would be "good vs evil". Age old. The mission is to achieve a One World Government headed by a Supreme Dictator. (Where could one find a similar story about this?)
Somewhere along about the founding of America, there were splits in procedural opinions coming out of Europe. The Black Nobility and Knights Templar had intermingled their associations with the Freemasons now fully established in America. London was, however still driving the train. In response to this, the Black Nobility of Eastern Europe through Rothschild direction, created the War of Independence and America was then established via the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This split the drive for World Domination into two groups. Later, China and Russia regained power in this endeavor. Today, we have infighting between these powers.
Also as you point out, there is networking among all powers to achieve the goal.
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AlexOliver
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Steve Austin
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As one of those "military (naval) accounting and finance guys" formerly, I can say 1) HSpencer's colleague Carl was probably just *really bored*, and 2) having seen front-line / low-level government first hand, I have low expectation (p < 0.05) that a government could ever get organized enough to have effective shadow operation. Less than full accountability for certain corners of the government, yes; outright unaccountable cabal, no.
Re: contraction of government, doesn't it come down to the citizenry? If most of the people want the government to contract, I believe it will contract; without a general/collective desire to contract it, it will probably (p > 0.5) continue to grow. So the ur-question is: when will (not if) the voters make government contraction a priority? Who can know that, and whether it will be too late for an orderly contraction (as opposed to a disorderly, destructive one)?
EDIT: Cashflow said "But maybe I'm wrong and I'm really one of them." Is this like that line from The Usual Suspects: "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone." 
Re: contraction of government, doesn't it come down to the citizenry? If most of the people want the government to contract, I believe it will contract; without a general/collective desire to contract it, it will probably (p > 0.5) continue to grow. So the ur-question is: when will (not if) the voters make government contraction a priority? Who can know that, and whether it will be too late for an orderly contraction (as opposed to a disorderly, destructive one)?
EDIT: Cashflow said "But maybe I'm wrong and I'm really one of them.
" Is this like that line from The Usual Suspects: "The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone." @HSpencer @Cashflow
It's nice to hear other people have heard the concepts. Just over the last year I have been exposed to over half of the things you have mentioned and more through many documentaries. A lot of disturbing stuff for a guy who just used to watch corporate television...but I have to agree a lot of it appears truthful even if it doesn't have a mastermind.
I was starting to think I was quite gullible for believing half of it.
The most disturbing part, as @Q joked, is that there doesn't appear to be much people can do about anything except maybe get their names on some kind of a watch list by getting too interested or involved:)
I tend not to push too much of this into peoples lives because sometimes ignorance IS bliss (And people will think your crazy). Or at least until they start scanning our iris (the lastest PUBLIC news article I read on Yahoo):)
@AlexOliver
This isn't a spin off. People just hit to topic on the head:) Quite an informed bunch.
It's nice to hear other people have heard the concepts. Just over the last year I have been exposed to over half of the things you have mentioned and more through many documentaries. A lot of disturbing stuff for a guy who just used to watch corporate television...but I have to agree a lot of it appears truthful even if it doesn't have a mastermind.
I was starting to think I was quite gullible for believing half of it.
The most disturbing part, as @Q joked, is that there doesn't appear to be much people can do about anything except maybe get their names on some kind of a watch list by getting too interested or involved:)
I tend not to push too much of this into peoples lives because sometimes ignorance IS bliss (And people will think your crazy). Or at least until they start scanning our iris (the lastest PUBLIC news article I read on Yahoo):)
@AlexOliver
This isn't a spin off. People just hit to topic on the head:) Quite an informed bunch.
I'm going to agree with the posters above. There does seem to be a focused, well organized push for a one world government.
I also agree that the level of organization seems to be super human as I don't think any known level of human organization could orchestrate it so well... my understanding of government is like Steve's; no way could they pull it off. So where is it coming from? Or are all the coinciding facets of the agenda just coincidence?
But when the agenda is advancing at so many, seemingly non-connected fronts, it seems like we are up against something incredible.
I also agree that the level of organization seems to be super human as I don't think any known level of human organization could orchestrate it so well... my understanding of government is like Steve's; no way could they pull it off. So where is it coming from? Or are all the coinciding facets of the agenda just coincidence?
But when the agenda is advancing at so many, seemingly non-connected fronts, it seems like we are up against something incredible.
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Robert Muir
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Matthew, I think you're confusing age with wisdom. I certainly have the former, but the more I have of one, the less I seem to have of the other.
An employee of one of my clients, I'll call her Carol, is really into the conspiracy stuff. She hangs on every word of the radio talk show mouths and Internet rumor mongers. She's cognizant of everything from chemtrails to N. Korean submarine attacks on oil platforms.
Keep in mind that the information we immerse ourselves in is absorbed into our brains and modifies our brains. All education, including self-education is literally brainwashing. Are the things we are educating ourselves with improving our lives or are they a corrupting influence? As for Carol, I do not see her life, or the lives of her children and family improving from this "education".
I guess that this stuff is ok in moderation. After all, everyone needs a hobby. I just prefer my hobbies to be more productive and positive.
An employee of one of my clients, I'll call her Carol, is really into the conspiracy stuff. She hangs on every word of the radio talk show mouths and Internet rumor mongers. She's cognizant of everything from chemtrails to N. Korean submarine attacks on oil platforms.
Keep in mind that the information we immerse ourselves in is absorbed into our brains and modifies our brains. All education, including self-education is literally brainwashing. Are the things we are educating ourselves with improving our lives or are they a corrupting influence? As for Carol, I do not see her life, or the lives of her children and family improving from this "education".
I guess that this stuff is ok in moderation. After all, everyone needs a hobby. I just prefer my hobbies to be more productive and positive.
@Robert Muir @HSpencer
Based on all your great feedback I question if age and wisdom are so far apart. It sounds as if the older we get the more we understand we don't know everything:)
It also seems that some of you have gone through it and came out the other side unscathed. Thats where I am, just a few bumps and bruises. I totally agree with the brainwashing analogy. It is best to stay positive.
Point taken. Either way I thought it an interesting discussion. Not very relevant to ERE except trying to imagine the world we will live in. It is mostly useless to plan much beyond tomorrow...except with our finances:)
Based on all your great feedback I question if age and wisdom are so far apart. It sounds as if the older we get the more we understand we don't know everything:)
It also seems that some of you have gone through it and came out the other side unscathed. Thats where I am, just a few bumps and bruises. I totally agree with the brainwashing analogy. It is best to stay positive.
Point taken. Either way I thought it an interesting discussion. Not very relevant to ERE except trying to imagine the world we will live in. It is mostly useless to plan much beyond tomorrow...except with our finances:)
Based on @HSpencer's recommendation I think we should let Jacob decide.
@Jacob
Do you want this thread of super power struggles (most likely negative in nature as this involves troubling issues never discussed objectively in the mainstream media)? It will make a lot of things look like golf...a natural setting in an unnatural environment.
@Jacob
Do you want this thread of super power struggles (most likely negative in nature as this involves troubling issues never discussed objectively in the mainstream media)? It will make a lot of things look like golf...a natural setting in an unnatural environment.
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Steve Austin
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We could apply the scientific method to this thread: the strength of a hypothesis rests soundly upon the frequency and quality by which its proponents attempt to disprove it. If you really care about sounding out an idea, apply your critical faculties to discounting it; scientific "reality" is nothing more that that which has not yet been disproved. Like the cake, proof is a lie. But I'm just an engineer -- let's get the scientists on this.
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Steve Austin
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Unrelated topic, but related mechanism, I hypothesize that the break between Above Average and Competent (ERE's forum levels) is at 125 posts. I am going to attempt to disprove this by posting this message, followed by another one (which would be my 125th). Presently, Matthew is at 128 posts and is Competent; I am at 124 (with this message) and am Above Average.
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Steve Austin
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Steve Austin
- Posts: 177
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:17 am