[PREV - FUN_WITH_IDEOLOGY] [TOP]
July 10, 2004
Rev: Aug 21, 2006
No one doubts that
conspiracies exist.
However, it does
People form alliances, seem likely that
gangs, cartels, and so such alliances are Prisoner's
on whenever they think often unstable. Dilemma, and
that there's something so on.
to be gained.
And they do so
secretly, when there's
something to be gained
from keeping it secret.
So why the poor
reputation of One answer:
"conspiracy the conspiracy
theorists"? likes it that Having some
way. exceptionally
Many conspiracy silly
theorists have conspiracy
a tendency to theorists out
leap ahead of there could be Is that any
the evidence. useful. less absurd
than the
That some conspiracy common
or other might exist practice of
is likely, that a using "agent
conspiracy theorist provacateurs"?
has put the finger
on the one that's PROVOCATEUR
actually there is
often less plausible.
Part of the The great fear of paranoia
syndrome is the is a tremendous force.
assumption of
perfection on Real
the part of the conspiracies
opposition. are often
quite clumsy,
If you believe unglamorous
they're capable affairs.
of covering up
anything, then They don't
there are no need to be
checks left on undetectable Those who want to
what you can in order to be remain in denial
believe. sucessful. should be assisted
in doing so.
All they have
to do is If those who are not
preserve convinced are
deniability. sufficiently marginal --
or are kept marginal, or
are convinced that they
are marginal -- then the
game is won.
There's often a time
window of relevence:
a conspiracy need
not remain secret
forever.
If you can hang
My attitude of late: on long enough,
then it's just
For many purposes, "ancient history"
you don't need proof. and it's "time to
move on".
If you're trying to gauge
the system's resistance Interestingly
to corruption, finding enough, the
proof that a weakness horizon of
has been exploited is history seems
less critical than to be creeping
identifying the weakness. closer and
closer...
A plausible theory
may enough. The statute
of limitations
If it didn't really happen is already down
that way this time, then it to a few years.
might happen that way next
time... unless we take
some preventative action.
And there are
other forms
of prevention
besides
criminal
conviction.
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