Hatcher 1

Sarah Hatcher

Mrs. Barnes

English 112

24 May 2017

Conspiracy Theories

Everyone has heard or has participated in spreading a rumor in their lifetime. No matter

how big or how small, society takes rumors from the origin and persuades their audience to

believe that they are factual since it has been put out into the world. Quite often, rumors end up

being true, and because of this, the owner of the rumor denies everything until one day it will just

disappear; but what if it never does? What if it stays in everyones thoughts and lingers there,

brought up every time the owner of the rumor walks by? Conspiracy theories are no different

than a rumor. They circulate from state to state until a lot of humans begin to question the world

theyre really living in and what their government actually does for them. Studies have shown

that exactly one-half of high school seniors believe in the idea of conspiracy theories, and 40

percent of them have once pursued the thought of one (Survey given by Sarah Hatcher). Through

the years, people have become more open to conspiracy theories due to acts of terrorism and fear

circulating around. Day by day, people are becoming more open to various theories, even when

the government pretends to deny them, just like the owner of the rumor. While there may not

always be solid factual evidence, conspiracy theories exist; therefore people must always

examine the truth before anything else.

 Hatcher 2

The United States has been known for their freedom of speech and the people having the

rights in the country, but little do they know how much their government isnt telling them. As

conspiracy theories start to circulate, the more citizens begin to question their government. An

example of the United States government deceiving their country is Area 51. In this secret

location, it is always restricted to outsiders and heavily guarded by the military. Once objects

enter this forbidden place they rarely ever come back (Lerner). What could be so precious inside

Area 51 that the government feels the need to conceal it from America's trustworthy citizens?

Since 1984, the government has built many buildings around this secret facility, as seen from

Google Earth, and has now gone from a pile of sand and rocks to a habitable facility. Citizens

will never know what really goes on inside, but they will not stop until they get answers, which

they have the full right to acclaim. Although the talk about UFOs and Area 51 sprang up in the

early 1970s, the government made a statement in August 2013 acknowledging the existence of

Area 51 (Leiby). The government has said that there are airplanes inside and top secret landing

pads, but how do Americans know what the truth really is? Until the government starts trusting

its people, the United States of America will never be united ever again.

Since some people have the mindset of thinking that without absolute, factual evidence to

back conspiracy theories up, there is no possible way that they could ever exist. This thought is

irrelevant, because at one point or another in science, no one could believe that there are

molecules in the air or bacteria on their finger. With different ways of thinking, scientists set out

to uncover the truth with the help of tools and the support of others. One of the many

controversial subjects to this day is the thought of humans evolving from apes over
 Hatcher 3

millions of years. Throughout the centuries, evolution has been debated and questioned with no

100% guarantee favoring either belief. When the theory first reached the surface of society, no

one could think to believe it or understand it. Through looking at vestigial structures in humans,

they could be seen having the same structures as modern-day apes and the same as ancient

fossils. 66% of adults believe in evolution, even though they cant actually see it happening right

in front of them (Rodriguez). This proposal of evolution is taken seriously among adults and

most people, but conspiracy theories are not. There is no reason to treat conspiracy theories

differently than other ideas that have not yet been completely proven.

Even though some people choose not to believe in the truth of conspiracy theories, many

have had several accounts of seeing them. The staged moon landing theory on July 20, 1969, by

the United States, has still never been confirmed. When all of the employees that helped with the

moon landing came in to be questioned, they all mysteriously died right before the interrogation

(Caldwell). Decades before the alleged fake moon landing, the tragedy of the Titanic became a

big debate about the truth of the ship that crashed into an iceberg killing 1,500 women and

children. There is picture evidence of the Titanic from the day it was set to leave Europe, bound

for America. The two sets of pictures differed in the amount of windows and doors between the

two. Some state that the Titanic and its sister ship, the Olympic, were switched right before

Titanic left. The Olympic was badly constructed, unlike the unsinkable Titanic. When the

company found out about this, it is said that the two ships were switched. Because of this, the

ship sank that was supposedly the Titanic and the company received more insurance money from

its demise (Sunday Times). After this accusation circulated around the world, original pictures of
 Hatcher 4

the Titanic started to disappear. This isnt a mere coincidence, it is the government and various

co-conspirators doing everything they possibly can to conceal the truth from the general public.

Nothing is stopping people from hearing witnesses speak out about their real life experiences

with others who arent so sure about the whole concept. It takes one step at a time to see a whole

world that tons are missing out on.

Although there isnt always proven evidence about conspiracy theories, they are

definitely something to be looked at with an unbiased point of view. Everyone has a right to their

own opinion, but with all of the unexplained events happening, people have to look at both

viewpoints with an open mind and a willingness to put their preconceived notions aside. It is not

right to jump to conclusions just because something is not fact checked. People believe social

media more than conspiracy theories these days and that cannot be justified. Sometimes a chance

has to be taken and the world might just realize the truth theyve been waiting to get their hands

on for so long. Conspiracy theories are real despite what people believe. Unexplained events will

continue to happen whether society accepts it or not. There does not have to always be

indisputable, officially verified evidence behind conspiracy theories. There should be a

willingness to listen to and trust neighbors, friends, or peers who have seen it and believe in it.

Whether people think the government is trying to protect us from conspiracy theories or keeping

it to themselves to control what their citizens do and dont know, they cant always be trusted.

Even though the government wont dare to admit that conspiracy theories are real, people need to

realize that they most certainly exist, and they wont disappear without a fight.
 Hatcher 5

Works Cited

"Area 51 (Groom Lake, Nevada)." Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence and Security, edited

by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, vol. 1, Gale, 2004, p. 51. Global Issues in

Context,link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3403300043/GIC?u=mass12242&xid=b4120f9

e. Accessed 2 Jan. 2017.

Caldwell, Rebecca. "One giant leap backward." Globe & Mail [Toronto, Canada], 12 July 2003,

p. R7. Global Issues in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A105280417/GIC?u=

mass12242&xid=eeb331da. Accessed 2 Jan. 2017.

Hatcher, Sarah. Conspiracy Theory Survey. Survey. 22 February 2017

Leiby, Richard. "Government officially acknowledges existence of Area 51, but not the UFOs."

The Washington Post. WP Company, 16 Aug. 2013.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/life

style/style/government-officially-acknowledges-existence-of-area-51-but-not-the-ufos/20

13/08/16/ca4feaec-06be-11e3-a07f-49ddc7417125_story.html?utm_term=.918236fd042e

11 May 2017.

Rodriguez, Tommy. Darwin was Right | Vestigial structures. N.p., n.d. Web.

http://www.darwinwasright.org/vestigial_structures.html 12 May 2017.

"Tenuous tale of Titanic sinking that never was." Sunday Times [London, England], 2 July 1995,

p.10. Global Issues in Context,link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A115580153/GIC?u=mass12

242&xid=e87abd0e. Accessed 2 Jan. 2017.