Weirdest conspiracy theories: warping reality

There are people who believe that a part of reality remains hidden because of conspiracies.

A conspiracy is the illicit association between people to carry out an action contrary to the norm and generally in a brutal and harmful way for someone. It is a phenomenon that has been there throughout history, such as the murder of Caesar and other leaders both earlier and later in time. But sometimes some people tend to elaborate exaggerated conspiracy theories as a way of explaining reality. From conspiracy to "conspiracy", seeing signs of a conspiracy everywhere, there are a few steps.

In this article we will see some of the weirdest conspiracy or conspiracy theories, as a sample of how far we can go when it comes to distorting reality to try to make sense of what we see and do not understand.

• Related article: "Cognitive distortions: 7 ways the mind sabotages us"

What is a conspiracy theory and why are they called that?

The concept of conspiracy theory refers, in a slightly derogatory way and indicating usually the absence of belief in them, to conspiracy or conspiracy theories that

they venture to give explanations going far beyond the proven facts. These theories are intended to describe one or more events that have occurred or could occur from the existence of an alleged conspiracy by one or more secret groups that manipulate events with generally negative purposes for the rest of the population.

Calling them conspiracy comes from the association of the terms conspiracy and paranoia, indicating that the theories that are handled are difficult to believe, twisted and strange. The choice of the word paranoia is not accidental. Many of the beliefs and theories included within this group have many or all of the characteristics that delusions: generally they are not supported by demonstrable evidence, they are not shared by the rest of the population, they tend to be fixed and unchangeable. In fact, those who hold such beliefs often view those who criticize them as belonging to the conspiracy itself. Many of them appear due to fear, anomalous sensory experiences or, in a more interested way, due to simple political or economic interest.

If they are considered conspiracy, it is because it distorts reality in ways that are not very credible to the majority of the population. However, despite its great extravagance it does not necessarily imply the suffering of any mental problem, being only a more or less systematized belief.

Although there are quite pejorative stereotypes of people with these types of beliefs, the truth is that there is no prototype of a person who creates them. Anyone of any gender, race, age, profession or social position can hold beliefs of this type. Who keep them tend to have some confirmation bias, searching and focusing only on those information that confirm their hypotheses. It is also observed that the probability of believing in one of these theories is modified by the feeling of belonging: someone who is part of a group threatened by the alleged conspiracy will tend more to believe it.

• Related article: "Confirmation bias: when we only see what we want to see"

Totally bizarre conspiracy theories

There are multiple conspiracy theories that have been developed throughout history, of very different types and about very different events. Next we will see some of the most bizarre, as an example of how much human beings are capable of believing their own fictions in order to give order and meaning to what happens.

1. The illuminati

One of the best known conspiracy theories is that of the Illuminati. This secret group of Bavarian origin, which truly existed during the Enlightenment and was founded in 1776 as a reaction against the elites of the time, gradually disappeared. However, conspiracy theories propose that today this society continues to exist and that it is about the organization that aims to form a world order.

It would be a group that decides and dominates the different events that occur in the world, having its extension in the Bilderberg club (a club that really exists and brings together some of the most influential and powerful people in the world).

Thus, a secret group would have survived for centuries and somehow gained the power to decide everything occurs, above any other authority, without the occasion having appeared for its true power to be revealed.

2. The reptilians

Another well-known (although considered much less credible) conspiracy theory is the one that proposes that we are being invaded and little by little dominated by reptilian aliens. These humanoid beings with reptilian features, apparently highly intelligent and from the Alpha Draconis system (although other theories would indicate that they have Terrestrial origin), they would disguise themselves as human beings and would be with the passage of time replacing the political elites and world leaders to seize power.

It seems that all the dynamics of domination and oppression that occur on the planet are not self-evident enough themselves: from this type of conspiracy, it is necessary to add the figure of an alien oligarchy to understand what pass.

3. Nazis on the moon

The Nazi regime ended with the end of World War II. In their final moments or after the defeat of Germany, many Nazis tried to flee so as not to be prosecuted or persecuted. Some of them fled to South America, or to other countries where they could assume a new identity. However, there are some conspiracy theories about it.

One of the most striking proposes during the World War the Germans would have created flying saucers based on implosion engines that would have allowed them to travel to the Moon. These saucers, called Haunebu, would have even allowed them to establish a lunar base in which they could have sheltered the remains of the Nazi regime, all with the approval of the powers worldwide.

4. HAARP as a weapon

The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program or HAARP is a project with great potential that aims to study the ionosphere, one of the outermost layers of the atmosphere.

Conspiracy theories, however, propose that it is a program designed as a geophysical weapon with the capacity to change the climate worldwide, being able to cause natural disasters. In fact, some theories propose that some modifications and natural disasters have already been intentionally caused by this program, such as the earthquake in Haiti.

It would be a weapon that would also be used to invade specific areas where there were economic interests. It is also proposed that it could generate mental alterations in the human brain, thus being able to exert some control over the minds of its victims.

This kind of conspiracy theory, in fact, looks a lot like the old mythologies that explain climatic changes as something that depends on an entity with its own will.

5. Autism in vaccine

Another conspiracy theories tells us that vaccination, especially measles, rubella and flu, generates or can generate autism in children who undergo it. It is a belief that has been refuted on numerous occasions. but that in many cases is still in force, being the reason that some parents do not want to vaccinate their children.

• You may be interested: "The 4 types of Autism and their characteristics"

6. Chemtrails

This theory states that the contrails left by airplanes due to condensation are actually chemicals designed to generate various diseases, sterilize certain populations or make them require the use of drugs. Some of the questions that arise from this are why someone would use such an expensive and imprecise method to spread chemicals.

7. Artificial creation of AIDS

HIV is a virus that has caused many deaths throughout history and which even today is not known how to eradicate it, although fortunately the Development of medicine has allowed people infected with this virus to live normal lives with a chronic but non-lethal disorder such as formerly.

The conspiracy theory in question would refer to its emergence: HIV and AIDS were not known until relatively few decades ago. Initially discovered in apes, it is suggested that its passage to man is due to the realization of artificial modifications of the virus carried out on purpose for introduced into the population. The objective would be to weaken and flee the homosexual population, the African and the prostitutes, who at the time when the virus made its appearance, they were frowned upon and persecuted by much of the population.

8. The 2004 tsunami

During 2004 we were able to see how a gigantic tsunami ravaged the coasts of much of the world, including Indonesia and Japan. There are those who say that the tsunami was actually caused, either by HAARP or by atomic detonations in the ocean. Those who believe these theories rely on the fact that different analyzes and studies carried out do not coincide when trying to locate the epicenter of the earthquake that generated the tsunami.

9. Conspiracies to kill

Some of the most widely believed conspiracy theories deal with conspiracies set up to kill historical figures of great importance or whose relationships or knowledge could pose a danger to someone senior.

An example of this was the assassination of President J.F. Kennedy, which according to different theories could have been ordered by a political rival or by the mafia, although it was also believed that she was eliminated by the FBI or the KGB. The fact that his murderer was in turn assassinated two days later increased belief in these theories, which are still valid today for many. Another case was the Marilyn Monroe, who was found dead due according to the official version to an overdose of barbiturates.

However, it is believed that his death could have been ordered by the government due to his relationship with high political officials such as the aforementioned president. A third case, this time on British soil, was that of the death of Lady Di, which some theories indicate could have been eliminated by the British secret services due to her separation from Prince Charles and her relationship with Dodi Al Fayed.

10. Area 51 and the Roswell case

Area 51 is one of the most mythical and popular areas precisely because of the conspiracy theories that derive from it. In this military base the remains of the well-known supposed UFO that fell in Roswell would be found, and different experiments would have been carried out with its occupants. It is also believed that in that area tests with alien materials and technologies.

11. Space conspiracies: false moon landing and unrecognized cosmonauts

The exploration of outer space was one of the areas in which the United States and the Soviet Union competed hard during the Cold War. In this sense, there are multiple theories and claims that things were not as they were told to us, by neither side.

Officially, Gagarin was the first human to travel through space. But there are theories that suggest that he was simply the first recognized to have returned alive, sent the Soviet Union to other cosmonauts who, like Laika, perished in his Odyssey. In the same way, the United States is also involved in these theories. One of the most popular and believed is the one that indicates that man never really reached the Moon. For those who hold these theories, the moon landing was a recording prepared by the United States. and mounted by Stanley Kubrick to make the United States the first to achieve such feat.

Another point of view

Conspiracy or conspiracy theories are a way of trying to explain a reality that we have not just realized. understand, or give it an own interpretation based on our beliefs and experiences during the life. In this sense we can consider that they try to fulfill a certain function.

It is not that in all cases they are gratuitous beliefs: in many cases the people who believe them have supposed proof of what happened. In addition, although externally they may seem irrational, the truth is that some of them make sense if they are viewed from the same perspective as those who defend them: it would not be the first murder to be committed in an orchestrated manner, there have been numerous real conspiracies throughout history or other information has been hidden and manipulated times. It is also true that many people have believed things that have made them the subject of criticism and they have finally been shown to be right.

In addition, it must be taken into account that real conspiracies, such as the assassination of Trotsky or the MK Ultra project, are sometimes taken for conspiracy theories. Also at the time phenomena such as the Holocaust were considered inventions of this type of theories.

However, keep in mind that these beliefs generally resistant to attempts at modification even if evidence to the contrary is presented. While it would not be impossible to modify a test, one should at least consider the possibility of being in error and not assume that the people who doubt are part of a plot.

It is also necessary to assess whether what is considered evidence is really causally related to the alleged conspiracy (which is not the case in many of these types of theories). In the same way, it would take a titanic effort to carry out some of these conspiracies, an effort and power that in most cases could hardly be had. Interpretation of these theories also tends to overemphasize unimportant details, considering them key.

In conclusion, conspiracy theories are mostly based on unproven and unverified premises or directly on some that have been proven false. Although a few are partly viable, they focus too much on concrete aspects of reality as a way of explaining the world and what happens in it, and the persistence and unchangeability of these beliefs despite the fact that evidence to the contrary may exist makes them something of little use to assess the environment. They also tend to make those who do not share them an ignorant or a possible threat, not valuing other interpretations that could perhaps be closer to the truth.