What exactly do conspiracy theorists try to achieve?

I think it just a hobby keeps them busy and validates their wacko beliefs.

Answers...very simple. And I doubt if you gave them a fact based challenge, they would call you names.

I don't have any idea what you are talking about with "American Idol"...but have a pretty good idea about the others and keep up with whatever new info turns up...as in right now in Congress where depositions are being taken...a lot of little inconvenient facts...

I have a feeling you only challenge the goofy stuff...not things like the Downing St. Memo or the Manning Memo (from David Manning) They exist. Air traffic controllers all over the Eastern seaboard have testified that their tapes were destroyed immediately after 9/11...It happened...Why? Don't know...not the usual way to gather evidence.

100% of the 19 FBI Bureau chiefs were replaced by 12/01...odd. Never happened before in its history. Weird that 100% of FBI career professionals were suddenly considered incompetent? Especially since their responsibilities covered the gamut of Federal crimes

If there is a cover-up there is usually a crime...as we found out all too well during the Nixon impeachment hearings...that conspiracy turned out to be true.

Perhaps, it is the words themselves that confuse you...conspiracy = 3 or more people colluding to achieve a presumably bad outcome...theory = idea based on a set of facts...(to be proven or not at a later date...) These are my off the cuff definitions but they are quite close to the dictionary ones, I'm sure.

So back to my first premise, theories are merely a search for answers...and there is nothing wrong with that.

I agree with you almost completely. However, I do believe there was some malfeasance in that 2002 series. I don't think there was a directive from Stern to extend the series to 7 games. However, if you watched game 6, some serious red flags were raised. Either it was the worst refereed game in the history of the NBA, or 1 or more of the officials had a secret agenda. I think it's possible that the refs helped the Lakers win that game. Maybe Stern didn't give the order. But, the refs knew what was best for the NBA and acted accordingly. Ralph Nader wrote to Stern for an investigation. Multiple columnist (Michal Wilbon, David Dupree) wrote that it was the worst officitated game they had ever witnessed. I don't think it was a league wide conspiracy, but I think there may have been some refs with hidden agendas. With the arrest of Donaghy, I don't think it can be discounted, and it adds further credence to the allegations.

Peace of mind.

As you said, 'every time I hear some absolutely stupid conspiracy theory, I think "why?".'

So do I but then I look for answers.

And I also hear some absolutely stupid ones as well, but I don't make the mistake of lumping them all together and dismissing them all.

Actually what you mean when you say a group of people that run things behind the scenes. It's called an oligarchy and as far as I know there is only one government on the face of the earth that doesn't appear to be as such. Switzerland, but I guarantee they have thier elites. Just a quote from our founding forefathers for you "The question today is as it has always been, does man govern himself or by elites." 200 years ago there were "elites" trying to dismantle the constitution to lead us. Actually despite what many Americans were taught Lincoln faught the civil war because of this very reason. look into his quotes, like the ones on the wall at his memorial. "My enemies would have you believe that we faught this war to free the slaves." JFK had a speech before he died "There is a vast and monolithic conspiracy, that uses subversion instead of elections...." "It is my duty as the President of the United States of America to expose this corruption." Both Lincoln and JFK were attempting to abolish the federal reserve. Alexander hamilton had his fair share of it too. The first federal reserve was called the national bank, he had 3 attempts on his life during the time that he was attempting to abolish that bank. So we have had 2 central banks, 90% of the reason we declared independence was because of the central banks. Study history, if you did you would not doubt this.

Hoover was quoted as saying "there is a great conspiracy that runs so deep in every countries government that any man would seem crazy for believing it. Hoover also confiscated a bank run by Prescott Bush for laundering money for hitlers second in command while we were at war with them and Bush sr was investigated by hoover for calling for the assassination of JFK.

Bush jr has the country attacked by the group that his father trained to fight. Proceeds to abolish many parts of the Constitution and screw up our economy with the federal reserve PURPOSEFULLY collapsing the dollar by falsly securing that the people who get adjustable rate mortgages were ok with the rates for 5-6 years and then could remortgage. 6 months after they had 42% of the nation on these mortgages they doubles the rates, doubling or tripling those mortgage payments. If you think for one second that 42% of mortgages lied on thier applications and that is what caused this, you should be put in a mental institution for stupidity and living in a box and not using your vrain.

The answer is so simple. "What are we going to do today pinky?" "Try to take over the world!"

It's been the same reason that any country that is formed has a defense. Because PEOPLE WANT TO RULE THEM. Just because you do not aspire to that does not mean others will not either. I'm sure you have no aspirations to be a hooker, but we have people that do.

To dismiss it as craziness is just plain ignorance. It has happened to every country. Hell our country does it to other countries. Why would someone NOT want to rule the richest most powerful country in the world for eternity?

Do you think that if someone had this agenda they would just stand up and say, America I am your leader and we would just accept it, or do you think that they would have to be good at tricking a whole nation of people that it is a good idea.

"how is it the democracy ends to the sound of clapping?"

Ever play chess? How likely are you to win if you say every move, in three moves I'll have you in check mate by moving like this, this and then this. What are you going to do?

A country full of idiots that deserve what they get I tell you. I however know and am prepared for this attempted transition that so far has taken 100 years to get to this point AND THEY ARE RIGHT ON SCHEDULE BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT DO NOT QUESTION WHAT YOU ARE TOLD.

"80% of your life will be spent repeating what you have heard, very rarely does anyone have an actual origional thought."

"It is good for the leaders of a country that those who they lead do not think"

FierceMelon is a smart man...or woman.

Thumbs up for him.

And asker? Shut the **** up. 9/11 WAS an inside job. It's basically been proven, but kept under the table.

Call them what U wish. They aim to wake up the sleepy sheeple to stop the crooks running govt from trashing our country the way they are. Take the other pill.

well 9/11 has always been fishy to me....

American Idol wtf???

As for the Committee of elders, that sounds like x-files to me up through about season 6 lol, also sounds like ********.

They're are trying to attain the ability to discover the last bit of mystery in this world.

They try to achieve confusion and doubt. That leaves the door open to their position.