If you are anything like me, or any modern, paranoid millennial, conspiracy theories are your guilty, evil pleasure. There are thousands that run through the cyber-sphere, but these top five, in my opinion, stand out as the freakiest, most mind-blowing theories. They’ll without a doubt keep you up at night thinking of the next alien invasion, or wondering where John F. Kennedy’s brain is located.
5. The Mandela Effect
To sum it up simply, the Mandela Effect is a theory that we were once in another universe, and are now living in a parallel one. While this seems ludicrous at first hearing, many thousands of people claim to remember Nelson Mandela dying in the 80’s. However, Mandela passed away in December of 2013. Thus, bringing upon the name of the phenomenon where thousands upon thousands of people claim to remember things a certain way. For example, Oscar Mayer was never spelt as Oscar Meyer. The line “Mirror mirror on the wall”, from the iconic Disney film Snow White, is actually “Magic mirror on the wall.” This frustrating phenomenon doesn’t end there. There are hundreds of accounts, such as Sex and the City being previously named Sex In the City. Some people even have fished up old memorabilia, which proves that we could be living in another universe.
Pictured above is a photo of someone’s old Sex In the City’s perfume, and to the right is the official logo for the series. Questionable, hm?
4. Aliens
As a collective unit, we love the idea of aliens. Some truly believe in their existence, while others brush it off. However, the universe is a very big place. Anything is possible. Some people even bring up accounts of remembering being on a table during abduction, while a ‘praying mantis insect’ looked over them. You can get lost in that story here. As superficial as it seems through Hollywood interpretations, aliens could be real and they could be in any form. (Maybe they even look like us.)
3. Nostradamus’ Predictions
This one in particular skeeves me out the most. Nostradamus was a French physician from the 1500’s who published many prophecies and what we now see as predictions. Predicting major world events, such as Napoleon, Hitler’s rise, JFK and RFK’s assassinations, and even the event of 9/11. His prediction reads, “Earthshaking fire from the center of the Earth Will cause tremors around the New City. Two great rocks will war for a long time, Then Arethusa will redden a new river.” He even predicts the atomic bombs upon Hiroshima and Nagasaki, reading; “Near the gates and within two cities There will be scourges the like of which was never seen, Famine within plague, people put out by steel, Crying to the great immortal God for relief.” You can read more of these theories here.
2. Government’s Control
One of the more popular, long-lasting conspiracies, in my opinion, revolves around government control and the concept of the Illuminati. We’ve all had the irrational fear that the government has some type of control over what we do. In my case, I had a comical fear I was being watched. (As if the government would have any type of care for what I did). However, logically, we are unaware of the power that is held in the seats above us. This insecurity of knowledge brings upon ideas and conspiracies that make people afraid. The concept of the Illuminati is that the people in government, and even the media, are apart of a larger group of secret societies who want to take over the world. Now, as ridiculous as it sounds, it isn’t so far fetched. Think of the many dictators around the world and how they were brought up. You must know someone before you know how to control them. Think of Russian spies, for example. All I’m saying is, keep an eye on your search history, you don’t want the Men in Black showing up at your door tonight.
1. John F. Kennedy’s Assassination
This wouldn’t be an article revolving around conspiracy theories if it didn’t include JFK’s very complex, confusingly empty-answered assassination. We all have heard, or at least know of the event that happened November 22, 1963. But, do we actually know the actions that took place? To sum it up, JFK was visiting Dallas for his campaign. He rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, TX. As the car passed through the Texas Book Depository, shots were fired from behind. Thus ensued complete chaos. However, the Warren Commission believed that Lee Harvey Oswald was the suspect. When they brought him to the police station, a gang member shot him dead. Many believe that Oswald was set up, that there were multiple shooters, and that there were shots from the front, not the Book Depository. Not only were questions of the intention, shooter, and suspects unanswered, but the President’s car was taken and cleaned immediately to remove any blood stain evidence, and his brain even went missing three years after the assassination. Many believe it was the work of the government while others believe it was the Mafia. The truth is, our questions may never be answered; except, they might. On October 26th, 1992, the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act mandates that all JFK assassination records must be fully declassified by 26 October, 2017. We may live to know the truth.
While these are only five of hundreds of conspiracies, we learn new things that make us question things everyday. Since it’s considered learning, you can indeed keep wasting hours googling, your homework can definitely wait. You’re about to solve the world’s unanswerable questions.