I used to find conspiracy theories interesting. It's interesting that some believe we faked the moon landing, or that Elvis Presley didn't actually die in 1977 (instead, he put on a mask and changed his name to "Orion," and continues) But these types of "harmless weirdo" conspiracy theories have always been rare. Their popularity is often overshadowed by hateful (but politically useful) conspiracy theories that boil down to "it's the Jews' fault."
Still, there are some "harmless" conspiracy theories out there that capture the age-old "wait, do people believe it?" energy. Here are some of my favorites, as well as some conspiracy theories that may seem harmless on the surface, but secretly hide some terrifying beliefs.
The year is actually 1727
According to the "phantom time hypothesis", the year is not 2024, but 1727. 614 to 911 never happened. They are simply added to the calendar, artificially pushing the date forward. The theory comes from German author Heribert Illig, who details the theory in a 1996 (sorry, I mean 1699) book that blames the missing dates on Holy Roman Emperors Otto III and Pope Sylvester II, they conspired to change the date so that Otto could become emperor in 1000. Radiocarbon dating, records of solar eclipses and comet appearances, Chinese written history, and a wealth of other evidence all refute this theory, but ultimately, I'm glad the Jews weren't blamed for the theft over the years. .
The moon is not real
This conspiracy theory comes from the flat-earther world, where it's a fringe belief even there, but the theory is that the moon doesn't actually exist. What you see in the sky at night are projections that someone put there, presumably to make us think the world is round. In a weird way, this makes sense. If the Earth were truly flat, then the Moon's movement across the sky would make no sense—unless it didn't really exist . Since we can see the moon, it must be a projection. There is no other explanation.
Showing your butt is a good idea
Practitioners of "perineal basking" or "butthole basking," a fringe belief in the "wellness community," believe that briefly exposing the area between your genitals and anus to sunlight can give you energy and improve your health. Blood circulation, hormone regulation, and has a variety of effects. Other health benefits. There's no way to absolutely prove otherwise , but there's also no evidence that it is. Doctors point out that blemishes are sensitive to sunlight, so you can get sunburned, and sunbathing in places where the sun (traditionally) doesn't hit puts you at greater risk of skin cancer, but butthole sunbakers generally recommend being very brief exposure and the use of sunscreen is recommended. So you should probably do that.
You don't need food and water to survive
Eaters believe we don't need food to survive, and some believe we don't need water either. In the West, the belief dates back to a Rosicrucian document from 1670, which describes a doctor who "lived for several years taking only half the essence of the sun." Total fasting is also described in ancient Hindu texts and is often attributed to particularly enlightened or wise people. To this day, people still occasionally claim that they have gone months or years without eating or drinking (scientists are baffled by this). These sneaky eaters will eventually get caught (like the founder of the American Respiratory Institute who was caught eating hot dogs, Slurpees, and a box of Twinkies outside a 7-Eleven), or no one has yet. them.
death is not inevitable
Amoralists believe that life can be extended indefinitely. Clearly, a lot of scientific effort has been put into extending human lifespan, but so far, everyone dies. Even you. Like breatharians, there have been many people throughout history who publicly claimed immortality, but as far as we know, they all eventually died (and their deaths were certainly particularly embarrassing.)
The pine cone is a symbol of mystery
There are many who believe that the appearance of the pinecone in the art of various ancient civilizations is a symbol of human enlightenment and the pineal gland, which is said to be the source of mystical knowledge and visions. What the YouTube videos and websites that confidently promote these theories seem to miss is that the pineal gland is named after the pine cone because the gland has the same shape. There is also no reason to think that the symbolism of the pine cone was the same thing to the ancient Assyrians and the ancient Greeks. We don't know what they mean. A more reasonable theory is that pine cones often appear in ancient art because their repeating patterns are visually interesting and interesting to carve.
Two secretly harmful conspiracy theories
Both of these conspiracy theories may seem like "weird, fun" conspiracy theories, but once you scratch the surface, you'll realize that they are actually based on toxic ideas.
Helen Keller was a liar
This conspiracy theory claims that Helen Keller didn't actually do all the things people think she deserves credit for, especially writing books, or that she wasn't actually deaf and blind. "Helen Keller was a liar" has become a popular meme on TikTok over the past few years, but the accusation actually dates back to 1892. While I think TikTokers were mostly joking, it didn't feel like a "harmless" joke. It may seem like a theory because it is based on the belief that people with disabilities are not sufficiently capable to perform certain intellectual tasks.
On the other hand, in the 1960s and 1970s it was widely believed that "facilitated communication" would allow non-verbal people (mainly people with severe autism) to communicate (a theory that got more than it deserved more recognition). . Some previously nonverbal people wrote books and graduated from college with help from counselors who helped them point to letters or words. But once tested in practice, communication proved to be the product of the coordinator alone. So this could have happened to Keller; there's no reason to think it did , but it's at least possible. (Unlike the crazy theory below.)
The White House was built thousands of years ago by giants
When I first heard about the "Tatar Empire," I thought I had discovered a rich and fascinating conspiracy theory that didn't make me feel "icky." I was wrong.
According to conspiracy theorists, the Tatars are an ancient and advanced civilization, sometimes considered giants, who built thousands of famous buildings around the world, including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, and the White House , and just about every gorgeous pre-modernist building you’ve ever seen. Built thousands of years ago, these edifices are more than buildings; They hold the key to Tatar's free energy, and if you study them hard enough (and wear your hat too tightly), you can find hidden clues in the architectural details. The Tatars were buried in some kind of "mud flood", which, depending on who you ask, happened 100 years ago (when my grandmother was still alive!). Much of recent history, including World War I and World War II, has been an attempt to erase evidence of the Tatars so that we would not know their free energy secrets.
This may seem like a weird, harmless crackpot theory, but the Tatars appear to be very similar to the Aryan race invented by the Nazis. Plus, the Tatar theory is catching on, and its popularity is about to take it from stupid to ugly.
Most Tatar believers look like well-meaning fools who don't understand architecture or history, but their theories are so outlandish that there's no comprehensive historical narrative to tie them together. It's a patchwork of silly and often conflicting ideas, but as it gains credence among gullible people, bad actors step in to shape the narrative. People like white nationalist Holocaust denier Stu Peters are throwing their weight behind the Tatar theory, so it's only a matter of time before the old conspiracy theory pattern repeats itself and someone answers the question "What happened to the Tatars?" "It's the Jews' fault."
