Chemtrails or contrails?

An excellent example of an evolving conspiracy theory is the debate over Chemtrails. If you start watching the sky carefully, you will notice that sometimes there are trails left behind planes such as in the picture above. Under certain conditions contrails form behind jet aircraft. These conditions usually involve planes flying at very high altitudes (above 8km) and very cold temperatures (less than -40 degrees Celsius), but contrails can form in certain other conditions.

Chemtrail theorists suspect that these clouds are evidence of an intentional spraying program. One common idea is that chemtrails are a secret program to combat global warming by spraying reflective particles into the atmosphere. Anyone who watches the sky on days when these clouds are sticking will notice that as time progresses the clouds tend to disperse and eventually "grey-out" large areas of sky.

Even if these clouds are just "harmless" aircraft contrails, the fact that they can completely block out the sky seems like a major environmental hazard. This likely helps to explain why chemtrails are such a popular conspiracy topic. There are numerous time lapse sequences available on the Internet that demonstrate the thick cloud banks being formed from the jet contrails/chemtrails.



Air pollution from jets is a terrible thing, but pollution does not really qualify as a conspiracy. There are many Fringe ideas about chemtrails worth exploring. Before we head into the outer realms, here is another video from Channel 4, KNBC, in Los Angeles. This video raises the question of chemtrails, and then shows several interviews with scientists advocating future spraying of reflective chemicals to combat global warming. Given the mainstream media origin of this piece, disinfo must of course be suspected!



Of the three main chemtrail theories, we have already covered the idea of covertly fighting global warming to avoid admitting to the populace that there is a problem. The rationale for secrecy is to avoid market panics or political repercussions while minimizing embarrassment of officials who until very recently have denied the scientific research about global warming. While a secret project to fight global warming that involves spraying chemicals in the air without public consent sounds pretty bad, there are far more Fringe-worthy theories out there.

Some on the Fringe think that these sprayings are either poisonous or toxic agents meant to stress the bodies of those who are already sickened or weak. Instead of being directly deadly, some think the chemtrails are the first step in a two part scheme to cull the human population. The basic idea is that the chemicals sprayed will somehow weaken the population and make them extra susceptible to the second agent, likely an infectious biological agent. Of course the powers that be (PTB) will have an antidote available for themselves and necessary workers. These ideas usually involve a suspected NWO or Illuminati plot. Have you been feeling ill, fatigued, or run down lately? The idea that the sky is raining toxicity down upon unsuspecting millions is an intimidating prospect.

The meme of chemtrails invites a large following because people can observe these clouds for themselves. Since there is something going on, it is easy to project fears onto this phenomenon. If regular airplane traffic is able to blot out the sky, shouldn't there be more regulation regarding flight patterns or at least some official discussion of the environmental issues? The dismissive response to this point by government and military officials makes it easier to imagine vast conspiracies behind the observations. Have you noticed the chemtrails? What do you think?

Proverbial onions

Conspiracy theory can be likened to the proverbial onion with one important twist: each time you peel away a layer, the onion gets larger, more contradictory, more confusing, and far more bizarre. There is no hope of reducing the layers down to a unified core. As one begins to investigate theories about the New World Order (NWO), themes of wealthy elites manipulating the masses for their own selfish ends and rigging capitalism to maximize profits while disregarding human rights lead the seeker to ancient families of Illuminati who have been secretly steering humanity for centuries. The Freemasons are usually implicated at about this point, along with the Vatican, the Mormons, and the Scientologists.

The onion is now very hard to perceive through the contradictions and chaotic tangles of connections and control that comprise the Illuminati's power. One might conclude that it is impossible to find a deeper level of explanation. However, peeling away another layer we find that the Illuminati are actually working for aliens. The aliens have either come to conquer earth from another solar system, from within the Moon or Mars, or they were alien visitors somehow stranded on Earth thousands of years ago. They are often felt to be responsible for manipulating humanity since culture began.

Some disagree with the alien theories, placing their bets on lost magi from Atlantis who have worked to control humanity after they destroyed their land in a terrible cataclysm. The more spiritually focused speak of fallen angels who seek to foster chaos and suffering - pure evil in action.

There are hybrids of these individual theories. Sometimes the aliens were just mistaken for fallen angels, giving rise to myths of giants or demons. The aliens may have settled in Atlantis first, only moving towards dominating the rest of humanity after destroying their first outpost. The aliens/demons may have actually created the human race by genetic engineering or interbreeding.

To summarize: Aliens, Annunaki, Nephilim, Greys, Angels, Altantians, and Illuminati are working to enact their secret plans by controlling multinational corporations, the Vatican, Freemasons, Scientologists, Satanists, and most Governments. They have almost succeeded with their master plan which involves serious suffering and possibly the extinction of humanity.

This tangle of ideas seems mostly overwhelming and depressing. While information sources sometimes provide ideas for resisting the secret plans or other positive courses of action, many just provide the distressing information leaving the reader to sort through the emotional trauma of such shocking ideas. Some conspiracy theorists think that perhaps all this NWO info is disinfo designed to depress and suppress the curious while distracting them from what is really going on!

Disinfo from step one.

Beginning our tour of the Net Fringe is a venerable website from the early days of the Internet. Disinfo.org is paradoxically a relatively reliable source of information on topics ranging from politics, globalization and technology to drugs, sex and the occult. Disinfo generally maintains a non-radical viewpoint involving conspiracy or occult issues, posting articles from believers, non-believers and agnostics allowing the readers to think for themselves.

Disinfo is an excellent starting point for the novice to ease into the world of the Fringe that promises significant depth and balance to those who continue to explore. Its editing and production values are professional which contributes to longterm utility as a news source. The site shows influences from Robert Anton Wilson and postmodern occultists. The Disinformation Company has published books about these ideas as well as works on many other Fringe topics.

Using a site called Disinfo for news and information is a wonderful irony. However, Disinfo has gained cred by repeatedly publishing stories that were ignored by the mainstream media. I hope you enjoy their spin as much as I have.

Grousing Grampa style

Starting this project brings back memories of my grandfather, a salt-of-the-earth rancher/farmer who went to Germany in WWII and had a keen libertarian streak. He was very suspicious of the government, especially after seeing how the German folk had been manipulated into genocidal atrocity by their leadership. He always maintained that the same thing could happen anywhere. He had a personal preventative arsenal of firearms, and I think he always half-suspected he might have to use them to defend his freedom at any time.

Before the NWO or the Trilateral commission, we had the communist conspiracy scare. This is well-covered in mainstream history and was personified by Joseph McCarthy who certainly engaged in abuses of power in his pursuit of "Reds" or their sympathizers. Public awareness of these abuses have likely fueled the later manifestations of conspiracy theory. One basic pattern includes hidden overwhelming foes who desire nothing less than to crush and dominate human society. These foes often have infiltrated the government in order to use the government against the people. From communists to Illuminati to alien invaders to Luciferien spiritual armies, the hidden overwhelming foe is a cardinal Fringe archetype.

Being hidden allows the foe to be seen everywhere, to be behind the chaos pulling strings. Conspiracy is as old as language, and where there has been consolidated power there has been abuse of power. Those with power usually seek to maintain it. These truisms give conspiracy theorists a reasonable basis for suspecting that something is going on that does not have the best interests of the common man in mind.

After considering the ongoing human history of imperialist domination and exploitation of other humans, it is easy to see how Fringe theory has arisen. Conspiracy theory reflects the dark side of human experience. It is a Jungian mirror and projection of our Shadow. The symbolism of a few elites manipulating and dominating the masses echoes past feudalism and primeval despotism. Conspiracy theory is an organic tableau responding to the tribulations of human greed, sadism, and lack of empathy or compassion. The world is rife with rampant poverty, disease, environmental stress, and human exploitation. In explaining such a severe situation, the mind imagines an equally severe mover behind our predicament. We now enter the snake-pit of smoke, mirrors, contradictions, paradox, misdirection, lies, and paranoia. Many in the Fringe culture explain this by noting that the disinfo is promulgated by those in power to delude or blind the truth seeker. Keep your eyes open!

Welcome!

Thank you for reading the Fringe Reporter. I hope to be able to provide an interesting glimpse into the seductive world of hidden agenda, conspiratorial mystery, alternative history and occult connections that have populated the Internet. My exposure to conspiracy began as a young child listening to my grandfather grouse about the Bildebergers, the Trilateralists, and the NWO. While I usually chuckled to myself during these rants, they must have had a significant impact on me as I have found a delightful fascination in studying fringe materials as an adult.

Rather than an academic overview, this blog will pursue a serendipitous meandering path through the significant volumes of material on the Internet. My aim is to explore with a gently-skeptical agnostic open mind. Conspiracy theory and occult ideas provide a wonderful lens into aspects of the human mind when approached from a psychodynamic framework. I do not plan to focus on whether the theories and ideas discussed have a basis in reality or are paranoid projections. I am interested in the meanings assigned to these ideas and the humanity that produces them. This topic is a rabbit-hole which can be overwhelming and intimidating. The topics of these ideas often deal with negative or alarming concepts that speak to the alienation and hidden fears of modern man. I hope you will be able to see the intricate beauty and creativity in these stories and ideas. Who knows, some of the stories might even be true!

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