The Origins of Conspiracy Theories
Conspiracies have always been a part of culture and the basis of ideology and beliefs. Things such as Bigfoot, the Lochness Monster, Mermaids, and the Bermuda Triangle all have interesting history behind them. Considering this, all of these have also evolved.
In the Scottish Highlands sits a beautiful green lake, supposedly home to a monster. According to history.com, The first recorded ‘sighting’ of this creature was in 1922 in Lochness Lake when a couple assumed to have seen a large reptilian monster jumping in the water. Since then there have been efforts to find the beast but all have proven to be unsuccessful.
Opinions on the Lochness monster tend to range from absolutely not to a definite yes. Who anonymous student in particular said, “A bunch of drunken Irish men were bored.”
Another student added, “Yes, but it's in Lake Ontario,'' Joran Brown, 11 said.
graphic by bella alimenti
The Bermuda Triangle is more a natural mystery than a conspiracy. According to the history.com editors, the Bermuda Triangle has been referred to by many names in history. They even suggested Shakespeare's work “The Tempest” was largely inspired by a shipwreck in the mysterious Bermuda Triangle. Around 8,000 deaths have occured around this area of the ocean. When sj students were asked if the Bermuda triangle is scientific or supernatural, the majority voted on scientific. In accordance with these beliefs, scientists from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have concluded that these deaths were caused by weather changes in the area, methane gas eruptions, and shallower waters.
Amateurs have come up with ideas as a cause of the mystery that plagues the Bermuda Triangle. Often it's compared to Charybdis and Scylla, who in Greek mythology were monsters that blocked a passage and caused major disarray on ships and challenged heroes, always resulting in death. But more understandably, the Bermuda Triangle is a natural phenomenon that makes sailors and pilots lost and results in shipwrecks.
Dating back farther than recorded history, Bigfoot or Sasquatch is a legend turned conspiracy theory. According to the National Guard’s home page, Bigfoot has been referenced in many cultures, the name sasquatch is derived from the Coastal Salish Tribes. According to ethnographer Wilson Duff for scenicsasquatch.com, this monster is usually described as a 20ft tall hairy man whose footprint is around 20 inches long, deriving its other name bigfoot.
Other cultures who integrated this legend into theirs include the Ojibway of the Northern Plains, The Algonquin of the north-central region, and more. The Ojibway believed that when Rugaru (their version of bigfoot) was sighted, it was a sign for the human race to do better in the name of nature.
Mermaids differ between cultures, but at the same time they are present in many dating back to before recorded history. One of the most notable being Mami Wata, who according to the Royal museums of Greenwich, was a sea spirit who shifted genders and was the ultimate sign of wisdom and beauty. After the slave trade the stories of Mami Wata was spread across the globe and altered to fit more western beliefs. Mermaids have always been explained as evil or mysterious and a golden sign. More recently, they have become a popular conspiracy rather than a myth.
Today, myths are back into the spotlight and reformed into conspiracies. Although this might seem like a ‘myth revolution’, conspiracies have to include reason. When considering if a conspiracy is something you want to believe in, research it, form your own independent beliefs, and lastly have fun with it! After all conspiracies are extreme opinions or ideas and humans have an abundance of those.