The Origin of the Modern Day ConspiracyEven though the Illuminati is now a conspiracy, it did once exist as a real society centuries ago. It eventually faded into irrelevance as a society, until the 1960s. The Illuminati that people mention today is a conspiracy that originates from the Discordian movement. A book called Principia Discordia proclaimed civil disobedience and anarchy and this new belief system triggered an entirely new idea of the Illuminati than what it was in the 18th century.
Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley are known to be the founders of this movement because they wrote Principia Discordia. In this book, they declare that they are followers of the Goddess Eris, also known as the goddess of strife and discord. The book taught essentially three basic principles: the Aneristic Principle (apparent order), the Eristic Principle (apparent disorder), and the fact that there is no distinction between the two. The book is basically a parody religion, but it was not the last of its kind. |
Hill, G., & Thornley, K. (1979). Prinicipia Discordia. Loompanics.
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Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea contributed to this movement when they began to send fake contradictory letters to media filled with theories about how a secret organization was responsible for many government conspiracies and cover-ups. Eventually, they compiled the letters into The Illuminatus Trilogy!, including the books, The Eye in the Pyramid, The Golden Apple, and Leviathan. The chaotic books created an obsession with this unique conspiracy and have acquired a cult-like following.
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Robert Shea at British National Theatre for the stage version of Illuminatus by Richard Adams under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Modern Day ConspiracyIn the 21st century, the Illuminati is considered by conspiracy theorists to be the “New World Order” in which a group of A-list celebrities and important figures are secretly pulling all the strings in today’s society. This theory has grown from believers finding apparent subtle references to the Illuminati in pop culture. Symbols that are associated with the Illuminati are the Eye of Horus and pyramids. If either of these symbols is seen in music, television, or media, conspiracists will declare it as evidence for their theories.
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There is actually an entire official Illuminati website that details the ideas behind the organization. The purpose this organization claims to serve is to “ensure the ongoing dominance of the human species over every other creature and predator on this planet.” They have four main pillars of their beliefs: the pyramid, the eye, the light, and the eternal circle. The pyramid concept states that “money is not the root of all evil, money is the route to all freedom”. The eye concept proclaims that when a human goes through the Awakening, their true Eye is opened as they now possess some divine knowledge about the universe. The light is believed to be an invisible guide that leads to lives of happiness and success without selfishness. The final pillar, the eternal circle, is founded on the idea that our actions leave an impact that lasts generations and that every decision we make is a part of the universe’s ultimate eternal plan.
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Aside from the overall goals and principles, the Illuminati is the root of numerous specific conspiracies. For example, A popular Illuminati conspiracy is that Beyonce and Jay Z are high ranking members of the group because people claimed that Jay Z rose to fame in the 90s by making a deal with the group. The spread of more bizarre theories is perpetuated mainly by the internet.
" THE ILLUMINATI HAS NO BELIEF BUT THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE HUMAN SPECIES "
- illuminatiofficial.org
ILLUMINATI IN THE AGE OF TECHNOLOGY
READ ABOUT THE ILLUMINATI ON THESE PLATFORMS
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With all the information on the internet, it’s no surprise that it’s one big breeding ground for conspiracy theorists. The Illuminati conspiracy can be found on multiple social media platforms and websites such as Reddit, Twitter, and Youtube. On Reddit, there are countless posts ranting about the existence of the Illuminati in pop culture, from Lady Gaga’s performances to hidden messages in the Star Wars movies. Youtube has also played a huge role in the conspiracy. Type in the words "Illuminati conspiracy" and dozens of videos explaining different sub-theories will pop up. The convenience and accessibility of the internet and a strategic presentation of information is the perfect combination to coax susceptible followers into believing the conspiracy and joining the movement.
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Citations
Galer, S. S. (2017, August 9). The accidental invention of the Illuminati conspiracy. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20170809-the-accidental-invention-of-the-illuminati-conspiracy
Hill, G., & Thornley, K. (n.d.). The Principia Discordia. Retrieved from https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tilt/principia/body.html
Hill, G., & Thornley, K. (1979). Prinicipia Discordia. Loompanics.
Illuminatiam. (2018, September 26). The Illuminati: Official Website. Retrieved from https://www.illuminatiofficial.org/
Shea, R., & Wilson, R. A. (1975). The Illuminatus! trilogy. Dell Publishing.
Wang, A. (2019, July 23). 15% of registered voters say they believe the Illuminati exists. Retrieved from https://www.insider.com/over-1-in-10-registered-voters-believe-the-illuminati-exists-2019-7
Who are the Illuminati and what do they control? (2020, March 26). Retrieved from https://www.theweek.co.uk/62399/what-is-the-illuminati-and-what-does-it-control
Wilson, Robert Anton, et al. The Illuminati Papers. Ronin Pub., 1997.
Hill, G., & Thornley, K. (n.d.). The Principia Discordia. Retrieved from https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~tilt/principia/body.html
Hill, G., & Thornley, K. (1979). Prinicipia Discordia. Loompanics.
Illuminatiam. (2018, September 26). The Illuminati: Official Website. Retrieved from https://www.illuminatiofficial.org/
Shea, R., & Wilson, R. A. (1975). The Illuminatus! trilogy. Dell Publishing.
Wang, A. (2019, July 23). 15% of registered voters say they believe the Illuminati exists. Retrieved from https://www.insider.com/over-1-in-10-registered-voters-believe-the-illuminati-exists-2019-7
Who are the Illuminati and what do they control? (2020, March 26). Retrieved from https://www.theweek.co.uk/62399/what-is-the-illuminati-and-what-does-it-control
Wilson, Robert Anton, et al. The Illuminati Papers. Ronin Pub., 1997.