by A Midwestern Doctor, Lew Rockwell:

The increasing freedom of information enabled by an uncensored media is gradually waking people up to the many harmful things being done to them on a daily basis. That uncomfortable reality is traumatic to come to terms with, which in turn leads many to want to understand why it’s happening.

In my own case, whenever I observe something pernicious, my question is always whether the events were:

• A naturally emergent phenomenon resulting from human nature and the specific circumstances at play — one that likely would have occurred regardless of who was involved.
• A coordinated plot by a group of bad actors (e.g., powerful sociopaths) who deliberately harmed the world for their own benefit.

The essential problem is that in most cases, a strong case can be made for either interpretation, so which one you settle on is typically a product of what your mind is primed to focus on. In my own case, I seriously consider both — I’ve spent decades reading about the people behind the scenes who pull the strings, and I’ve lost count of how many malevolent things I’ve seen enacted in a coordinated, systematic manner over years if not decades. But as time has gone on, I’ve leaned toward the naturally emergent perspective because: