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Conspiracy Theorists Vs. The Occult
I got an email recently from TH, the author of a website called Liberty Seed, which I think raised a good topic for discussion: namely, the animosity that the average conspiracy theorist seems to have towards all things occult and esoteric. TH illustrated this by way of example from his own experiences. If you look at his site, there is a piece of art entitled “The Original Seed: Waiting To See The Sun Again” which features an oroboros, or a snake eating it’s own tail.
I have shown this piece to a friend of mine. He is well schooled in Conspiracy and concerned with the New World Order involving Freemasonry, Bohemian Grove, “Occult” Rituals and Symbols. An example of his understanding is his having read Texe Marrs Codex Magika. So I show him my piece. He immediately flips, and says to me that the Ouroboros is evil, it represents the “Elite’s” agenda of “Order Out Of Chaos.” (an Alex Jones Book I believe.) I calmly explain to him that the Ouroboros is an archetype, a universal symbol that has transcended Time and Place over the course of Human History. It is a beautiful symbol representing Life and Regeneration. A symbol of the cyclical nature of the universe and the underlying spiritual life force that permeates our existence. He replies that is an evil symbol originating from Egyptian Death Cults and that “An Apple is an Apple no matter where it is found.” Take in mind, that he is no Christian. He is convinced of its evil intentions and will not hear my explanations as to its usefulness towards reaching a Greater Understanding. Needless to say, We did not reach an understanding amongst each other. This is just one example, of the close mindedness I have encountered among “Conspiracy Theorists” who have a total distrust for the esoteric or occult origins of objects, symbols, or practices. Skepticism is important but not to the point of denying ourselves a deeper meaning to our existence.
I see this same sort of thing come up all the time as well. How many conspiracy researchers are there who aren’t so much seeking the truth, but are seeking to support the things they already believe? I guess in that sense though, they are no different from anybody else.
But I think in this case, there may be a lack of what could be called symbol literacy at work. That is, there’s a fundamental misunderstanding for most people - not just conspiracists - about what symbols are, and how they work. They seem to believe that a symbol has simply one fixed meaning (such as x = 3), and that once you find out what that meaning is, you’re done. They are mistaking symbols for simply signs. I personally believe the point of a symbol is that you can explore it and explore it and never truly exhaust it. You never hit rock-bottom, because its the exploration and interaction with it which gives you something of value, not the idea that there is one simple single fixed meaning in it to be had (x could equal 1,2,3,4,5…etc but the point is that you try).
Actually, now that I think of it, there is an excellent Jung quote which I realized I just subconsciously paraphrased because it is so good:
In neither case should they be taken literally, for they are not to be understood semiotically, as signs for definite things, but as symbols. A symbol is an indefinite expression with many meanings, pointing to something not easily defined and therefore not fully known. But the sign always has a fixed meaning, because it is a conventional abbreviation for, or a commonly accepted indication of, something know. The symbol therefore has a large number of analogous variants, and the more of these variants it has at its disposal , the more complete and clear-cut will be the image it projects of its object.
In any case, I’m not sure how to effectively make this distinction with people - whether they’re into conspiracy stuff or not. And movies like the Da Vinci Code - which claim to be about symbolism, but are generally about simple x=3 style semiotic replacements - certainly aren’t helping either. Any ideas on how to communicate with people about these subjects?
- Conspiracy Evangelism
- Why Disinformation?
- Debunking 9/11 Conspiracy Theorists
- Occult & Conspiracy T-Shirts
- A Definition of Conspiracy Theory
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June 7th, 2006 at 8:55 am
Dude, u should start an interactive discussion blog.
June 7th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
No suggestions but it brought to mind a quote…
“Most of our so-called reasoning consists in finding arguments for going on believing as we already do.” — James Harvey Robinson
June 7th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Cool, Durer’s ouroboros and Leonardo’s fetus.
June 8th, 2006 at 12:15 pm
Good post. And I don’t think I need to agree with you about conspiricy theorists chasing their own tails in order to justify their own superstitions. I think it’s going to just become glaringly obvious to anyone that takes a objective observation of their works. (Don’t get me wrong, I believe in conspiracies. Machiovelli’s “The Prince” strikes me still as one a glaringly accurate portrayel of many accounts of life.)
And if I was a hardened conspiricy theorist, I wouldn’t want those occult schmucks undermining what I am trying to prove with their hoodoo voodoo magic crap. Cuz that stuff is such a joke, it’s not based in fact, in verifiable proof!
But, on the other hand, if I were an occultist, I wouldn’t want those black & white theories of conspiricy trying to objectify the postmodern world of malleable meanings and intentions. Even if one man manipulates certain circumstances, I acknowledge s/he as part of a larger story emerging. One which that conspirist (as well as conspiricy hunter) are all part of, beyond their egos, and I enjoy sitting back to watch with a quiet chuckle.
We need the ego in order to interact with our communities, peers, and families. But if they would get their heads out of their asses and admit there is no such thing as Right and Wrong, no Good nor Evil, then the bias they place on symbolism could be lifted. Because if it’s all a game, between the people and the conspirists, then the conspirists must surely be winning. Or are they?
The conspiracy hunter seeks to prove that the details they stumble upon mean something, and they forge a story out of their own understandings. Usually stories of power and control. They fear control so much, I fear for their sake it reflects a lack of control over their own lives which they must justify through this mythology they actively create (and justify, in their minds).
Yet, even if there were secret apple cults controlling the world from their draconian HQs beneath Fort Knox, think of the lives they lead…
No, not what you might expect: One might think back to “The Prince,” maybe. Or to media portrayals of the rich and famous, yachts, gold, Brooks Brothers and Paris Hilton. Or do we picture the hooded figures from Behomian Grove, dancing like geeks around an effigy of a giant owl?
I mean, really. Plenty of these guys are geeks. Give Rev Max some boxing gloves and a bottle of whisky. Hand me and Channel Null some bats. They’re spoon-fed, silver platter, ivy league faggos.
In all fairness, you have highly-educated individuals with decades worth of experience in business, social politics, charity, etiquette, and art. Sure, maybe a bit more pompous than the rest of us, but really, they have to be. They are symbols to us. And this is what I find interesting.
That is a great quote from Jung, thank you for sharing it, Tim. And in a way, these people have become icons and symbols to the lowly dredges of society to obsessed with justifying their own demons that they personify their paranoias unto those they don’t know, unto a lifestyle so freakin’ alien to them, that it couldn’t possibly be anything but what they believe it to be. How egotistical do these asses need to be to believe they have the world figured out!
And in fact, the rules of the universe do so. Humanity requires order to accomplish what it has. Without the leaders (both visible and invisible), chaos would ensue. If anyone has attended a hockey/ football/ soccer game during important matches, you know what it’s like to see people reduce themselves to mere shadows of their ordered, mundane daily-selves.
Do we really deserve to be in these positions of power, of control? Fuck no. I don’t have the proper upbringing to be a cold-ass cocksucker. To make business and politicial decisions that might alienate me from my family, that could possible devestate entire regions, but I must. Someone has to.
It comes down to responsibility. And most members of the fringe subcultures don’t have a fucking clue what responsibility is, though they might believe in the delusion that they are in fact on some great path.
And yes, many of the rich and powerful are so far removed, that often “new money” make brash decisions and can cause minor ripples in the way of things. But there is always a larger picture, and sacrifices must inevitably be made to sustain a way of things.
Symbols can be interpreted so many different ways, and if you make an enemy of something or someone, you deny yourself the experiences that those symbols offer. You condemn yourself to one side of the tracks, always afraid that if you were in their position you’d do the same as them.
And if that’s the case, who then is the real evil?
Do they not realise that the very conspiracy they hunt creates the very justification for their entire being. Without the conspiracy, who or what would they then be.
The power of symbols is that they establish the stories we live out. Being totally open to the symbols allows us to be open to stories, and perhaps being both conspiracy hunter and conspirist simultaneously, mastering both worlds.
Which is what initiation is all about, different ontologies of symbols.
Which seems to be what the conspirists have a mastery over (Freemasons, anyone). And if that’s the case, they live in a very different, mastered, experiential world than the average dirty monkey human.
So, I say, congratulations to the Masters of the Universe. You’ve worked hard to establish this order we all share, and I got better things to do.
June 8th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
As an addition, I am not remembering why I have this page open, but I am on Thomas J. Watson’s Wikiquote page.
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Watson
Thomas John Watson, Sr. (February 17, 1874 – June 19, 1956) is considered to be the founder of International Business Machines (IBM). He was one of the richest men of his time and called the world’s greatest salesman when he died.
I know it’s not the case for all world-born men of power, but really, his quotes are inspirational — perhaps even drawing from the common sense of metamorphosis and self-worth that so many apparent spiritual systems claim as rudimentary. I’d join his team anyday.