Since I have become attentive to “caring about the earth” I have encountered numerous conspiracy theories that explain what is by describing a secretive elite that is manipulating the workings of the planet. I meet them with a mix of curiosity, anxiety and doubt. They have an appeal and, at the same time, they feel not quite right.
Today, as I was chopping wood, it occurred to me that conspiracy theories (regardless of their truthfulness) are a manifestation of an us-and-them mentality. They exemplify the story of separation (that we are separate individual beings) which has been dominant and insinuating itself deep into human consciousness for a few thousand years.
To me the story of separation has lots relevancy. It is an obsolete view to me … I tried living by it … and the results were disappointing.
So here is my conspiracy theory on conspiracy theories. The story of separation we have been telling ourselves isn’t working out. However a big part of that story is control … me as a separate being and how I control the other beings around me. In that story, when something doesn’t work out more pressure is applied to assert more control. It is this pressure to understand separation, from within separation that creates these extreme images of separation – conspiracy theories. It is a delusional sollution for a real problem.
The funny thing is that in the larger scheme of things I can see an overall improvement. It seems to me that civilizations are, for the most part, morphing away from centralistic power (think devoutly religious kings) towards … other things. Even in the “us and them” of conspiracy theories a core truth is emerging … the “us” part is growing … and will continue to grow until we rid ourselves of the notion of “them”.