Podcast appearances and mentions of rob brotherton

La guerra a Gaza, come già prima quella in Ucraina, hanno evidenziato un problema molto importante per l'informazione: il proliferare di video, immagini e post falsi. Che a loro volta diventano le basi di cospirazioni e complotti che partendo da elementi reali, costruiscono contesti completamente falsi. Da Gaza, all'Ucraina, da QAnon negli Stati Uniti fino alle fake news relative alle elezioni in Indonesia, il proliferare di complotti non sembra fermarsi. -- Ospite della puntata Leonardo Bianchi -- I contributi audio di questa puntata sono tratti da un video pubblicato sul profilo Instagram di mahmoudramzi.official il 28 ottobre 2023, https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy8vWmir9Nj/, da un video pubblicato sul profilo X di photo_editor72 il 9 ottobre 2023, https://twitter.com/photo_editor72/status/1711302894795038772. Le fonti degli articoli citati nella puntata sono le seguenti: Israel-Gaza conflict: when social media fakes are rampant, news verification is vital, The Conversation, 13 ottobre 2023, https://theconversation.com/israel-gaza-conflict-when-social-media-fakes-are-rampant-news-verification-is-vital-215496; Digital News Report 2023, Reuters Institute, https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2023; X criticised for enabling spread of Israel-Hamas disinformation, The Guardian, 9 ottobre 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/oct/09/x-twitter-elon-musk-disinformation-israel-hamas; Complotti! Da Qanon alla pandemia, cronache dal mondo capovolto, Leonardo Bianchi, Minimum fax, https://www.minimumfax.com/shop/product/complotti-2421; Pallywood, la menzogna virale che nega la morte dei palestinesi, Il Manifesto, 12 novembre 2023, https://ilmanifesto.it/pallywood-la-menzogna-virale-che-nega-la-morte-dei-palestinesi; Rob Brotherton, Menti sospettose. Perché siamo tutti complottisti, Bollati Boringhieri, 2017; Digital News Report 2022, Reuters Institute; Digital 2023: Indonesia, DataReportal, https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-indonesia; CekFakta, https://cekfakta.com/playbook/en/1; Social Media Gets a Bad Rap in Elections, But Activists In Indonesia Are Using It to Boost Transparency, Time, 17 aprile 2019, https://time.com/5567287/social-media-indonesia-elections-kawal-pemilu/; In Indonesia, Facebook and Twitter are 'buzzer' battlegrounds as elections loom, Reuters, 13 marzo 2019, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-election-socialmedia-insigh-idUSKBN1QU0AS/; Fact-checkers vs. hoax peddlers: a fake news battle ahead of Indonesia's election, Reuters, 11 aprile 2019, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-election-fakenews-insight/fact-checkers-vs-hoax-peddlers-a-fake-news-battle-ahead-of-indonesias-election-idUSKCN1RM2ZE/. Fuori anche da qui: The Truth, podcast, https://www.thetruthpodcast.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You have likely noticed that men – and teenage boys – will sometimes act foolishly in front of a pretty women. It is also true that men take more risks if they know a woman is watching. Why do they do that? This episode begins with an evolutionary explanation. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-03/sp-wdm031810.php You probably think the world is fairly predictable and there is probably a good explanation for why things happen. However, that's not exactly true. For instance, why does one smoker die young while another lives to 100? Why do certain medications work for some people but not others? The answer is – no one knows. Journalist and broadcaster Michael Blastland believes that we need to face the fact that much of how the world works is a total mystery. Michael is the author of a book called The Hidden Half (https://amzn.to/3pCFvt8). Listen as he makes the case that there are unforeseen forces that influence much of what happens – and no one can explain it. News has always been treated as important. If there is a story in the news, it must be a big deal – or it wouldn't be in the news. When you watch or read the news you get the impression that whatever is being discussed must really matter. But does it? Do people really care about what is in the news? You may be surprised to hear the answer from Rob Brotherton, a psychology and science writer who teaches at Barnard College in New York and is author of the book Bad News: Why We Fall for Fake News (https://amzn.to/3dySmKn). If you watch the news, you will find what he says to be fascinating. Did you know chocolateis partly responsible for the discovery of the microwave oven? Do you know how much caffeine is in chocolate? And what's the link between chocolate and acne? Listen as I explain some fascinating facts about chocolate you may not know. http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-chocolate/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! Packed with industry-leading tools ready to ignite your growth, Shopify gives you complete control over your business and your brand without having to learn any new skills in design or code. Sign up for a $1/month trial period at https://Shopify.com/sysk to take your business to the next level today! Stop throwing your money away. Cancel unwanted subscriptions and manage your expenses the easy way by going to https://RocketMoney.com/something ! With With TurboTax, an expert will do your taxes from start to finish, ensuring your taxes are done right (guaranteed), so you can relax! Feels good to be done with your taxes, doesn't it? Come to TurboTax and don't do your taxes. Visit https://TurboTax.com to learn more. Intuit TurboTax.  Did you know you could reduce the number of unwanted calls & emails with Online Privacy Protection from Discover? - And it's FREE! Just activate it in the Discover App. See terms & learn more at https://Discover.com/Online Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode of the Occult Symbolism and Pop Culture with Isaac Weishaupt podcast (formerly known as CTAUC Podcast) we cover a topic that everyone is discussing- Ye's now banned appearance on Drink Champs Podcast! We'll briefly go over the main ideas he presented during the interview (*there's really only one) before we go through a full debunk on the history of the theory he presented on who rules the world and the mass media. I'll be reading from Rob Brotherton's book 'Suspicious Minds'- I highly recommend it as a resource outside of our theory echo sphere worth considering.Links:Ray Kurzweil, Google A.I. and Lamda: https://illuminatiwatcher.com/google-a-i-lamda-programming-occult-religion-into-a-i-avatar-sex-spirits-golems-possession/Get bonus content AND go commercial free + other perks:* VIP: Due to the threat of censorship, I set up a Patreon-type system through MY OWN website! It's the VIP section of illuminatiwatcher.com! It's even setup the same: FREE ebooks, Kubrick's Code video! Sign up at: https://illuminatiwatcher.com/members-section/ * PATREON: almost identical to VIP Section; you can join the conversations with hundreds of other show supporters here: Patreon.com/IlluminatiWatcher * *****Want to check out the list of all 140+ bonus shows that are only available on Patreon and IlluminatiWatcher.com VIP Section?… I keep an index right here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/29414054More from Isaac- special offers:1. Check out another free podcast I make with my wife called the BREAKING SOCIAL NORMS podcast- it's all about the truther (me) lovingly debating conspiracies with a normie (my wife)! Go to BreakingSocialNorms.com You can get it free wherever you listen to podcasts (e.g. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-social-norms/id1557527024?uo=4). You can get the Uncensored and commercial-free option at Patreon.com/BreakingSocialNorms3. Signed paperbacks, shirts, & other merch: Gumroad.com/IsaacW5. Get 3 books for $5: https://illuminatiwatcher.com/how-to-get-free-books/6. ALIENS, UFOS & THE OCCULT IS NOW UP ON AMAZON AND AUDIBLE (*author narrated): https://amzn.to/3j3UtZz7. If you want to hear more from me AND also want to support the show, search for "Isaac Weishaupt" on Audible and pick up my narrated audiobooks! My most popular book- THE DARK PATH! https://www.audible.com/pd/B0759MN23F/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-095441&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_095441_rh_us AND the popular alien books USE YOUR ILLUSION are also on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B08NRXFNDM/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-223105&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_223105_rh_us8. Check out the 9 books by Isaac Weishaupt on the Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Isaac-Weishaupt/e/B00CWH6PHQ%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share*Want to advertise/sponsor our show?
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Become an elite Poopinati! www.themidnighttrainpodcast.com   The Illuminati   So, you're standing amongst the council, being tried by a jury of a higher order. Your crime; Being the most dangerous person across the multiverse. You look shockingly at Mordo, Richards, and the other members of this definitive group of beings as you defend your alleged crimes, for you are facing the… Illuminati!   Or some shit like that.   We are exploring the super, double extra wannabe cult or the underground rulers of everything evil, depending on your take after today, the "Real Illuminati." At first, we'll dive into what they SAY IS THE REAL STORY OF THE ILLUMINATI Wink Wink! (Be we all know the truth) and then we're going to jump right in to what mainstream media (which is controlled by the illuminati) says are “conspiracies”. Strap on your tinfoil hats, Passengers! We're going for a ride!!   The term "Illuminati" refers to several genuine and imagined organizations. However, the term historically refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, a secret society from the Age of Enlightenment that was established on May 1, 1776, in Bavaria, which is now a part of Germany and that has the most delicious cream donuts. The association aimed to combat abuses of governmental authority, superstition, obscurantism (intentionally providing information in a vague or complex way to prevent further investigation and understanding or, simply, spewing a bunch of word vomit to confuse people), and religious influence in public life. In its general laws, they stated that controlling the perpetrators without conquering them was the "rule of the day."    Later, the term "Illuminati" was used to describe many groups that are said to represent a continuation of the original Bavarian Illuminati (even though these links have not been proven). To obtain political power and influence and create a "New World Order," these organizations have frequently been charged with plotting to manipulate events and install operatives inside of governments and companies. The Illuminati are portrayed as lurking in the shadows and manipulating the strings and levers of power. They play a crucial role in some of the most well-known and intricate conspiracy theories. This interpretation of the Illuminati has found its way into popular culture, appearing in various books, movies, T.V. episodes, comic books, video games, and music videos.   At the University of Ingolstadt, Adam Weishaupt (1748–1830) started teaching canon law and practical philosophy in 1773. (Canon Law, according to Wikipedia, is "how the Church organizes and governs herself." It is the system of laws and religious legal principles made and enforced by the hierarchical authorities of the Catholic Church to regulate its external organization and government and to order and direct the activities of Catholics toward the mission of the Church.) He taught in a school-sponsored by Jesuits, whose order Pope Clement XIV (14th) had suppressed in 1773, and was the only non-clerical professor there. The university's finances and some authority, which they continued to see as belonging to them, were still in the hands of the Ingolstadt Jesuits. When course content featured anything they deemed liberal or Protestant, they made constant attempts to frustrate and discredit non-clerical employees, especially in those instances. Weishaupt had a strong anti-clerical stance and decided to use a covert organization of like-minded people to propagate the Aufklärung (Enlightenment) beliefs. The word clerical in this sense means "referring to anything to do with the clergy — those ordained for religious work, usually in the Christian faith."   He said "screw it" and established his own society, which was to have a ranking or grading system modeled after Freemasonry, but with his own goals because he felt Freemasonry was too costly and not open to his ideas. Bund der Perfektibilisten, or Covenant of Perfectibility (Perfectibilists), was the new order's initial name and a horrible one, to boot. Still, it was later modified since it sounded like some pretentious bullshit. Weishaupt established the Perfectibilists on May 1, 1776, choosing the Owl of Minerva as their emblem. The Owl of Minerva is often called the "owl of Athena." It has been a symbol of knowledge and wisdom throughout the Western world. The members were to use aliases within the society. Weishaupt became Spartacus. Law students Massenhausen, Bauhof, Merz, and Sutor, became Ajax, Agathon, Tiberius, and Erasmus Roterodamus. Logan would have been dubbed Hasentus Everseenamovieus, whereas I would have been known as Dopus Asfuckasus. Weishaupt later booted Sutor for being a lazy turd.    In April 1778, the order became the Illuminatenorden, or Order of Illuminati, after Weishaupt seriously considered calling it the "Bee order." Massenhausen was the first to step up and be most engaged in advancing society. Significantly, he hired Xavier von Zwack, a former pupil of Weishaupt who was just beginning his distinguished administrative career while studying at Munich not long after the order started. He was the head of the Bavarian National Lottery at the time, where if you won, you got all the donuts. And, of course, that's not true, but it should be.  Weishaupt quickly viewed Massenhausen's "go get em attitude" as a liability because it frequently led to attempts to hire the wrong people. Later, his unpredictable love life caused him to become careless. As Weishaupt turned over the leadership of the Munich group to Zwack, it was discovered that Massenhausen had stolen subscription money and read Weishaupt and Zwack's communications. After earning his degree in 1778, Massenhausen accepted a position outside Bavaria and lost interest in the order. The order had nominally twelve members at this point.   After Massenhausen left, Zwack put all his effort into finding more responsible and significant recruits. This included Hertel, a canon of the Munich Frauenkirche and a childhood friend of Weishaupt, who was considered a hell of a guy. By the end of the summer of 1778, the order had five territories: Munich (Athens), Ingolstadt (Eleusis), Ravensberg (Sparta), Freysingen (Thebes), and Eichstaedt, with a total of 27 members (including Massenhausen).   The order had three membership levels at the time—novice, minerval, and illuminated minerval—but only the minerval level required a problematic ceremony. In this, a password and code were supplied to the candidate. Weishaupt was kept informed on the actions and personalities of his members through a system of mutual espionage, with his favorites joining the Areopagus, the ruling council. Some newbies were allowed to join the army and become insinuates. Jews, pagans, women, monks, and members of other secret societies were told to fuck off, but upright Christians were what they wanted. Favored candidates were wealthy, submissive, eager to learn, and between 18 and 30.   After unsuccessfully trying to stop some of his followers from becoming Freemasons, Weishaupt decided to join them to gather resources for developing his own ritual. Early in February 1777, he was accepted into lodge "Prudence" of the Rite of Strict Observance. He learned nothing about the more advanced degrees of "blue lodge" masonry as he excelled through its three degrees. Still, the following year, a priest by the name of Abbé Marotti told Zwack that these deeper secrets depended on an understanding of the earlier religion and the primitive Church. Weishaupt was persuaded by Zwack that their own order should establish cordial ties with Freemasonry and acquire permission to develop their own lodge. At this stage (December 1778), adding the first three degrees of Freemasonry was considered a secondary project.   Quickly, a warrant was obtained from the Grand Lodge of Prussia called the Royal York for Friendship. The new lodge was named Theodore of the Good Council to flatter Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria. It was founded in Munich on March 21, 1779, and quickly packed with Illuminati. However, the first master, Radl, was persuaded to return home to Baden and ran the lodge by July, per Weishaupt's order.   The next step involved independence from their Grand Lodge. By establishing masonic relations with the Union lodge in Frankfurt, affiliated to the Premier Grand Lodge of England, lodge Theodore became independently recognized and able to declare its independence. As a new mother lodge, it could now spawn its own lodges. The recruiting drive amongst the Frankfurt masons also obtained the allegiance of Adolph Freiherr Knigge.   Knigge was recruited late in 1780 at a convention of the Rite of Strict Observance by Costanzo Marchese di Costanzo, an infantry captain in the Bavarian army and a fellow Freemason. As he was still in his twenties, Knigge had already reached the highest initiatory grades of his order and had arrived with his own grand plans for reform. Disappointed that his plan found no support, Knigge was immediately intrigued when Costanzo informed him that the order he sought to create already existed. Knigge and three of his friends expressed a strong interest in learning more of this order, and Costanzo showed them material relating to the Minerval grade. The teaching material for the stage was "liberal" literature which was banned in Bavaria but common knowledge in the Protestant German states.   Knigge's three colleagues lost interest in Costanzo after becoming disillusioned and extremely confused, like the rest of us. Still, he persisted and was rewarded in November 1780 with a letter from Weishaupt. Knigge was a perfect candidate because of his ties inside and outside Freemasonry. For his part, Knigge was charmed by the attention and drawn to the order's proclaimed goals of educating people and shielding them against oppression. Moreover, Weishaupt recognized Knigge's interest in alchemy and the "higher sciences" and promised to promote them. In response to Weishaupt, Knigge laid out his ideas for reforming Freemasonry when the Strict Observance was beginning to doubt its history.   Before he could be admitted to the higher ranks of the order, Weishaupt put Knigge in charge of recruitment. Knigge agreed, but with the stipulation that he be given the freedom to select the recruitment locations. Many additional masons joined the Illuminati's Minerval grade after finding Knigge's depiction of the new masonic order appealing. At this point, Knigge seemed to respect the "Most Serene Superiors" Weishaupt said he served. To delay providing any assistance, Weishaupt assigned him an additional duty despite his embarrassing failure to explain anything about the upper degrees of the order. Because he was full of shit.   Knigge then created pamphlets documenting the actions of the illegal Jesuits, claiming to show how they continued to thrive and recruit, particularly in Bavaria, using material provided by Weishaupt. Finally, Knigge wrote to Weishaupt that his position was becoming damn near impossible because he couldn't offer his recruits any real answers to their question about the higher grades. Weishaupt finally broke down and admitted in January 1781 that his superiors and the purported antiquity of the order were bullshit and that the higher degrees had not yet been created as he faced the possibility of losing Knigge and his masonic recruits.   Knigge was unusually composed in response to Weishaupt's admittance, even though he was looking forward to learning the promised intricate Freemasonry secrets found in the upper degrees of the Illuminati. Weishaupt pledged to give Knigge complete creative control over the development of the higher degrees and to send him his own notes. Knigge, for his part, enjoyed the chance to express himself through the order. He asserted that his new strategy would increase the appeal of the Illuminati to potential members in Germany's Protestant counties. Knigge received a 50 florins advance from the Areopagus in November 1781 to travel to Bavaria, where he met and partied with fellow Illuminati members.   The order had now developed extensive internal divisions. In July 1780, the Eichstaedt command had formed an autonomous province, and a rift was growing between Weishaupt and the Areopagus. They found him stubborn, dictatorial, inconsistent, and obviously full of shit. As a result, Knigge was constantly thrown into the role of peacemaker.   In discussions with the Areopagus and Weishaupt, Knigge identified two problematic areas. First, Weishaupt's emphasis on recruiting university students meant that young men with little practical experience often had to fill senior positions in the order. Secondly, the anti-Jesuit ethos of the order at its inception had generally become anti-religious. Knigge knew it would be a problem recruiting the senior Freemasons that the order was looking to bring in. Knigge felt the stifling grip of conservative Catholicism in Bavaria and understood the anti-religious feelings that this produced in the liberal Illuminati. Still, he also saw the negative impression these feelings would provide in Protestant states, making the spread of the order in greater Germany much more difficult. The Areopagus and Weishaupt felt powerless to do anything less than give Knigge a free hand. He had the contacts within and outside of Freemasonry that they needed, and he had the skill as a ritualist to build their projected grade structure, where they had ground to a halt at Illuminatus Minor, with only the Minerval grade below and the merest sketches of higher grades. The only restrictions imposed were the need to discuss the inner secrets of the highest degrees and the necessity of submitting his new grades for approval.   Meanwhile, the scheme to propagate Illuminatism as a legitimate branch of Freemasonry had farted out. While Lodge Theodore was now in their control, a chapter of "Elect Masters" attached to it only had one member from the order and still had a constitutional superiority to the craft lodge controlled by the Illuminati. The chapter would be difficult to persuade to submit to the Areopagus and formed a real barrier to Lodge Theodore becoming the first mother-lodge of a new Illuminated Freemasonry. A treaty of alliance was signed between the order and the chapter, and by the end of January 1781, four daughter lodges had been created, but independence was not on the chapter's agenda.   Costanza wrote to the Royal York, pointing out the discrepancy between the fees dispatched to their new Grand Lodge and the returned service they had received. The Royal York, unwilling to lose the money they were bringing in, offered to confer Freemasonry's "higher" secrets on a representative that their Munich brethren would dispatch to Berlin. Accordingly, Costanza set off for Prussia on April 4, 1780, with instructions to negotiate a reduction in Theodore's fees while he was there. On the way, he argued with a Frenchman about a lady with whom they shared a carriage. The Frenchman sent a message ahead to the king sometime before they reached Berlin, calling Costanza a spy and having him arrested. He was only freed from prison with the help of the Grand Master of Royal York and was kicked out of Prussia, having accomplished fuck all.   Knigge's recruitment from German Freemasonry was far from random. He targeted the masters and wardens, the men who ran the lodges and were often able to place the entire club at the disposal of the Illuminati. For example, Baron de Witte, master of Constancy lodge in Aachen, caused every member to join the order. This way, the order expanded rapidly in central and southern Germany and obtained a foothold in Austria. Moving into the Spring of 1782, the handful of students who had started the order had swelled to about 300 members, with only 20 new recruits being students. In Munich, the first half of 1782 saw considerable changes in the government of Lodge Theodore. In February, Weishaupt had offered to split the lodge, with the Illuminati going their own way and the chapter taking any remaining traditionalists into their continuation of Theodore. At this point, the chapter unexpectedly surrendered, and the Illuminati had complete control of the lodge and chapter. In June, both club and chapter sent letters severing relations with Royal York, citing their faithfulness in paying for their recognition and Royal York's failure to provide any instruction in the higher grades. Their neglect of Costanza, and inability to defend him from negative charges or prevent his expulsion from Prussia, were also brought up. They had made no effort to provide Costanza with the promised secrets, and the Munich masons now suspected that their brethren in Berlin relied on the mystical French higher grades which they sought to avoid. Lodge Theodore was now independent.   The Rite of Strict Observance was now in a critical state. Its leader was Prince Carl of Södermanland (later Charles XIII (13th) of Sweden), openly suspected of trying to absorb the rite into the Swedish Rite, which he already controlled. The German lodges looked to Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel for leadership. However, suspicion turned to open contempt when Carl regarded the Stuart heir to the British throne as the true GrandMaster, and the lodges of the Strict Observance all but ignored their Grand Master. This bullshit led to the Convent of Wilhelmsbad.   The last Strict Observance convention, postponed since October 15, 1781, eventually began on July 16, 1782, at the spa town of Wilhelmsbad, which is located outside of (and now a part of) Hanau. The 35 participants in a discussion about the future of the order knew that the Strict Observance in its current form was doomed. Also, the Convent of Wilhelmsbad would be a battle over the pieces between the Martinists, led by Jean-Baptiste Willermoz, and the German mystics, led by Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and their host Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel. Only Franz Dietrich von Ditfurth, and Johann Joachim Christoph Bode, objected to mystical higher grades. Ditfurth actively advocated for a return to the fundamental three degrees of Freemasonry, which was the convention's least likely choice. The mystics had previously developed logical replacement plans for the higher degrees.   (Martinism is a type of arcane Christianity and Christian mysticism that is focused on the fall of the first man, his material seclusion from his spiritual source, and the process of his return, known as "Reintegration.")   The Illuminati were able to promote themselves as a viable option since there wasn't an effective alternative to the two schools of mysticism. Knigge, who now had complete authority to speak for the order, encouraged and helped Ditfurth, who took on the role of their spokesperson. Weishaupt rejected Knigge's initial proposal to form an alliance between the two orders because he didn't see the benefit of working with a dying order. His new strategy was to enlist the masons opposed to the higher degree of "Templar" Strict Observance.   At the convent, Ditfurth prevented Willermoz and Hesse from introducing their own higher grades by demanding that the delegates be informed in full of such degrees. Due to their frustration, the German mystics enrolled Count Kollowrat in the Illuminati as a later affiliate. With no claims to additional masonic revelations, Ditfurth's goal was to replace all higher degrees with a single fourth degree. He left the convent early after finding no support for his proposal and reported to the Areopagus that he had no hopes for the gathering.   In an attempt to satisfy everybody, the Convent of Wilhelmsbad didn't achieve shit. They renounced the Templar origins of their ritual while retaining the Templar titles, trappings, and administrative structure. Charles of Hesse and Ferdinand of Brunswick remained at the head of the order, but the lodges were almost independent in practice. The Germans adopted the name of the French order of Willermoz, Les Chevaliers Bienfaisants de la Cité Sainte (Good Knights of the Holy City). Some Martinist mysticism was imported into the first three degrees, now the only essential degrees of Freemasonry. Crucially, individual lodges of the order were now allowed to mingle with clubs of other systems. The new "Scottish Grade" introduced with the Lyon ritual of Willermoz was not mandatory. Each province and prefecture was free to decide what, if anything, happened after the three craft degrees. Finally, the convent regulated etiquette, titles, and a new numbering for the provinces to show that something had been achieved.   The Strict Observance was ended by the Convent of Wilhelmsbad. Along with the higher degrees that bound its most significant and influential members, it rejected its founding tale. It eliminated the rigorous regulations that had maintained the order's cohesion and alienated many Germans who did not trust Martinism. Martinism repulsed Bode, who immediately began negotiating with Knigge before joining the Illuminati in January 1783. The following month, Charles of Hesse joined.   Knigge's first efforts at an alliance with the intact German Grand Lodges failed, but Weishaupt persisted. He proposed a new federation where all German lodges would practice an agreed, unified system in the essential three degrees of Freemasonry and be left to their own devices as to which, if any, system of higher degrees they wished to pursue. This would be a federation of Grand Lodges, and members would be free to visit any of the "blue" lodges in any jurisdiction. All lodge masters would be elected, and no fees would be paid to any central authority. Groups of lodges would be subject to a "Scottish Directorate" composed of members delegated by lodges to audit finances, settle disputes and authorize new lodges. These, in turn, would elect Provincial Directorates, who would elect inspectors, who would elect the national director. This system would correct the current imbalance in German Freemasonry, where masonic ideals of equality were preserved only in the lower three "symbolic" degrees. The various methods of higher degrees were dominated by the elite who could afford research in alchemy and mysticism. To Weishaupt and Knigge, the proposed federation was also a vehicle to propagate Illuminism throughout German Freemasonry. Their intention was to use their new union, with its emphasis on the fundamental degrees, to remove all allegiance to Strict Observance, allowing the "eclectic" system of the Illuminati to take its place.   The newsletter announcing the new federation outlined the faults of German Freemasonry; unsuitable men with money were often admitted based on their wealth, and the corruption of civil society had infected the lodges. Having advocated the deregulation of the higher grades of the German lodges, the Illuminati now announced their own from their "unknown Superiors." Lodge Theodore, newly independent from Royal York, set itself up as a provincial Grand Lodge. In a letter to all the Royal York lodges, Knigge now accused the Grand Lodge of corruption. Their Freemasonry had allegedly been corrupted by the Jesuits. Strict Observance was now attacked as a creation of the Stuarts, devoid of all moral virtue. The Zinnendorf rite of the Grand Landlodge of the Freemasons of Germany was suspect because its author was in league with the Swedes. This direct attack had the opposite effect to that intended by Weishaupt. It offended many of its readers. The Grand Lodge of the Grand Orient of Warsaw, which controlled Freemasonry in Poland and Lithuania, was happy to participate in the federation only as far as the first three degrees. Their insistence on independence had kept them from the Strict Observance and would now keep them from the Illuminati, whose plan to annex Freemasonry rested on their own higher degrees. By the end of January 1783, the Illuminati's masonic party had seven lodges.   It wasn't just the clumsy appeal of the Illuminati that left the federation short of members. Lodge Theodore was recently formed and did not command respect like the older lodges. Most of all, the Freemasons most likely to be attracted to the federation, saw the Illuminati as an ally against the mystics and Martinists. Moreover, they valued their freedom too highly to be caught in another restrictive organization. Even Ditfurth, the supposed representative of the Illuminati at Wilhelmsbad, had pursued his own agenda at the convent.   The non-mystical Frankfurt lodges created an "Eclectic Alliance," was almost indistinguishable in structure from the Illuminati's federation. Far from seeing this as a threat, the Illuminati lodges joined the new alliance after some discussion. Three Illuminati now sat on the committee that wrote the new masonic statutes. Aside from strengthening relations between their three lodges, the Illuminati seem to have gained no advantage from this maneuver. Ditfurth, having founded a masonic organization that worked towards his ambitions for Freemasonry, took little interest in the Illuminati after he adhered to the Eclectic Alliance. In reality, the Eclectic Alliance's creation undermined the Illuminati's plans to spread their own ideologies through Freemasonry.   The final decline of the Illuminati was brought about by the indiscretions of their own Minervals in Bavaria, and especially in Munich. Despite efforts by their superiors to curb loose talk, politically dangerous boasts of power and criticism of monarchy caused the "secret" order's existence to become common knowledge, along with the names of many important members. The presence of the Illuminati in positions of power now led to some public unease. There were Illuminati in many civic and state governing bodies. Despite their small number, there were claims that success in a legal dispute depended on the person's standing with the order. In addition, the Illuminati were blamed for several anti-religious publications appearing in Bavaria. Much of this criticism sprang from vindictiveness and jealousy, but it is clear that many Illuminati court officials gave preferential treatment to their brethren. In Bavaria, the energy of their two members of the Ecclesiastical Council had one of them elected treasurer. Their opposition to Jesuits resulted in the banned order losing key academic and Church positions. In Ingolstadt, the Jesuit heads of departments were replaced by Illuminati.   Alarmed, Charles Theodore and his government banned all secret societies, including the Illuminati. A government mandate dated March 2, 1785, "seems to have been a deathblow to the Illuminati in Bavaria." Weishaupt had fled. Documents and internal correspondence, seized in 1786 and 1787, were then published by the government in 1787. In addition, von Zwack's home was searched, and much of the group's literature was disclosed.   So, that was exhausting and supposedly all about the "real Illuminati," right? But, according to the www.illuminatiofficial.org website, this may not be the case.   "Since the formation of the Illuminati, many citizens have inaccurately portrayed our organization in a negative manner. These misconceptions have been perpetuated for centuries through videos, photos, articles, books, and unofficial online resources claiming to understand our mission and members. In creating this online destination, we strive to alleviate the concerns voiced by the people of this planet and provide insight into our goals and operations."   "Their Purpose"   "Ensuring the survival of over 7 billion humans is a daunting task. Our duty to this planet has spanned across centuries and survived even the most established government entities. To continue functioning throughout societal and generational changes, The Illuminati's operations often require anonymity for both our members and our work. In 2013, the Illuminati authorized the formation of the Department Of Citizen Outreach. Through various initiatives and campaigns, including this website, the modern Illuminati has committed itself to furthering our relationship with our citizens.You may not find us praised in any history book or document. However, the Illuminati has helped with every major movement on this planet since the first human government was established. Our work is often marked by distinct symbols as a means of tracing our influence through history for those wishing to investigate. With gentle guidance from our organization, the human species is allowed to function in their natural order while playing the part of gears in a machine for the betterment of the world."   Also, according to their website, they discuss the symbols of their cult… I mean organization.    "THE PYRAMID   In popular culture, a great amount of focus is placed on the Illuminati's belief that money is not evil. Some view our encouragement of work and wealth as a promotion of selfishness – overlooking the true meaning of the Pyramid and its underlying messages that motivate our diligence. In the tenets of the Illuminati, wealth is not simply a means of personal enrichment. Instead, money is a tool that can be used to fulfill each person's duty to the advancement of the human species. The selfish pursuit of money is a hollow goal, but the pursuit of the goodness that money can create is one of humanity's greatest responsibilities. The more money a person owns, the more ability they have to positively change the lives of those who are in need. If you are poor and of good heart, and your friend's house is burned in a fire, you will remain a good person but have no ability to help them with what they need the most. If the same house burns but you are rich, you can give your friend a place to stay and a new home because you have more than enough for yourself and anyone around you who needs it. Money has no feeling, no voice, and no soul – its choice between good or evil is decided by those who use it. Though it is not wrong to be poor, the celebration of poverty is rooted in selfishness. A person who is poor can save a life, but a person who is rich can build a hospital and save ten thousand. The poor can do little to help the poor, but the rich can help as many as they are able. If a person is rich, they have the opportunity to do good, but if they are poor they are unable to help anyone but themselves. Those with little can still do much. Money is merely paper and numbers that are traded for a person's time and effort. Therefore if a person does not have money, they can instead use their time and efforts to further the advancement of humanity – positive actions that are of equal value to any charitable donations. The greater a person's fortune, the greater their responsibility to their fellow humans. Like the Pyramid, those with the greatest power can do the greatest good for the largest number of those below them."   "THE EYE We Are Always Watching Out For You   The human species is guarded and preserved by a coalition of its most elite members called the Illuminati. Since our origination, Illuminati members have guided Earth's most dominant creature through periods of interpersonal chaos, environmental outbreaks, and other mass attacks that threaten humanity with extinction. The human has made itself this planet's most dominant and advanced species. Even the weakest human is born master of the strongest of all other species on Earth. Through natural selection, every human generation is made of a genetic structure that is stronger and more advanced than the previous. Living humans evolve at a rapid pace, and can continue to advance in ability through study, practice, and a commitment to self-improvement. As a human absorbs knowledge and wisdom, some will experience their Awakening: a pivotal moment when their minds evolve to a level of understanding that is higher than the majority. They begin to see themselves as strings in a universal tapestry with a duty to uplift their fellow humans, and quickly understand the inner workings of wealth, power, and authority. Those who have experienced their Awakening often describe it as the moment their Eye was opened. The Illuminati is made of individuals who have reached this Awakening. Leaders, innovators, and other influential members of this planet have joined together to shape the face of human society and guide its masses into finding their own individual place in the Universal Design. To create a better world, unique beings with unique objectives and beliefs must forgo their differences and work together for the good of all. Progress requires cooperation. Humans must suppress their natural defensive selfishness and aid others who appear, believe, or act in ways that are different from themselves. Unfortunately, many humans are only concerned with their own wellbeing and thus cannot understand the positive intentions of a higher authority. Many would rather this planet remain in turmoil instead of following the directions that will lead them to happiness. Historically, the greatest enemies of human progression have been humans themselves. For this reason, those who have experienced their Awakening understand the need for it to remain secret – for their own safety and the ultimate good of a humanity that often does not know what is best for it. It is the Illuminati's responsibility to ensure the ongoing survival and advancement of the human species, so that all people, in all places, can live in Abundance."   "THE LIGHT Follow The Light   Every human is guided by an inner compass that points toward the Light, revealing truth and direction when facing decisions. Given many names by spiritual leaders and unexplainable by science, the Light is an invisible guide that many believe has led them to joy, success, and lives of Abundance. It communicates directly to every human, urging them to strive for goodness and forgo their natural selfishness. All human religions and spiritual beliefs ultimately seek the Light in ways differing only in form and function. Some religions refer to the Light with a name, such as God or Elohim. The core of every religion is founded on the human species' innate desire to understand this invisible force. Even without a formal religious affiliation, every human is naturally drawn to the Light. Individual members of the Illuminati adhere to every variety of personal spiritual beliefs –– but by recognizing that all of our paths lead to the same destination, we find that the Light brings all people into an ultimate unity. There is no proof that a God exists but there is also no proof that a God does not. The Illuminati's spiritual foundation is based upon this universal conundrum of faith and doubt. Our organization does not question whether a god does or does not exist but instead focuses on the betterment of the humans living on this planet. Though the human mind in its physical form is not capable of fully understanding the Light, conscious thought and intention reveal many of its inner workings and effects. By studying the wisdom of this planet's greatest minds, humans can discover ways to increase the Light's powerful influence in their lives. The Light, under many names, has been attributed to supernatural changes in the physical realm, including increases in wealth, power, prestige, health, and happiness. Miracles, attraction, and the belief in unseen powers that can alter the physical world have some basis in truth. Though scientific advancements have explored both this planet's environment and the inner workings of the human mind, there are still countless mysteries that remain unsolved. Thus many occurrences that are attributed to the supernatural are merely the result of the human mind processing a concept it cannot explain naturally. Some humans attempt to form a deeper connection with the Light through rituals that have been passed down for centuries. Though these ceremonies often involve complicated steps and requirements, their true effect is not found in their directions or decorations but rather in the state of mind that results within its participants. Many of the Illuminati's traditions include rituals and oaths designed to explain higher concepts, and use the power of focused repetition to strengthen the ability of the human consciousness. The Illuminati prohibits rituals that include human or animal sacrifice. Learn More. A desire to understand the Light is an integral part of the path to illumination. By rising through the levels of illumination, Illuminati members discover more about their world and the true power that hides within their minds. Whatever you seek, whatever you dream, whatever you hope: all is possible if you follow the Light."   "THE ETERNAL CIRCLE Every human is one part of a larger, eternal design – individual gears in a clock that has no end.   Your actions have the power to alter the future of the entire world. Though you may not fully understand your purpose, your part is just as important as the greatest kings and queens of this planet. Some feel as though their temporary lack of wealth or influence makes them powerless to create change. But does a clockmaker favor the larger gears over the smaller? Does the hour hand become jealous of the minutes because it turns slower? Every part has a role in the functioning of a timepiece. Every part supports those around it in ways it may never see. Your absence would undo the order of our universe, even if you do not realize your importance. The world began before you and will continue after you, but it will be different because of the decisions you made. Every generation inherits the world left by the one before it, just as a king inherits the crown of his father. Your pursuit of wisdom and goodness could lay the foundation for your great-great-grandchild's rise into power – the same descendant who might steer a country from war and save lives by the millions. Did the ancestors of Aristotle or Alexander The Great know who their actions would create? Though you will never understand the full influence of your actions, the results of your dedication to humanity are still yours to claim. As you climb the great Pyramid seeking the Light at its top, you will look down and see that you are an integral part of our universe's most intricate mechanism. Though our human members may perish and fade into the annals of time, the Illuminati will continue to stand into eternity."   Why a secret society? "Freedom is an idol of the human species. The Illuminati operates in defense of you and all humans, in all places, and of all generations. Our duty to this planet has spanned across centuries and survived even the most established government entities. But the cultivation of trillions of human lives is a daunting responsibility, and while the human would not exist today without our protection, many uninformed masses mistake our guidance for a restriction of liberty. Every human desires to be free of oppression, free of hardship, free of poverty, free of hunger, free of rules and laws — but as you understand, the nature of your species leaves true freedom impossible. Are you free to murder? Are you free to steal? Are others free to murder and steal from you? Or are there certain freedoms that must be given up for the benefit of all? For happiness, the human desires freedom; for prosperity, the human requires leadership. This is the reason behind our anonymity. To continue functioning throughout societal changes and generational differences, the Illuminati must remain behind the curtain — an outsider, belonging to none and loyal to all. You may never understand how your life can be free while guided by our organization. You may never fully comprehend our purpose and why you are safest and happiest with us. Simply open your mind and release your apprehensions, and you will find the relief of truth. We will never take your hand and pull you down the path like a slave to our whims. You must find and travel the road on your own. But your quality of life is our greatest concern, and the reason our symbols are placed in your society as a map for you to follow if you desire."   What about the modern-day "Illuminati" or "New World Order?"   According to an article from theweek.co.uk, In a 2017 interview with the BBC, David Bramwell, "a man who has dedicated himself to documenting the origins of the myth," said the modern-day Illuminati legend was influenced not by Weishaupt but rather by LSD, the 1960s counter-culture, and specifically a text called Principia Discordia. The book praised an alternative belief system – Discordianism – which preached a form of anarchism and gave birth to the Discordian movement, which ultimately wished to cause civil disobedience through practical jokes and hoaxes. One of the leading proponents of this new ideology was a writer called Robert Anton Wilson, who wanted to bring chaos back into society by "disseminating misinformation through all portals – through counter-culture, through the mainstream media," claims Bramwell. He did this by sending fake letters to the men's magazine Playboy, where he worked, attributing cover-ups and conspiracy theories, such as the JFK assassination, to a secret elite organization called the Illuminati. Wilson turned these theories into a book, The Illuminatus Trilogy, which became a surprise cult success and was even made into a stage play in Liverpool, launching the careers of British actors Bill Nighy and Jim Broadbent. What is the New World Order? The idea of a powerful modern Illuminati conspiring to rule the world remained a niche belief a handful of enthusiasts upheld until the 1990s.   The internet changed all that, giving conspiracy theorists a global platform to perpetuate their beliefs and present their evidence to a massive audience. Theories about how the New World Order operates run from relatively straightforward ideas to the outright bizarre. Conspiracy theorists obsessively analyze public events for "evidence" of Illuminati influence. The symbols most associated with the Illuminati include triangles, pentagrams, goats, the all-seeing eye – such as the one that appears on U.S. banknotes - and the number 666. This has led to claims some of the American Founding Fathers were members, with Thomas Jefferson accused in the aftermath of the War of Independence. Another commonly cited Illuminati symbol, which appears on U.S. currency, is the so-called Eye of Providence, which is said to represent the omniscience of God watching over humanity. According to a 2013 survey by Public Policy Polling, 28% of U.S. voters believe that a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda is conspiring to eventually rule the world through an authoritarian global government. In addition, it found that 34% of Republicans and 35% of independents believe in the New World Order threat compared to just 15% of Democrats. Who is supposedly a member? As well as being king and queen of the charts, Beyonce and Jay-Z are frequently depicted as lords of the New World Order. Beyonce's immense fame and popularity have long made her a favorite target for conspiracy theorists. Illuminati "experts" seized upon her half-time performance at the 2013 Super Bowl as an example of her "devil-worshipping" choreography, even accusing her on-stage alter ego Sasha Fierce of being a "demonic entity." However, some musicians enjoy deliberately playing with symbols connected to secret societies. For instance, Rihanna frequently incorporates Illuminati images into her music videos and even joked about the theories in the video for S&M, which featured a fake newspaper with a headline declaring her "Princess of the Illuminati." Jay Z has also been accused of hiding secret symbols such as goat imagery and devil horns in his music videos. But, most damningly, the logo for his music label, Roc-A-Fella Records, is a pyramid – one of the most well-known Illuminati logos. Rob Brotherton, a professor at Barnard College and author of Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe in Conspiracy Theories, explains that real-life government conspiracies targeting black people in America, such as FBI infiltration of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s, planted the seeds for Illuminati theory's popularity among hip-hop artists and fans.   Speaking to Complex, he said: "Hip-hop served as this [soapbox] for people to talk about issues that were relevant to them, things like discrimination, poverty, the criminal justice system, which are often seemingly slanted against African-Americans". "It's a short leap to go from noticing some kind of injustice to thinking about whether there's something behind it. Hip-hop was just a good candidate to revive this myth," he says. What do celebrities have to say about the theories? Katy Perry told Rolling Stone in 2014 that the theory was the preserve of "weird people on the internet" but admitted she was flattered to be named among the supposed members: "I guess you've kind of made it when they think you're in the Illuminati!" However, she added she was tolerant of people who wanted to believe in the theory because: "I believe in aliens." On the other hand, Madonna might just be a believer – all the more interesting given that she has frequently been accused of being a member herself. Speaking to Rolling Stone, she hinted that she had secret knowledge of the group. The claim is not so shocking given that she released a single titled 'Illuminati.' She said: "People often accuse me of being a member of the Illuminati, but the thing is, I know who the real Illuminati are." In 2016, Beyonce thrilled her fans by unexpectedly releasing a new single, Formation, in February ­– but conspiracy theorists were excited for another reason. The very first line of the track acknowledged the rumors: "Y'all haters corny with that Illuminati mess." When Prince died suddenly of an accidental overdose in April of the same year, a small but vocal corner of the internet accused the Illuminati of killing the singer-songwriter, who was famous for fiercely protecting his copyrights and artistic freedom from industry interference. "The Illuminati talk won't stop coming and what doesn't help is that Prince himself seems to have been genuinely convinced that the organisation existed," reports one gossip website. In 2009, the singer appeared on T.V. to warn of influential mystery figures controlling the world through "chemtrails" – chemicals pumped into the air via jet planes to manipulate human behavior.   Some other conspiracies are . The Illuminati killed Paul Walker. After starring in 7 films in the Fast and Furious franchise, Paul Walker fans were shocked by his ironic death in 2013. He was the passenger in a Porsche that careened out of control and crashed into a pole — or so the media said. But if you ask conspiracy theorists, the Illuminati is actually to blame. According to the YouTuber known as Shane, the Illuminati murdered Walker after he threatened to expose the group. The story goes that Walker was involved in charity work when he came across a bunch of wrongdoings like embezzlement behind the scenes that he wanted to go public with. But, of course, the Illuminati couldn't let that happen and took him out via drone strike.   The Illuminati killed JFK. History buffs know JFK died after being shot twice by Lee Harvey Oswald, but many people aren't convinced. According to TIME, 70% of Americans believe the assassination is part of something way bigger… So did the Illuminati have something to do with it? According to The Conspiracy Zone, the answer is ABSO FUCKIN LUTELY. Their evidence is fascinating: JFK was shot in a triangle. ‘John Kennedy' has 11 letters in it. The assassination date (11/22/63) includes multiples of 11. His limo was traveling 11 miles an hour… the list goes on.  Why would the Illuminati want JFK dead? Apparently, JFK planned on bringing U.S. troops home from Vietnam and wanted to end the Federal Reserve to end the national debt, which would take away the Illuminati's control over the country. He was killed just days after replacing Federal Reserve Notes. Conspiracy theorists have pointed to audio from the day of his assassination that proves there was more than one shooter, as well as a bullet trajectory that doesn't match that of Oswald's position.   Kesha's song ‘Die Young' is an Illuminati anthem.   Theorists say Kesha's music also addresses the secret society, whose symbols abound in her early music videos. Take, for example, the video for ‘Die Young:  The Illuminati symbolism is so blatant that even Billboard called it out, referencing the numerous triangles, an upside-down cross, and all-seeing one eye. The video even begins with a flashing skull and crossbones. According to conspiracy theorist The Vigilant Citizen, “Illuminati symbols are becoming more prevalent because that was the plan all along: To gradually make them part of popular culture.” Oh boy.   Lady Gaga is an “Illuminati puppet.” Lady Gaga is another pop star rumored to be part of the Illuminati. Again, theorists call out the overt symbolism in her videos and persona, calling it a “tribute to mind control.” They say her stage name ‘Gaga' refers to being totally absent-minded, which can be achieved through mind control. Furthermore, in her early days, many of her videos were rife with triangles and all-seeing eye symbolism. However, some say her newest project proves that she's broken free from the Illuminati. After a little hiatus, she boasts a more subdued, realistic image and more meaningful, artistic music. So, then, why didn't they just kill her? In an appearance at Harvard, Gaga talked about how unhappy she was in the entertainment industry. She calls herself a ‘Stefanie/Gaga hybrid,' which Illuminati theorists saw as proof that she became an alternate, demonic personality under Illuminati control. She also says she disliked “being used to make people money,” another potential dig as being an “Illuminati puppet.”   Donald Trump is an Illuminati mind controller.   If all of these stars are under Illuminati mind control, who's doing the controlling? Aside from alleged Illuminati king Jay-Z, Donald Trump's hand signals reveal his status as a top Illuminati member. While using your hands when you talk is normal, conspiracy theorists say Trump's rather odd gestures are secret messages. The classic “a-ok” symbol apparently means the devil's number ‘666.' However, he also frequently makes the triangle symbol with his hands when he's at ease — which could be the same Illuminati gesture Jay-Z always makes or a reference to the vagina.    The Kanye West/Kim Kardashian/Taylor Swift feud was fabricated by the Illuminati. Apparently, when West humiliated Swift on stage at the 2009 VMAs, he welcomed her to the Illuminati.   As we know, they've managed to keep the feud in the media for years. While most people have begun to agree that anything these people do is just for publicity, according to The Vigilant Citizen, it's actually an Illuminati “psychological operation” aimed at kids “to precondition them to start believing in fabricated events.”   OK, lastly, let's talk about the lizard Illuminati. David Icke, the nut job conspiracy theorist, is the leading proponent of this theory.  This should explain it from an article on Time.com,    They are among us. Blood-drinking, flesh-eating, shape-shifting extraterrestrial reptilian humanoids with only one objective in their cold-blooded little heads: to enslave the human race. They are our leaders, corporate executives, beloved Oscar-winning actors, and Grammy-winning singers. They're responsible for the Holocaust, the Oklahoma City bombings, and the 9/11 attacks ... at least according to former BBC sports reporter David Icke, who became the poster human for the theory in 1998 after publishing his first book, The Biggest Secret, which contained interviews with two Brits who claimed members of the royal family are nothing more than reptiles with crowns. (Picture Dracula meets Swamp Thing).  The conspiracy theorist and New Age philosopher, who wore only turquoise for a time and insisted on being called Son of God-Head, says these "Annunaki" (the reptiles) have controlled humankind since ancient times; they count among their number Queen Elizabeth, George W. Bush, Henry Kissinger, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Bob Hope. Encroaching other conspiracy theorists' territory, Icke even claims that the lizards are behind secret societies like the Freemasons and the Illuminati. Since earning the dubious title of "paranoid of the decade" in the late 1990s, Icke has written several books on the topic, including his latest work, The David Icke Guide to the Global Conspiracy, while operating his own website — complete with merchandise and advertisements. The Top Ten Illuminati Movies https://www.imdb.com/search/keyword/?keywords=illuminati&sort=moviemeter,asc&mode=detail&page=1

Welcome to episode 30! The sisters have an exciting sesh for you all today! First and foremost, thank you to each and every one of you who have put us over the 1,100 listens mark (as of the publishing of this episode) You are all amazing and we thank you for sharing your precious time with us! As for the episode itself, KT first takes us through the not-so-known history of Jack Daniel's Distillery, shining a light on where the whiskey recipe REALLY came from! Next, Laurel takes us through the history of conspiracy theories as well as a little trip through the psychology of believing in them. *~*~*~*~*~ The Socials! Please follow us on social media (Instagram in particular) during the month of April! We will be continuing with our conspiracy theory history dive and will be doing little videos on a variety of listener chosen conspiracies! Come join the fun! Instagram -- @hightailinghistory Facebook -- Hightailing Through History or @HightailingHistory Twitter -- @HightailingPod *~*~*~*~*~*~ Source Materials History of Jack Daniel's-- “Jack Daniel.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Dec. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Daniel. “Our Story.” Jack Daniel's, https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/our-story. Risen, Clay. “Jack Daniel's Embraces a Hidden Ingredient: Help from a Slave (Published 2016).” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 June 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/dining/jack-daniels-whiskey-nearis-green-slave.amp.html. Today, and Callie Patteson. “Al Roker Learns about the True Story behind Jack Daniels' Legendary Whiskey.” Latest News, Videos & Guest Interviews from the Today Show on NBC, TODAY, 21 Aug. 2020, https://www.today.com/today/amp/tdna190010 History of Conspiracy Theories-- Brotherton, Rob. Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories. Bloomsbury Sigma, 2016. Cheathem, Mark R. “Conspiracy Theories Abounded in 19th-Century American Politics.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 11 Apr. 2019, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/conspiracy-theories-abounded-19th-century-american-politics-180971940/. Fea, John. “What We Can Learn from Early American Conspiracy Theories.” Time, Time, 24 Sept. 2020, https://time.com/5892376/early-american-conspiracy-theory/. Conover, Adam, host. “The Psychology Behind Conspiracy Theories with Rob Brotherton.” Factually! with Adam Conover, episode 80. Earwolf, 24 November 2020, https://www.earwolf.com/episode/the-thinking-behind-conspiracy-theories-with-rob-brotherton/ Honda, Kirk, host and Humberto, cohost. “The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories.” The Psychology in Seattle Podcast, Episode 1087. 25 May 2020, --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/laurel-rockall/message

Welcome to episode 30! The sisters have an exciting sesh for you all today! First and foremost, thank you to each and every one of you who have put us over the 1,100 listens mark (as of the publishing of this episode) You are all amazing and we thank you for sharing your precious time with us! As for the episode itself, KT first takes us through the not-so-known history of Jack Daniel's Distillery, shining a light on where the whiskey recipe REALLY came from! Next, Laurel takes us through the history of conspiracy theories as well as a little trip through the psychology of believing in them. *~*~*~*~*~ The Socials! Please follow us on social media (Instagram in particular) during the month of April! We will be continuing with our conspiracy theory history dive and will be doing little videos on a variety of listener chosen conspiracies! Come join the fun! Instagram -- @hightailinghistory Facebook -- Hightailing Through History or @HightailingHistory Twitter -- @HightailingPod *~*~*~*~*~*~ Source Materials History of Jack Daniel's-- “Jack Daniel.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Dec. 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Daniel. “Our Story.” Jack Daniel's, https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/our-story. Risen, Clay. “Jack Daniel's Embraces a Hidden Ingredient: Help from a Slave (Published 2016).” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 June 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/dining/jack-daniels-whiskey-nearis-green-slave.amp.html. Today, and Callie Patteson. “Al Roker Learns about the True Story behind Jack Daniels' Legendary Whiskey.” Latest News, Videos & Guest Interviews from the Today Show on NBC, TODAY, 21 Aug. 2020, https://www.today.com/today/amp/tdna190010 History of Conspiracy Theories-- Brotherton, Rob. Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories. Bloomsbury Sigma, 2016. Cheathem, Mark R. “Conspiracy Theories Abounded in 19th-Century American Politics.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 11 Apr. 2019, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/conspiracy-theories-abounded-19th-century-american-politics-180971940/. Fea, John. “What We Can Learn from Early American Conspiracy Theories.” Time, Time, 24 Sept. 2020, https://time.com/5892376/early-american-conspiracy-theory/. Conover, Adam, host. “The Psychology Behind Conspiracy Theories with Rob Brotherton.” Factually! with Adam Conover, episode 80. Earwolf, 24 November 2020, https://www.earwolf.com/episode/the-thinking-behind-conspiracy-theories-with-rob-brotherton/ Honda, Kirk, host and Humberto, cohost. “The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories.” The Psychology in Seattle Podcast, Episode 1087. 25 May 2020, --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/laurel-rockall/message

This show features Jamie Woodhouse of the Sentientism project on effectively communicating with those in the vegan movement who hold conspiratorial and/or non-evidence based views.  Links: Jamie is working to develop Sentientism (“evidence, reason and compassion for all sentient beings”) as a philosophy and as a global movement. He hosts the Sentientism Podcast and YouTube and has published articles and presented seminars on the Sentientism worldview. He is building a range of global Sentientism Communities (open to all so come and join) that so far span over 100 countries. You can find him on Twitter @JamieWoodhouse and @Sentientism. Links to all of these can be found at: https://sentientism.info/ What do veganism and conspiracy theories have in common? Article by Christopher Sebastian: https://www.euronews.com/green/2021/04/12/what-do-veganism-and-conspiracy-theories-have-in-common ‘The Vegan To Woogan Pipeline w/ Christopher Sebastian' – Ep 296 of The Bearded Vegans podcast: https://thecommentist.com/bearded-vegans/ep296/ How to talk to a climate change denier – video by George Marshall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp-nJKBwQR4 ‘The Psychology Behind Conspiracy Theories with Rob Brotherton' – Factually podcast: https://www.earwolf.com/episode/the-thinking-behind-conspiracy-theories-with-rob-brotherton/ ‘Wellness warriors': how Victoria's vaccine mandate sparked divisions in progressive Brunswick: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/27/wellness-warriors-how-victorias-vaccine-mandate-sparked-divisions-in-progressive-brunswick Novak Djokovic's ‘wildly anti-scientific' beliefs laid bare: https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/australian-open/novak-djokovics-wildly-antiscientific-beliefs-laid-bare/news-story/7ce62ef0e727102eb9cf1fea16779271 Waterford, J. 2020, ‘The not-so-dirty secret the COVID-19 panel wants to hide', The Canberra Times: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6700020/the-not-so-dirty-secret-the-covid-19-panel-wants-to-hide/  Music: Animal liberation by Los Fastidios: https://www.losfastidios.net/ Bad Science by Cursive – from the album Happy Hollow: https://cursive.bandcamp.com/album/happy-hollow 29 / 31 by Garfunkel and Oates: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-gfxjAaZg0 A Skeptic's Love Song by Just Nick: https://justnick.bandcamp.com/album/bedpunk  You can buy a Freedom of Species shirt to support our show and 3CR! The shirts are now only $15 and they are available in a range of styles and colours. The fitted shirts are available in small, large and extra-large: https://3cr-shop.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/freedom-of-species-semi-fitted-tshirt?variant=40295131938980 The looser fit shirts are available in XX-large: https://3cr-shop.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/freedom-of-species-loose-fitted-tshirt?variant=40295156023460

This episode is part of our Incredibly Human Book Club. We discuss the book "Suspicious Minds" by Rob Brotherton. To be human is to be suspicious. It's normal. Conspiracies can at times be lighthearted. They can be fun and engaging. But sometimes our suspicion can be dangerous. It can change our views of the world. In this episode we break down why we believe in conspiracy theories, but also how they can negatively impact our lives. Wars, extremists, shootings and bombings are the result of dangerous views of the world. Hitler believed conspiracies about Jews. This is why they can be dangerous if we do not protect ourselves. Conspiracies are the result of our brains need for clarity and order. We see patterns and look for intentions. But we also have a way of seeing the world in black and white. We look for good guys and bad guys. We see ourselves as heroes in the story. For a breakdown of this podcast and Suspicious Minds go to www.incrediblyhuman.com. Follow and subscribe to our youtube channel and social media accounts. 

In February 2021, Serbia was leading the “vaccination race”, with the highest vaccinations rates within Europe. The news outlets were reporting that the government had been successful in its vaccination strategy, which prioritized healthcare over politics by looking at the purchase and distribution of vaccines as a healthcare issue. But half a year later the number of given jabs has stagnated - a result of many complex factors, such as historical and socio-political connotations, as well as problems in public discourse, disinformation and controversial narratives. Emma Hontebeyrie - IDM's Podcast Producer - is welcoming Vuk Velebit - a political analyst focusing on relations between Serbia, Russia and the West based in Belgrade - to discuss how the Serbian vaccination process overlaps the current complex political, geopolitical and informative discourse. Artwork recommended by the guest: Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories, Rob Brotherton, 2017CEE – Central Europe Explained is a podcast series produced by the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe, powered by Erste Group. With: Vuk VelebitProduction and editing: Emma Hontebeyrie See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Unpack the psychology behind conspiracy theories. Do you have a pet conspiracy theory or two? Almost everyone does, although we usually hesitate to admit it. We know that conspiracy theories are regarded as being paranoid or nonsensical and yet we all engage with them from time to time. But have you ever wondered why people spend so much time and mental energy on conspiracies? Why do we want to believe in them? Why do we spend hours picking them apart? Suspicious Minds (2015) unpacks our relationship with conspiracies to answer these questions and more! Do you want more free book summaries like this? Download our app for free at https://www.QuickRead.com/App and get access to hundreds of free book and audiobook summaries. DISCLAIMER: This book summary is meant as a preview and not a replacement for the original book. If you like this summary please consider purchasing the original book to get the full experience as the original author intended to. If you are the original author of any book on QuickRead and would like us to remove it, please contact us at hello@quickread.com

Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘seeing things as they really are’ only erodes our ability to see the truth? What if our convictions and suspicions actually make it easier for truly dangerous people to remain hidden from our view? What do you mean ‘that’s exactly how they want you to think’? Who are ‘they’? Ah, I see. Contents Part I. Origins Part II. Solutions Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Conspiracy Theories, Quassim Cassam. (Book) Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories, Rob Brotherton. (Book) Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked untie an Intellectual Black Hole, Stephen Law. (Book) Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories, Michael Shermer. (Audiobook) Alex Jones Chases a Guy Across the Street. (YouTube) Alex Jones and Andrew Neil, BBC. (YouTube)

Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘seeing things as they really are’ only erodes our ability to see the truth? What if our convictions and suspicions actually make it easier for truly dangerous people to remain hidden from our view? What do you mean ‘that’s exactly how they want you to think’? Who are ‘they’? Ah, I see. Contents Part I. Origins Part II. Solutions Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Conspiracy Theories, Quassim Cassam. (Book) Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories, Rob Brotherton. (Book) Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked untie an Intellectual Black Hole, Stephen Law. (Book) Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories, Michael Shermer. (Audiobook) Alex Jones Chases a Guy Across the Street. (YouTube) Alex Jones and Andrew Neil, BBC. (YouTube)

Introduction Conspiracies happen. Sometimes there really are people who are plotting. Sometimes people use their power to undermine the power of others and harm people for their own personal gain. Sometimes, your paranoia is justified. Perhaps then, we should all be a little more suspicious. After all, don’t we want to protect the freedoms of our families, friends, and neighbours? Perhaps… but perhaps not. What if our suspicions lead us down a never-ending rabbit hole? What if our quest for ‘seeing things as they really are’ only erodes our ability to see the truth? What if our convictions and suspicions actually make it easier for truly dangerous people to remain hidden from our view? What do you mean ‘that’s exactly how they want you to think’? Who are ‘they’? Ah, I see. Contents Part I. Origins Part II. Solutions Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion Links Conspiracy Theories, Quassim Cassam. (Book) Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories, Rob Brotherton. (Book) Believing Bullshit: How Not to Get Sucked untie an Intellectual Black Hole, Stephen Law. (Book) Conspiracies and Conspiracy Theories, Michael Shermer. (Audiobook) Alex Jones Chases a Guy Across the Street. (YouTube) Alex Jones and Andrew Neil, BBC. (YouTube)

Men - and teenage boys - sometimes act foolishly in front of beautiful women. They are also known to take more risks if they know a woman is watching. Why? This episode begins with an interesting explanation that points to evolution as the reason why. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-03/sp-wdm031810.php We like to think that the world is fairly predictable and that we have good explanations for why things happen. The fact is we don’t in many cases. Why does one smoker die young while another lives to 100? Why do certain medicines work for some people but not other people? The answer is - no one really knows. Journalist and broadcaster Michael Blastland says that we need to face the fact that so much of how the world works is a total mystery. Michael is the author of a book called The Hidden Half (https://amzn.to/3pCFvt8). Listen as he makes the case that there are unforeseen forces that influence so much of what happens that no one can explain.  News is a big business. For centuries there have been newspapers, then news magazines, then radio and TV news and now we have 24-hour cable news networks. When you watch or read the news you get the impression that it is really important stuff. But is it? Do people really care what’s going on in the world. Listen to the surprising answer from Rob Brotherton, a psychology and science writer who teaches at Barnard College in New York and is author of the book Bad News: Why We Fall for Fake News (https://amzn.to/3dySmKn). If you are news watcher, you will find what he says to be fascinating.  Did you know chocolate was responsible (at least partly) for the discovery of the microwave oven? Do you know how much caffeine is in chocolate? And what about the link between chocolate and acne? Listen as I explain some fascinating facts about chocolate you may have never known. http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-chocolate/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! With Grove, making the switch to natural products has never been easier! Go to https://grove.co/SOMETHING and choose a free gift with your 1st order of $30 or more! M1 Is the finance Super App, where you can invest, borrow, save and spend all in one place! Visit https://m1finance.com/something to sign up and get $30 to invest! Athletic Greens is doubling down on supporting your immune system during the winter months. Visit https://athleticgreens.com/SOMETHING and get a FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase! https://www.geico.com Bundle your policies and save! It's Geico easy! Check out Dan Ferris and the Stansberry Investor Hour podcast at https://InvestorHour.com or on your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todos tenemos a algún conocido que cree en todas las teorías de conspiración que le envían por Whatsapp, incluso, es muy probable que tú creas en alguna. Pero, ¿por qué creemos en ellas? Eso investigamos en este episodio gracias al libro Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories de Rob Brotherton.

Adam brings on author and academic psychologist Rob Brotherton to discuss why our brains are wired for conspiracy. They how classism and elitism shape our opinions about conspiracy theorists, how the word “fact,” and how humility is the key to meaningful conversations about truth.

You'd never fall for a conspiracy theory, right? Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Psychologist Rob Brotherton explores the history of conspiracy theories — including a famous fake-news scare that was itself fake news — and explains why it's so hard to avoid them.

In episode 15, Rob Brotherton, a psychologist and science journalist, discussed the pandemic and conspiracy theories.

In episode 15, Rob Brotherton, a psychologist and science journalist, discussed the pandemic and conspiracy theories.

Conspiracy theorists do not wear tin-foil hats (for the most part). They are not just a few kooks lurking on the paranoid fringes of society with bizarre ideas about shape-shifting reptilian aliens running society in secret. They walk among us. They are us.Everyone loves a good conspiracy. Yet conspiracy theories are not a recent invention. And they are not always a harmless curiosity. In Suspicious Minds, Rob Brotherton explores the history and consequences of conspiracism, and delves into the research that offers insights into why so many of us are drawn to implausible, unproven and unproveable conspiracy theories. They resonate with some of our brain's built-in quirks and foibles, and tap into some of our deepest desires, fears, and assumptions about the world. The fascinating and often surprising psychology of conspiracy theories tells us a lot – not just why we are drawn to theories about sinister schemes, but about how our minds are wired and, indeed, why we believe anything at all. Conspiracy theories are not some psychological aberration – they're a predictable product of how brains work. This book will tell you why, and what it means. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Alien reptile conspiracy at heart of murder trial baffles prosecutors Cult leader describes murderer as ‘vampire witch reptilian super-soldier' Link: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/alien-reptile-cult-conspiracy-murder-trial-pennsylvania-a8954026.html “My boyfriend had a gun,” Barbara Rogers told the operator from a home in Coolbaugh Township, Pennsylvania, about 110 miles north of Philadelphia. “He told me to hold it here and press the trigger. Oh my God, he's dead!” When police arrived at the tan double-wide trailer, inside they found 32-year-old Steven Mineo dead from a close-range .45 bullet wound in his forehead. Rogers was arrested and charged with her boyfriend's murder. But behind what first appeared to be a simple domestic killing, investigators soon found a bizarre backstory involving an extra-terrestrial cult that had swallowed up both Rogers and Mr Mineo. According to the Pocono Record, as Rogers's first-degree murder trial began in March. She claimed in court the couple had gotten into a disagreement with the leader of the cult, who preaches a heady stew of alien conspiracy theories, apocalyptic biblical interpretation and warnings about “reptilian” extraterrestrials living secretly as humans. Rogers claimed a distraught Mineo had placed the gun in her hands and pulled the trigger. She said she did not know the gun was loaded. On Monday morning, a judge sentenced the 44-year-old to 15 to 40 years in prison, BRCTV 13 reported. The sentencing did not sit well with victim's family. “To me, it's amazing that somebody could put a gun to somebody's head, blow their brains out essentially, and a jury finds them guilty of third-degree murder and not first?” Jackie Mineo, the victim's aunt, told BRCTV 13. “She got a break, she got a big break today.” Ms Shriner told NJ.com she believed Rogers was a “vampire witch reptilian super-soldier”. The split seems to have started when Rogers wrote Facebook posts talking about her cravings for red meat and preference for steak tartare. Ms Shriner believed red meat was a sign that a person was actually reptilian. “There's only certain types of people who crave the raw meat, because they crave the blood. Those with the vampire demon in them,” Ms Shriner said in a YouTube video, according to NJ.com. Conspiracy craze: why 12 million Americans believe alien lizards rule us Link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/07/conspiracy-theory-paranoia-aliens-illuminati-beyonce-vaccines-cliven-bundy-jfk Psychologists are trying to determine why otherwise rational individuals can make the leap from “prudent paranoia” to illogical conspiracy theories According to a Public Policy Polling survey, around 12 million people in the US believe that interstellar lizards in people suits rule our country. We imported that particular belief from across the pond, where professional conspiracy theorist David Icke has long maintained that the Queen of England is a blood-drinking, shape-shifting alien. Conspiracy theories in general are not necessary bad, according to psychologists who study them. “If we were all completely trusting, it would not be good for survival,” explains Rob Brotherton, an academic psychologist and author of Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories. “Sometimes people really don't have our best interests in mind.” But when people leap from thinking their boss is trying to undermine them to believing their boss might be a secret lizard person, they probably cross from what psychologists refer to as “prudent paranoia” into illogical territory. And there are a lot of illogical ideas to pick from. Around 66 million Americans believe that aliens landed at Roswell, New Mexico; around 22 million people believe that the government faked the moon landing; and around 160 million believe that there is a conspiracy surrounding the assassination of former US president John F Kennedy. Chances are, we all know someone who believes some version of a conspiracy theory, which is why psychologists have been trying to understand what makes someone jump from logically questioning the world to looking for signs of lizard teeth in public figures. Joseph E Uscinski, associate professor of political science at the University of Miami and author of American Conspiracy Theories, puts it, “conspiracies are for losers”. Conspiracies are for losers ... people who are out of power use them to strategically close ranks, to salve their wounds. “I don't mean it in the pejorative sense, but people who are out of power use conspiracy theories to strategically alert their side to danger, to close ranks, to salve their wounds,” Uscinski explains. “Think any election, the morning after, half the country says the election was rigged and the other half is happy.” Show Stuff The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde or https://twitter.com/HordeDark TeePublic Store - Get your UBR goodies today! http://tee.pub/lic/2GQuXxn79dg UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com For Skype Users: bosscrawler

Alien reptile conspiracy at heart of murder trial baffles prosecutors Cult leader describes murderer as ‘vampire witch reptilian super-soldier' Link: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/alien-reptile-cult-conspiracy-murder-trial-pennsylvania-a8954026.html “My boyfriend had a gun,” Barbara Rogers told the operator from a home in Coolbaugh Township, Pennsylvania, about 110 miles north of Philadelphia. “He told me to hold it here and press the trigger. Oh my God, he's dead!” When police arrived at the tan double-wide trailer, inside they found 32-year-old Steven Mineo dead from a close-range .45 bullet wound in his forehead. Rogers was arrested and charged with her boyfriend's murder. But behind what first appeared to be a simple domestic killing, investigators soon found a bizarre backstory involving an extra-terrestrial cult that had swallowed up both Rogers and Mr Mineo. According to the Pocono Record, as Rogers's first-degree murder trial began in March. She claimed in court the couple had gotten into a disagreement with the leader of the cult, who preaches a heady stew of alien conspiracy theories, apocalyptic biblical interpretation and warnings about “reptilian” extraterrestrials living secretly as humans. Rogers claimed a distraught Mineo had placed the gun in her hands and pulled the trigger. She said she did not know the gun was loaded. On Monday morning, a judge sentenced the 44-year-old to 15 to 40 years in prison, BRCTV 13 reported. The sentencing did not sit well with victim's family. “To me, it's amazing that somebody could put a gun to somebody's head, blow their brains out essentially, and a jury finds them guilty of third-degree murder and not first?” Jackie Mineo, the victim's aunt, told BRCTV 13. “She got a break, she got a big break today.” Ms Shriner told NJ.com she believed Rogers was a “vampire witch reptilian super-soldier”. The split seems to have started when Rogers wrote Facebook posts talking about her cravings for red meat and preference for steak tartare. Ms Shriner believed red meat was a sign that a person was actually reptilian. “There's only certain types of people who crave the raw meat, because they crave the blood. Those with the vampire demon in them,” Ms Shriner said in a YouTube video, according to NJ.com. Conspiracy craze: why 12 million Americans believe alien lizards rule us Link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/apr/07/conspiracy-theory-paranoia-aliens-illuminati-beyonce-vaccines-cliven-bundy-jfk Psychologists are trying to determine why otherwise rational individuals can make the leap from “prudent paranoia” to illogical conspiracy theories According to a Public Policy Polling survey, around 12 million people in the US believe that interstellar lizards in people suits rule our country. We imported that particular belief from across the pond, where professional conspiracy theorist David Icke has long maintained that the Queen of England is a blood-drinking, shape-shifting alien. Conspiracy theories in general are not necessary bad, according to psychologists who study them. “If we were all completely trusting, it would not be good for survival,” explains Rob Brotherton, an academic psychologist and author of Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories. “Sometimes people really don't have our best interests in mind.” But when people leap from thinking their boss is trying to undermine them to believing their boss might be a secret lizard person, they probably cross from what psychologists refer to as “prudent paranoia” into illogical territory. And there are a lot of illogical ideas to pick from. Around 66 million Americans believe that aliens landed at Roswell, New Mexico; around 22 million people believe that the government faked the moon landing; and around 160 million believe that there is a conspiracy surrounding the assassination of former US president John F Kennedy. Chances are, we all know someone who believes some version of a conspiracy theory, which is why psychologists have been trying to understand what makes someone jump from logically questioning the world to looking for signs of lizard teeth in public figures. Joseph E Uscinski, associate professor of political science at the University of Miami and author of American Conspiracy Theories, puts it, “conspiracies are for losers”. Conspiracies are for losers ... people who are out of power use them to strategically close ranks, to salve their wounds. “I don't mean it in the pejorative sense, but people who are out of power use conspiracy theories to strategically alert their side to danger, to close ranks, to salve their wounds,” Uscinski explains. “Think any election, the morning after, half the country says the election was rigged and the other half is happy.” Show Stuff The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde or https://twitter.com/HordeDark TeePublic Store - Get your UBR goodies today! http://tee.pub/lic/2GQuXxn79dg UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com For Skype Users: bosscrawler

encore See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

interview by Joe Uscinski & Alan R Warren See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Camilla Benbow and David Lubinski spent their lives studying child geniuses. Their advice on how to create a baby Einstein? Do nothing. Then, conspiracy theories have gotten a lot of attention in the last year, but psychologist Rob Brotherton says they've been around for a long time. And finally, Thomas Gilovich thinks he can make you wise... or at least, the wisest person in the room.

Camilla Benbow and David Lubinski spent their lives studying child geniuses. Their advice on how to create a baby Einstein? Do nothing. Plus, conspiracy theories have gotten a lot of attention in the last year, but psychologist Rob Brotherton says they've been around for a long time. And finally, Thomas Gilovich thinks he can make you wise... or at least, the wisest person in the room.

Rob Brotherton is the author of Suspicious Minds: Why We Believe Conspiracy Theories. Rob has a doctorate in the psychology of conspiracy theories, and taught classes at the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths. He joins us in this episode to discuss the psychology of conspiracies. Read the episode notes

Is Donald Trump actually a CIA asset with implants in his small hands or are our brains just wired for paranoia – or both! Rob Brotherton, author of Suspicious Minds, explains how our cognitive biases push us to see Conspiracies everywhere. Plus a look back to when the CIA weaponized Abstract Expressionism (one of the greatest real Conspiracies of all time). image by Celeste Lai