For years I've heard rumors of a secret society that runs the world. It sounds like the plot of a Dan Brown novel, but Fidel Castro recently condemned the Bilderberg Group, an unofficial, invitation-only conference of about 130 influential people in the fields of politics, banking, business, the military and media. Heads of state, prominent politicians from Europe and North America as well as board members from many large, publicly-traded corporations have attended. It is based in The Hague in Holland, but meets annually in different cities. Because of its secrecy and refusal to issue news releases, the group is frequently accused of political conspiracies. The organization, also known as the Bilderberg Conference or Bilderberg Club, is closed to the public, and despite Castro's interest in it, no one from a so-called Third World country has ever been a member.
Denis Healey, British labour politician and Bilderberg founding member, has said:"To say we were striving for a one-world government is exaggerated, but not wholly untrue. Those of us in Bilderberg felt we couldn't go on forever fighting one another for nothing and killing people and rendering millions homeless. So we felt that a single community throughout the world would be a good thing."
The Bilderberg Club today controls 33% of the world's wealth. In 1973, some of its members established an even more powerful center of research and analysis, the Trilateral Commission, led by David Rockefeller, president of the Chase Manhattan Bank. Members include Sirus Vance, Warren Christopher and Zbigniew Brzezinski, chief executive of this group which manages 60% of international wealth.
Both groups are empowered by the vast wealth they control and from the political appointments, presidents and prime ministers they place in office and guide. Candidates are chosen to comply with the international decision-making philosophy. They must not disturb the global balance, which refers to the global profit and loss account so as to ensure the income of the two international centers. Politicians are servants whose masters do not allow them to make any independent moves. These centers determine every important aspect of the lives of ordinary citizens in every country, including the percentage of international wealth they are allowed to claim. If a head of state does not go with the program, he is terminated by scandal, forced resignation or assassination.
Their worst fear is that people around the globe will wake up and demand the wealth that is rightly theirs. To prevent this, the NSA (National Security Agency) was founded in 1952. It has more than 2,000,000 agents and scientists worldwide, but it is not listed anywhere as an official agency; therefore, no laws control its activities, but documents exist to protect it. It has the most comprehensive computer center in the world which constantly monitors information and oversees the telecommunications of both friendly and enemy countries.
The NSA cultivates the impression that the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) and DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) are in charge of spying operations for the United States, but they are actually subordinate to the NSA, which is the executive organ of the Bilderberg Club and the Trilateral Commission.
If all this is true, the only thing that will free us from such totalitarianism is a universal awakening. When politicians value their own integrity over ego gratification and the privileges of office, they will refuse to be tools of powerful special interest groups. It is extremely dangerous to opt out of the program and few have such courage. But until ordinary people cause things to change, most of us and our children's children will continue to live in oblivious servitude to the few who hold all the power on our planet.
I thought conspiracy theorists were all nutjobs until I researched this topic. I'm not so sure now. It's easy to write something off as "conspiracy theory," but just because some people see conspiracy in everything is not proof that it doesn't exist. As Delmore Schwartz, 1950's Greenwich Village poet and short story writer said, "Even paranoids have real enemies."
35 comments:
Dan Brown's novels were a predictable yawn with great PR people. Don't believe everything you think!
I had no idea, and I like to consider myself fairly informed. I'll check it out. It doesn't surprise me on the face of it. It's been a part of human nature since time began -- hording and controlling.
Will we ever wake up? What would it take?
Along the same lines, in terms of the sleeping masses and the greedy bosses, Joe Bagent's book Deer Hunting With Jesus. I highly recommend it.
Without doubt the wealthy and influential have a lot of hidden control over the rest of us, from governments down to individual households. The extent of that control is anyone's guess but certainly it means ordinary citizens only have the freedoms and rights they fight for, and even die for.
I don't know anything about this group that you mention but I firmly believe that the world is being controlled by people and multinationals who are defending the current unjust global financial system.
I tend to automatically discount large conspiracy theories. There's just too much that can go wrong for them to succeed.
What I can positively contribute to this conversation is regarding the NSA. DIRNSA (Director, NSA) reports to (or used to before the Dept of Homeland Security was established) the Director, CIA - who was responsible to the NSC and to the President (who appoints him). The director of NSA is a military general officer, usually two-star rank or equivalent. I haven't kept up with the changes in hierarchy when the Dept. of Homeland Security was established.
You are correct in that NSA is in charge of communications security (and collection of intelligence via foreign communications intercept). It's budget is classified and buried within the DoD budget, I'm not sure if it is today - but it is considered classified and is not made public as are other budget figures.
NSA does have an extensive computer capability, as it takes huge computing power to work on signals decryption as well as to process all of the signals intel they collect.
I worked at NSA HQ for two years. The information I've listed is publicly available. Just because I worked there doesn't mean that I can prove that NSA isn't running the show for some non-US governmental shadow group, but the levels of management I witnessed as well as reporting distribution and the inter-agency work I did with other U.S. Govt. security agencies leads me to believe that the publicly available information about NSA's function is correct.
Phinnaeus and I were talking about this the other day. I don't tend to believe in conspiracy theories, because it's always very difficult for most people to keep their mouths shut. However, I do believe there are people who "pull the strings" behind politicians. I believe Obama is a puppet of someone else. Usually one just has to follow the money. Money has always ruled the world.
As of a few days ago, China became the strongest economy, right behind the USA. Since they are opposing philosophies politically, it does make me doubt that the world is being controlled by a shadow group.
This is an extremely interesting post, Susan, and I'm going to find out more about these organizations.
I wish I didn't like running water and electricity so much so I could move off the grid. Yikes
ER,
Also, don't think everything you believe.
Tara,
I've always discounted talk of "conspiracies" but have read enough the last few days to at least wonder if some of it is true.
I looked up Bageant's book on Amazon and couldn't stop reading the lengthy excerpts given. I will definitely read it all - it's excellent.
Nick,
Sadly, I think that most of us, no matter how intelligent, good and talented we may be, are expendable to the ruling powers.
Calvin,
I'm not sure the world has evolved much beyond feudal philosophies; the technology is simply more complex and impersonal.
Bob,
I wish I could pick your brain because I would like to know more about how these agencies interconnect. And while you are probably correct that too much could go wrong for conspiracy theories to have validity, material I read suggests that the means exists to "handle" any such problems, which if true, is deeply disturbing.
Jo,
I'm not certain that political philosophy is relevant when money is the common denominator. Communist China likes money as much as Capitalist America - they just use it differently.
There are many puppet rulers in the world; in fact, most of them are being bankrolled by someone else.
Normally, I would agree about the unlikeliness of a secret society since few people are capable of stealth, but this group, which has a few members of the media in its membership, does not allow anything to be published about it as a condition of membership.
I don't know how much I believe, but I try to keep an open mind. (One of my college professors often said that "a perennially open mind is a drafty affair.")
Lee,
Yeah, that old running water and electricity thing again. Bummer.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they ain't out to get you -- just to paraphrase Schwartz. I've heard of the Bilderberg group in this context. But, you know, I just can't buy into conspiracy theories. Do I believe their are big groups without my best interests at heart? You betcha. Primarily they're called politicians, says closet-libertarian, me. Do I think there is one such mega-group? No, that is too Dan Brown for me. And, referencing Castro would, for me, be a matter of considering the source. He sees everyone as his enemy.
Ian,
I didn't mean to imply that Castro's attention gave credence to the idea. That particular news article caught my interest so I investigated Bilderberg as best I could. I don't know where I stand on it, really. I'm auditioning the idea to see how it feels.
I just watched the Michael Moore movie "Capitalism" A Love Story" the other night. It was focused on this country, but within it the extraordinarily powerful people who are pulling the strings.
Regardless if all this is true or not, as I read your post, I felt like it would make an awesome movie! You may want to make note of that.
I'm sure much of this exists to some extent or another, which is why I'm against lobbyist wielding so much influence, and corporations being able to donate so generously towards political campaigns. I think all politicians should have to run for office with the same amount of money. Even the playing-field and all that.
Agent,
I haven't seen it, but I believe that there are people behind the scenes controlling everything.
Brown,
So I write the book, it's made into a blockbuster movie, and my heirs become fabulously wealthy after the secret society has me offed. Sounds like a plan.
I think it's wrong that only the very rich can run for public office these days. It seems like a perversion of "of the people, etc."
Over the years money has changed so much. The ones with lots of money move ahead and gain power. The ones with little money are given little hope and little respect. Money makes such a difference. Having lots of money does make a person a better humanitarian, just a more visible one. Having little money does not mean people can't or don't reach out to others in need. You know what I mean. It stands to reason that our world has gotten to the place that the ones running the innards are the ones in control of the money. I like how you bring subjects to your readers that make us think and decide for ourselves.
Another book to consider in this conspiracy theory stream of consciousness is "UFOs and the National Security State."
As I recall from this extremely well-researched and footnoted book, NSA was formed because of the huge loads of shit dripping down their legs from multiple reports from military sources of aircraft traveling in excess of a thousand miles an hour, and making abrupt right turns at these speeds. Since they knew we couldn't do that, they initially thought that the Soviets could. Soon they realized nobody could, because an abrupt right turn at that speed would splatter the pilot all over the left windscreen.
These were not people with videocams and editing software. These were often highly-trained military radar operators and observers who saw the craft on their screens, but not in the air. Others saw them in plain sight, but the chase planes saw nothing.
My point is simple. The original "conspiracy theory" was that UFOs existed and the government knew about them. My guess is that 99% of those reading this will have already tuned it out because you believe what we've all been brainwashed to believe: People who believe in UFOs are crazy.
Mission Accomplished.
The original investigations were created to gather all the evidence, then make it disappear, then supplant it with carefully calculated propaganda designed to connect little green men with UFOs. Hence UFOs = little green men, and the most ambitious psyop in history became reality.
I was stunned by this book primarily because of my own ignorance and brainwashing. No more.
Babe,
I think that's called The Golden Rule: He who has the gold makes the rules."
James,
I will be sure to read that book. I have always believed it more likely that there is intelligent life on other planets/solar systems/universes than not. To think otherwise is simply arrogant, right up there with anyone being God's true people. It also makes sense that a government with the resources of ours would be aware of such things, whether or not it chose to share the info with its citizens. I agree that we are brainwashed about many topics because we are not allowed access to material disputing what "they" want us to believe so we can be controlled.
Without reading other comments first (so I'm sorry if I'm repeating something) I just wanted to point out that governments and corporations have always worked together. They don't need elaborate conspiracies in order to control the world's wealth. They already have it. They don't have to worry about a "great awakening" because most of us are either too poor or too worried about the latest season of the Bachelor to care. Apathy is the key to our down fall, not elaborate conspiracies.
That's it.
I'm moving to Mars.
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Katy,
You make an excellent point about apathy. An apathetic society is ripe for takeover of some kind, though, so I'm not sure it's an either-or situation. I'm not really sure about any of this, actually, just considering ideas as they come to my attention.
Scarlett,
It's hot there. And the light is probably unflattering.
I've never even heard of the Bilderberg group. You're scaring me now!
Your friend Geneviéve asked me for an opinion of this post. In one word: insane.
1) Not only does the NSA exist and is known publicly to exist, but here is its Web site: http://www.www.nsa.gov/. (Of course the site is a cover run by mutants and aliens from Planet 51.)
2) Having members who collectively possess 60% of the world's wealth is not the same as "controlling" (per you) said wealth. (If so, American Express and the average large airline "control" untold wealth.)
3) Imagine that the 60% were divided among 60 people. Why would one extremely wealthy individual let some mega organization "control" his (most of them are male) wealth? (Because, of course, all wealthy people think exactly alike, choose exactly the same investments and spend their money in identical fashion, despite the freedom that having money gives them.)
Parenthetical remarks are ironic.
♦ Cecilieux, you remind me of a little boy in grade five who has a crush on the most beautiful girl in school, but the only way you can get her attention is by constantly being rude and disrespectful to her, and maybe she will notice you. You're very obvious and transparent. Why don't you try a new tactic, and be polite to Susan when you comment? "Insane" is not a nice word.
♦ Susan, my Facebook is not working ... arrggghhhhh
Em,
The group definitely exists, but the rest of it -- who knows? I am not a conspiracy theorist normally, but think there is enough validity to what I read to explore further.
Cecilieaux,
Genevieve has never commented to my blog, but she seems to be YOUR biggest admirer, if memory serves.
I thank you, as always, for your most civilized discussion of issues with which you disagree. (I can be ironic too.) I am not certain I understand the points you are making, however. Sarcasm and general put-downs tend to have that effect. I also think you missed MY points, but mostly, I wonder why you bother to comment on my blog when you consider me an insane, stupid racist.
You don't have to agree with me to do so - in fact, it's far more interesting to me when others disagree and raise issues I may not have considered. But you seem intent on crapping on my blog and I respectfully wish you would stop.
Jo,
Sorry about your Facebook issues.
I don't believe that Cecilieaux has a "crush" on me -- he just has a zealot's need to be right, and to have me acknowledge that I am wrong, about everything. He will be disappointed, however. Again.
Oh, Susan, I disagree with you. I think Cecilieaux is madly in love with you. It's obvious. (Only a fool in love with be so consistently rude, patronizing and misongynistic.)
Parenthetical remarks are ironic.
I mean "would" be ... but you knew that. :-)
Jo,
It's been a very long time since anyone dipped my pigtails in the proverbial inkwell, but Cecilieaux likes me about as much as a proselytizing religious fanatic likes the heathens he tries to convert.
This is one of my sister's favourite things to get worried sick about. She works a lot of nights, and finds these conspiracy theory documentaries online and really gets passionate about them...for a few days, anyway. this one she keeps coming back to.
If any other blogger than you had written this, I'd dismiss it immediately. Now I need to hit the google--and say "Wow" and "What???" a bunch of times.
It's either a conspiracy to bring the world to slavery or we are the absolutely most savage and stupid species on the planet.
Jay,
I like to vary the things I worry about, keep it fresh.
It's great to see you back!
Jocelyn,
It occurs to me that if we had had the Internet when I was growing up, I would know quite a lot of stuff by now. It's hard to catch up.
Mark,
Are those mutually exclusive then?
David Byrne thought of it first:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6drpJEeWT6Y&feature=related
You know, on second thought, I'm sorry I posted that link to the True Stories clip. It's funny stuff, but it's more important to not pee in your Cheerios. I'm sorry I did it.
Warts,
No problem. I'm not an evangelist, even a fake one. And I prefer my Cheerios with berries.
True... but my bid for world domination has obviously been hijacked. :/
Scarlett & V
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