In my experience, people will use any excuse they want to reduce credibility if their end game is to disagree with the poster/conspiracy/ conspiracy theory(ies).

Are you accusing me of disagreeing with conspiracies? I would invite you to check my post history.

I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm saying that anyone else who wants an excuse to disagree with something will give themselves justification to do so either way.

Kind of like TMOR posting the most ridiculous shit they can find here and supporting their confirmation bias that the entire sub is a bunch of crazies...

I see what you're saying. I apologize for my attitude.

vocabulary is a funny thing. do you have a vested interest in my credibility?

I do. You're a member of a community that I hold in very high esteem.

Illuminati is simply a plural of Latin illuminatus, which means "enlightened." If you don't think secret societies, and more specifically free masons exist and call the shots behind the scenes, you have a lot of research to do. Suggest starting with Bill Cooper's Mystery Babylon.

I agree with all of that. I love Cooper. I just feel like the word illuminati has been weaponized in much the same way as "Conspiracy theorist".

People see that word and their subconscious immediately jumps to lizard people.

Or more specifically, spooky backlit suited people sitting around a triangular table with an eye on it.

The Illuminati was infact a secret society formed May 1, 1776. However it did disband into other more secretive societies shortly thereafter.

I understand the illuminati exists. My point is that the word has been turned into one which discredits the user.

I doubt the Illuminati exists in this day and age, it is most likely several other secret societies that disbanded from the original set and stone Illuminati.

I think you're likely right.

Political correctness?

TRS, with all due respect, wtf does PCness have to do with this?

Maybe I don't understand what political correctness is then.

Yes you do. You're an intelligent person. Explain what you meant.

Ok, I'll be honest then and say I never really understood what political correctness means, and my previous comment was said without much thought.

Does political correctness mean what is the most politically right thing to say for a mass audience?

PM me

TPTB is a more credible description

Correct

tptb???? help

The powers that be

I Justine is fine dude

I understand people use it as a catchall phrase, but yeah, it seems just lazy and is a rather fuzzy term.

I'm glad you see my point.

I think it is way overused and detracts from actual information.

It is like saying the boogeyman did something.

Example: I have been looking into the Potash mining in Eritrea from a company headquartered out of Australia. Chase is involved in the funding, the leader of the country is a dictator basically, lowest press freedom in the world, and he conscripts people into the army and uses them as labor (hence, perhaps, the lower cost of mining).

When all done I can just claim the illumanti is involved because this resource is used in fertilizer for crops, etc - but then that doesn't really tell a tale at all. Who are the players (companies/people), what do their contracts looks like (trying to get copies), etc and so on.

There are, I think, some practical (as I call em) conspiracies by people/companies to get this operation going and funny money/labor issues. Potential crimes that investors would want to know about (as well as the Aussie government - and who in that is involved anyway?).

Real investigations are difficult, take time, and you don't need a daily video on the web to generate money/clicks. You do it because it is what you have a passion for.

/rant off

To be honest, this applies to a lot of things. Throwing Monsanto into any GMO discussion will instantly attract more mockery/criticism just because it's such a perpetual conspiracy hobbyhorse. Sticking to actual criticisms vs. namedropping tends to keep the conversations on track more.

The illuminati is just a fraction of them. It's just the secret society they formed in the french revolution. There are organizations like b'nai b'rith, rite freemasons and Triads that are probably much more dangerous.

Sure. In the context of it being a catch-all for all the evil of the world... you and i both know that's nonsense

The men behind the curtain. The people under the stairs. tptb. If you are put off by the description someone uses, you are hardly interested in the messsage being given. I think everyone who wants to learn and uncover truth can decide for themselves what is credible.

Besides, these days, the illuminati is an appropriate catch-all term.

Not appropriate. Ignorant.

I'll say what i like and you say what you like. Don't try to define my limits, thank you.

They can called themselves what they wish, they all serve lucifer anyway.

Fair enough

I do get the original point you are making btw. It just doesn't bother me as much, i guess. As long as the message gets across, that's good enough for me.

I do feel like certain 'buzzwords' such as illuminati are good for getting people, who are still under the veil, interested in these things.

If my credibility in your mind can be crushed by an obviously not serious off-color joke, I think that say a lot about your ability to be easily swayed one way or another.

You had very little credibility to start with. Then you insulted someone, claimed it was 'joke' when you were called out. then claimed someone else was immature for pointing out the behaviour and not accepting your 'apology'.

Bizzare tbh. I'd rather not partake any longer. Good day.

"Your mom" is, by definition, a joke. The fact that I had to point it out as such is as ridiculous. As for me having "very little credibility to start with", I'll ignore the fact that your account is 67 days old and invite you to read my post/comment history.

I don't care how old your or my account is. Or the number of your imaginary internet points. How you conduct yourself is the only thing I look at.

Take care.

It was a FUCKING yo mama joke. Christ. Isn't there some liberal college campus you should be at protesting free speech and advocating safe spaces right now, rather than being butt hurt on Reddit?

No it isn't. Illuminati is an actual historical organization. To pin to misdeeds of others on them is ignorant and irresponsible to your audience. You aren't an idiot. You know this.

If someone's using "illuminati" to describe the Cabal, they're usually relatively new to this and have just hit the tip of the iceberg or it's someone stopping in to troll.

Fair point

Are you a shill for the Illuminati?

Yes

Illuminati=John Podesta

No

Look at the pizza symbols dude

Cabal, illuminati, shadow government, "elites", TPTB, they are all interchangeable

Elite ruling class doesn't not equate to the Illuminati. You can be an elite and not have sold your soul. When I read "Illuminati" I don't lose credibility in the person that said it, sounds like a personal problem...

Your mom

Real mature, maybe if I had a mom...thanks!

Everyone has a mom.

Are you that much of an asshole...?

No. I'm not. I'm sorry man. I recently lost my mother to an oxycodobe overdose. I know what it's like. Please accept my apology.

Your mom being dead too doesn't make you less of a dick

Ah, well in that case, if you're immature and unwilling to accept my apology for an off-color joke, I hope that you..welll...have a good day.

So you double down and insult me for calling you out? You are a dick.

Explain how I doubled down please.

By being a dick again.

You're attacking my question and not providing an example.

??? Looks like you got lost somewhere in this thread. Go back and read

Look, I really am sorry. It was a quib. It was an off-colored joke and if I'd have known you'd take it this way, I obviously wouldn't have said it. I'm a lot of things, but a dick is not one. I truly am sorry.

Accepted!

lol thanks j

See, here you've just changed my opinion of you in a single comment and lost any credibility you may have had. Kind of proving your own point in a sad roundabout way.

I do not think one can know with a high degree of certainty whether it increases or decreases credibility.

Illuminati has multiple meanings. One of which is highly applicable to many topics here. It increases credibility in my mind as it shows that one has some understanding of secret societies and of the mind of many people in power. I am just one of many here, however.

It may reduce credibility in some of the minds of readers who are not aware of this. At the same time, it may increase credibility in the minds of other readers who are not aware of this and it may lead them to the truth, which is an extremely good outcome in my opinion.

I think this is probably the most fair and objectively thought-out comment on the subject.

Thanks. :) I hope you have a nice weekend.

I see what you're saying. I apologize for my attitude.

Or more specifically, spooky backlit suited people sitting around a triangular table with an eye on it.

Your mom

Explain how I doubled down please.