Conspiracy theories

Real, fake or does it matter?

Every once in a while, I see a post online questioning if certain historical events are being presented accurately. Was JFK assassinated by the CIA? Are pigeons actually government robots sent to spy on us? Are we really in a simulation? I would like to posit that while not all conspiracy theories are true, it’s unlikely all of them are false. Afterall, parents tell their kids little white lies — like the existence of Santa Claus — all the time. The government can’t possibly keep the country running without a few coverups. I would also argue; however, that true conspiracy theories don’t matter. Our realities don’t change no matter what “actually” happened. Let’s look at a couple of case studies.

Theory one: The moon landing was fake

Who hasn’t heard this one. Personally, I believe the moon landing was real. That being said, who cares if it was faked? What in this world could possibly be more American than faking the moon landing? That’s exactly the kind of bluff only the USA would make. It takes the same amount of guts and overconfidence to fly to the moon and to execute a believable landing video with no knowledge of what the moon is like. It’s such a ridiculous feat, it doesn’t matter which way it goes.

Theory two: Elvis faked his death

Okay…and? If the guy decided to get out of the limelight and live a normal life, let him. He certainly had an effect on the entertainment industry, and I’m sure any more music he had to share with the world would’ve been fantastic, but give the guy a break. He became so popular that he was quite literally unable to exist alone. If he decided to escape by faking his death, let him go. If not, his death was tragic. It’s hard, but sometimes that’s how it goes.

Theory three: The government told Amelia Earhart to crash her plane

According to this theory, the US government told Earhart to crash her plane. The crash would provide the US government a reasonable cover to comb the Pacific Ocean (and nearby islands) where she allegedly crashed her plane. She lived happily ever after under an assumed identity. I would love for this to be true. I’ve always liked the idea that she was a talented enough pilot to survive her fateful flight. And being a spy? What’s cooler than that? She gets to live on and assist the government.

Do you see my point? Even if these conspiracies are true, what really changed about the way we live now? Our perception of reality may change, but it doesn’t change anything about the here and now.

By: Lacey Stecker