Saturday, February 06, 2010

Conspiracy Theories - The Emperor's New Clothes

When I was a kid, my Dad gifted me the Hans Christian Anderson story book, 'The Emperor's New Clothes'. I used to think the story was really funny, but as I grew up, I realized that 'The Emperor's New Clothes' had a profound moral. You can read the full story here.

The story was about an Emperor who cares only about his looks. One day, two scoundrels pretending to be weavers promise to make him a suit from a beautiful fabric that happens to be invisible to anyone who is stupid or incompetent. The Emperor is so impressed by the weavers 'sales talk' that he hires them to make the suit. Though the Emperor cannot see the cloth himself, he pretends that he can because he does not want to appear stupid. All his ministers and court staff do the same.

emperors new clothes conspiracy theories india fake hoax scams
When the swindlers report that the suit is finished, he pays them in gold and they pretend to dress him using mime. The Emperor then marches in procession before his subjects. A child in the crowd sees the Emperor in his underwear and shouts that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all. The child's father tells him to shut up but many others in the crowd also notice. The Emperor realizes the truth but thinks it better to continue with the procession. He thinks it is better that the public appear stupid for not being able to see the special cloth than for him to appear stupid for appearing in his underwear.

The moral of this story is:
If something does not look right, sound right or feel right to you, no matter how many authority figures claim that is is true, research the issue and think for yourself.

When applied to real life -
  • The Emperor = Government.
  • Swindler 1 = Scientists and Researchers.
  • Swindler 2 = Big Corporate Entities like pharmaceutical companies, seed manufacturers, military equipment makers, construction majors, oil companies and so on.
  • Ministers = Media.
  • Court Staff = Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Pressure Groups.
  • The Child = Me and other people who see the truth.
  • The Father = My family, colleagues and close friends who disbelieve.
  • The Public = Everyone else.
Well, here is a list of some world issues/events that did not seem right to me. Some people would consider my writings as 'conspiracy theories'. For me, these posts are just a way of thinking differently and seeing facts in a different light. I would just like you to read through them and give me your feedback -
  • Poisonous BT Brinjal - Genetically modified seed manufacturers are bent on getting Government approval for this badly tested product to increase their monopoly in the agricultural sector and further subjugate the Indian farmer.
  • Swine Flu or H1N1 Influenza Hoax - Another disease conspiracy perpetuated by pharmaceutical companies and the United Nations to generate business and bring the world out of recession.
  • Fake Beggars in India - Professional beggar gangs are out to cheat foreign tourists and philanthropists. Most voluntary organizations and NGO's are just an eyewash.
  • HIV AIDS Scam - Pharmaceutical companies have done a huge 'public relations' job to promote this fake disease with a hope to make big bucks on the sale of contraceptives, medical tests, ARV drugs and medicines to treat HIV related illnesses like Tuberculosis.
  • Job Advertisements - Private companies routinely advertise job vacancies in newspapers or websites to collect resumes and conduct interviews. However, they actually fill in these positions with recommended people only.
  • Narmada Dam - The Gujarat government is spending a lot of money on a redundant technology that has few advantages and only seeks to benefit the rich. Why?
  • Bird Flu or Avian Influenza Hoax - A fake disease perpetuated by pharmaceutical companies to make big profits.

2 comments:

  1. I think its about people playing on what 1 believes about themselves..Jst like lotto..ever1 feels they deserve to win so buy tickets, ppl played on the Emperors Vanity..which made him blind to what was happening and people jst taking the piss out of him. He thought he was superior and the ppl played it to there own advantage. Happens all the time vip tickets any one??

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  2. The scam here is religion. Everyone has been told to believe something that cannot be seen and there is no evidence for its existence. No-one dares to think for themselves and so the scam perpetuates up the chain of command. All it takes is the innocence of youth to open people's eyes to the facts.

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