There are more reasons for conspiracy theories than conspiracy theories themselves. We believe we live in a reality we can all understand, but is this really the case, or is ‘reality’ a conspiracy in itself?
To the Hindu this is certainly the case. True reality is some unchanging, ethereal concept above the material, above life itself. The ‘reality’ we live is a delusion, for anything that changes can only be fleeting.
To the Christian reality is just as problematic. It is a battle between forces of good and evil, and for ever the influences swing to and fro, with good eventually winning each round, but at a price – a Christian admits that sometimes God works in mysterious ways.
To the pagan reality is of parallel worlds of the material and spirit. The spiritual constantly invades the material, shaping it, changing it, baffling it in ways we cannot understand. And in this dual world, certain ‘adepts’ can manipulate through curse or spell.
To the philosopher reality provides things to observe, which cause sensations in the mind on which we mentate. This mentation does not necessarily correspond with what ‘is.’ In some philosophies man even has a mind-filter which changes reality to his view.
To the scientist, fundamental reality is the probabilistic world of the particle. Any outcome is possible in this world, the ‘reality’ we experience being just one of infinite possibilities, represented by infinite alternative universes.
To the average person reality is what his sentiments dictate. The artist sees aesthetic values the rest of us miss. The entrepreneur sees only possibilities to make money. The optimist sees good in everything, the pessimist bad.
Reality is a cauldron of conflicting concepts, ologies, ideals and whims. The reality is that, from the religionist to the scientist – from the spiritual to the material – reality is something we all conspire to produce.
© Anthony North, April 2007
ON THIS DAY
11 April – 1689, William and Mary were crowned, starting the Glorious Revolution that led to liberal democracy – 1814, Napoleon was exiled to Elba – 1968, US Civil Rights Act became law – but – 1945, Buchenwald was liberated, a stark warning that it’s not that easy – and Napoleon came back.
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