Avril Lavigne Conspiracy

Avril Lavigne: Celebrities That Might Not Exist

A photo edit by a fan comparing Avril Lavigne's appearance in 2003 and 2013

Introduction 

Whenever celebrity conspiracy theories are mentioned, it is inevitable that Avril Lavigne will be brought into the conversation. Circa 2005, a theory arose that the pop star had died two years prior and been replaced by look-a-like Melissa. 

Why did this theory quickly grow in popularity? What is the root of societal interest in celebrity conspiracy theories? 

Who is Avril Lavigne? 

Avril Lavigne is an early 2000s Canadian punk singer-songwriter best known for her first album Let Go, which included hit songs "Sk8ter Boi" and "Complicated." She continued to release two more albums, none of them gaining the same popularity as her first, but keeping her on the punk scene. 

Lavigne has also left a trail of famous lovers including Deryck Whibley and Chad Kroeger. She recently announced her engagement to fellow punk rocker Mod Sun. 

The Origin of the Theory 

This conspiracy theory began as something much simpler: fans believed that the young musician became overwhelmed by the attention and her music label would sometimes send her look-a-like Melissa to impersonate her for the paparazzi. 

Supposedly, a Brazilian fan page for the artist was the first to mention the slight differences in Lavigne’s appearance after the success of her first albums. Fans then began to analyze slight changes in her nose shape, jawline, eyes, voice, etc. 

The theory quickly snowballed from Lavigne having a stand-in for publicity to the belief of the artist's death. There are three popular theories that have surfaced about the star's death. First that Avril Lavigne died in 2003 via suicide and was replaced by Melissa so that the record label could continue to profit off of the star's popularity. Next, Lavigne died in a tragic snowboarding accident. Lastly, after growing to resent her popularity, the record label arranged for Avril's death and replaced her with Melissa to continue to make money.

The Rise: How & Why Conspiracy Theories Develop

    Avril Lavigne, being a new & upcoming pop-punk star in the early 2000s, found her audience in primarily teenagers. Excerpt from "I Was A Teenage Conspiracy Theorist":

“Teenagers are particularly vulnerable” to finding patterns where none really exist, Galinsky said, “because there are so many things happening simultaneously—biologically and socially—that make them feel less in control.” ... They’re obsessed with social hierarchy, and they are achingly aware, at all times, of how much agency they covet and how little they have."

    This lack of control often pushes teenagers to seek external validation for their ability to influence the world, often times turning to conspiracy forums. A teenager simply seeking answers quickly turns into overactive pattern recognition and a heightened sense of anxiety over the world, which feeds into itself, causing the cycle to continue. ("I Was A Teenage Conspiracy Theorist")

    This conspiracy theory didn't come out of nowhere; in fact, many celebrities have been accused of being clones or of being "replaced" in some way, Paul McCartney being a notable example. Anything from Taylor Swift being the clone of a late satanic priest to Beyoncé being a clone sent by the Illuminati to provide subliminal messages through music has been proposed to explain why a celebrity may look different in their red carpet photos. Social media hadn't quite reached it's peak usage yet, so most people found out about such conspiracies through sources like MTV or talk shows that made fun of the idea. However, the concept supposedly started on a Brazilian fanpage. As social media gained popularity, such theories became more overt in online forums or social media juggernauts such as Facebook or Twitter. (The Guardian)

How 2000s Celeb Culture Breeds Paranoia & Resentment 

    2000s celeb culture became invasive with the rise of the entertainment industry & social media. The entertainment industry primed audiences to follow complex storylines and piece them together to create an overarching narrative. Then social media arrived to exaggerate the issue with new constant updates and gossip directly from the celebrity. More direct interaction between fans and celebrities has led to a strange formation of parasocial relationships that often lead the fan into thinking they know more about and that they are closer to the celebrity than they are in reality. 

    Ted Casablanca, an E! News article writer with two decades of experience, talked about how the types of "anonymous tips" that journalists get have changed. "You’ve got a lot of crackpots contacting you saying they’ve got inside information,” he said. Since social media emerged, these "tips" have become less about harmless scandals and gossip, and more about attacking the celebrity through targeting their image, simply because they don't like them. Celebrities weren't the only ones getting hate though. In fact in Avril's case, her record label is often the target of condemnation. 

    The two most common theories for why Avril supposedly died are that she committed suicide but the record label hid it to continue selling her music or that the record label executives killed her off to replace her with someone who would only do what they wanted. In either scenario, the one at fault is her record label, not Avril herself. This is an important distinction because the people creating this conspiracy theory didn't think of it out of hatred for Avril, but rather resentment at her "controlling" record label. Remember that the main people getting involved in this theory are usually teenagers, who have a natural distaste for authority and would love to project themselves (and their own issues) onto a young, rich celebrity. 

    Another important element here is the paranoia over the record label's capabilities as successful business owners in Hollywood's back pocket. Although their names aren't instantly recognizable like Avril's, they have no less influence and likely even more. Such influence allows them to get away with many things that the average person would never get away with. Watching the elite getting anything they want with little to no consequence or effort is frustrating and breeds resentment. Resentment that has made itself known through the multitude of theories involving someone being killed by the elites. (“How a Fake Baby Is Born.”)

Responses from Avril Lavigne

In 2017, a Twitter thread by the user @givenchyass became very popular where they described why the believed Avril Lavigne was replaced by a clone. It garnered much attention, leading the post to have 196 thousand likes, 100 thousand retweets, and 160 thousand favorites. In the thread, they compared genre of music, the way Lavigne looks different in pictures across years, and states that "instead of letting the news of her dying go into the media, [her record company] used her look alike." Many fans responded to the thread, stating various proof such as Lavigne's popular song "Complicated" must be about Melissa Vandella, that "Avril" lost her Canadian accent because Melissa is American, and that how she pronounces sounds aren't the same way she did in past songs.

Fans came to her defense, sharing pictures where they highlighted that pictures that took place many years apart contain the same birthmarks, and that the difference in her face is plastic surgery.

avril lavigne is dead & was replaced by a look alike: a conspiracy theory thread pic.twitter.com/9eearQ2rte

— givenchy (@givenchyass) May 13, 2017

Avril Lavigne has responded to this theory many times. In an interview in 2018, she states that "people think that [she] is not the real [Avril] which is so weird!" Left with a rather ambiguous response, fans continued spreading this theory that she was replaced by a woman named Melissa Vandella. After her statement, Avril "went a bit robotic" and "even accidentally started pressing random buttons" in what people thought was meant to be a distraction.

Moving to 2019, her music changed genres because she wanted to evolve musically and show the pain she has experienced through her music. In an interview discussing her album "Head Above Water," she states that the conspiracy is a dumb internet rumor and that she's surprised that people believe it. Some of her fans saw the change in genre as Melissa wanting to sing her own style of music instead of fitting into the punk narrative that followed Avril.

In early 2022, she says in an interview that many people state that she looks and sounds the exact same as she did in the past, so she doesn't understand why people still bring up the theory that she is a woman named Melissa. She then said that her fans coming up with a name for a fake woman is so bizarre that she can't help but find it funny.

With the rising popularity of TikTok, she addressed the rumors in mid-2022 with a video that discussed how all the comments on her Instagram are her fans asking if she is the real Avril Lavigne. In the video, she does not confirm nor deny if she is truly real, but by picking fun at her comment section, she shows that she finds it amusing in how little proof there is that she isn't truly herself.

@avrillavigne

♬ original sound - Millennial32

Responses From Die-Hard Fans

"Avril Lavigne" in quotes because we all know that's Melissa pic.twitter.com/K2paxxCFBJ

— garry (@repeattofade) September 12, 2021

During the 2021 VMAs, the already-spiraling rumors skyrocketed with Avril Lavigne's first appearance on the red carpet in 2 years. MTV put quotation marks around her name, leading fans to believe that even MTV was unsure if Avril is truly the real Avril.

Twitter exploded with threads about this being confirmation of Avril Lavigne's death, and memes were made about the confirmation. Even Vulture, a popular entertainment site, quoted the mishap on their Twitter. 

Die-hard fans stated on Twitter that although they fully believe she is the original Avril, they see the rumors and wonder if they are actually true. This could be problematic because, with enough reinforcement, fans might start believing that Avril actually is Melissa. This could then lead to issues with believing other conspiracy theories that might be more dangerous.

Conclusion

Throughout the time of this conspiracy living, most fans have expressed that they do not truly believe that Avril Lavigne was actually replaced by a clone who goes by the name Melissa. However, her target audience is a very impressionable age. Teenagers are more susceptible to conspiracy theories, and it is well known that when a person believes one (seemingly harmless) theory, they are more likely to believe ones that can be dangerous to society and themselves. Without proper education about conspiracies and the danger in believing them, people are more likely to harm themselves and the world around them. 

Works Cited:

Alternative Press Magazine. “Avril Lavigne Confronts Conspiracy Theory That She's a Clone.” Alternative Press, 1 Nov. 2018, https://www.altpress.com/avril-lavigne-reacts-clone-conspiracy-theories/. 

Cresci, Elena. “Why Fans Think Avril Lavigne Died and Was Replaced by a Clone Named Melissa.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 16 May 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2017/may/15/avril-lavigne-melissa-cloning-conspiracy-theories. 

Cushing, Ellen. “I Was a Teenage Conspiracy Theorist.” The Atlantic, 13 May 2020, https://web.archive.org/web/20221118184827/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/i-was-a-teenage-conspiracist/610975/. 

Givenchy. “Avril Lavigne Is Dead & Was Replaced by a Look Alike: A Conspiracy Theory Thread .” Twitter, 12 May 2017, https://twitter.com/givenchyass/status/863222658766450693?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E863222658766450693%7Ctwgr%5E573d2fbebdf4f0c599e2595e1e1ca9d41c5c560a%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rollingstone.com%2Fculture%2Fculture-news%2Fthe-avril-lavigne-death-hoax-that-wont-die-117706%2F. 

Kaplan, Illana. “Avril Lavigne on Head Above Water, near-Death Experiences, and That Crazy Conspiracy Theory.” Entertainment Weekly, 11 Feb. 2019, https://ew.com/music/2019/02/11/avril-lavigne-head-above-water-interview/. 

Lavigne, Avril. “Avril Lavigne on TikTok.” TikTok, 27 June 2022, https://www.tiktok.com/@avrillavigne/video/7114106481695264043?embed_source=70842511%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_blank&is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7114106481695264043&refer=embed&referer_url=kiisfm.iheart.com%2Fcontent%2F2022-06-28-avril-lavigne-hilariously-calls-out-lookalike-conspiracy-theory%2F&referer_video_id=7114106481695264043. 

MrJamesWeber. “How Did Avril Lavigne Fall from Her Grace?” Reddit, Jan. 2022, https://www.reddit.com/r/popheads/comments/s7yu5p/how_did_avril_lavigne_fall_from_her_grace_was_it/. 

Newton, Jennifer, and Tereza Shkurtaj. “Is Avril Lavigne Dead? Conspiracy Theory Explained.” The Irish Sun, 3 Nov. 2022, https://www.thesun.ie/news/1003349/avril-lavigne-dead-conspiracy-theory/. 

Song, Sandra. “Fans Think Avril Lavigne's Clone Showed up to the VMAs.” Paper, 13 Sept. 2021, https://www.papermag.com/avril-lavigne-clone-2021-vmas-2655005049.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1. 

Tiffany, Kaitlyn. “How a Fake Baby Is Born.” The Atlantic, 13 July 2020, https://web.archive.org/web/20221118184833/https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2020/07/fake-pregnancy-celebrity-theories-benedict-cumberbacth-babygate/614089/. 

Tiffany, Kaitlyn. “Maybe You Missed It, but the Internet 'Died' Five Years Ago.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 31 Aug. 2021, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2021/08/dead-internet-theory-wrong-but-feels-true/619937/. 

Uzer, Ashley. “Avril Lavigne Is Still the Motherf*Cking (Pop-Punk) Princess.” Galore, 17 Jan. 2022, https://galoremag.com/avril-lavigne-is-still-the-motherfcking-pop-punk-princess//. 

Williams, Leah J. “Behind the Wild & Obviously True Internet Theory That Avril Lavigne Died in 2003.” Pedestrian TV, 16 July 2019, https://web.archive.org/web/20211028111819/https://www.pedestrian.tv/music/avril-lavigne-dead-theory/. 

Secret Space Program Conspiracy

 The Secret Space Program: The Wackiest, Most Outlandish Theory You'll Ever Hear

In this blog post, we discuss the multi-layered, fascinating conspiracy that is the Secret Space Program!  Today, we will dive into paranoia-based folklore about Nazi super soldiers, extra-terrestrial clones, and hidden government information about a military force on Mars.  Yet to fully explain this phenomenon, we must look into its origins and purpose.  After all, how could it have spread to such a large magnitude as it has?  Why does it matter that so many people are starting to believe in it in the first place?

To start, let's look at the beginning.  Why did this come about?  Who created it?  What is it about this otherworldly escapism that draws so many people into its cult?

Could the Nazis Get Any Weirder?

So, believe it or not, this conspiracy ties back to before World War II with the German Nazis! This theory starts during World War II, a time in which the government took a lot of authoritarian control over the economy and materials created in the country.  As their search for new technology and universal explanations grew, there became a deep-rooted fascination with mysticism.

The Fourth Reich separated from the Third Reich to go after such knowledge, looking for people to be believed of possessing "fantastical powers."  This is how they met Maria Orsic, leader of the Vril Society.  She was said to have been able to channel Nordic and Draco reptilians -- lizard people, so to speak -- who offered the Nazis information on anti-gravity technology and other alien secrets.  Subsequently, the Die Glocke was created not long after -- a purported weapon that supposedly could travel through time and space.

(pictured above is the Die Glocke)

Following this, the lore continues by the Nazis actually gaining access to space by 1948, where they used this technological advantage to land and create a settlement on the dark side of the moon.  Not long after, they ventured towards Mars.

Despite all this universal, otherworldly knowledge, the Germans still lost World War II.  (Hence the split of Reichs).  The "Space Germans," as the Fourth Reich has become known as, since got engaged in a war with the very reptilian aliens that had helped them before.  To fight this war, the Nazis needed an army to help them, and the tale is that they began kidnapping people to act as officials or slaves on Mars, and that they were forced to serve in this secret military program called the Mars Defense Force.  These people are called MILABS, or Military Abductees.

That leads us into the next section about what the Secret Space Program actually is.

So . . . What Is It?

What happened to all of these Soldiers?  What did they do in this "war" between space?

There's a YouTube channel named Super Soldier Talk where real-time interviews are given to people who believe themselves to have lived into this conspiracy and actually fought on Mars.  A lot of their stories are similar, varying per legion or rank.  Randy Cramer is one of them, and probably one of the most popular.  He claimed to have been abducted and forced to become a Super Soldier for seventeen years on Mars.  Cramer also claimed that Mars had developed into a population of over 7 billion with settlements and bases across planets, consisting of human and extra-terrestrial species as well.  He states, “I was genetically engineered from the ground up, tinkered with some extraterrestrial hybridized DNA to, you know, be smarter, faster, stronger for soldiering abilities.”

(pictured above is Randy Cramer)

His statement resonates with a lot of others, where they all believed to have been genetically manipulated into a species completely different.  Whether that be an eagle, turtle, blue wolf, or others, they were changed this way for spying purposes.  Then, they accused the government of wiping their memories and changing them back to their human forms so they would have no remembrance of ever being taken and used as militarized weapons.

While the Secret Space Program has grown well beyond its original premise, the core of the theory remains the same. As originally proposed by “whistleblower” Randy Cramer, the Secret Space Program is a joint effort by the major world powers to train and genetically enhance humans for military use on Mars. These super soldiers engage in conflicts with the insectoid and reptilian species of Mars, each with their own civilization and culture. The theory also claims that humanity has achieved far greater technological advancement than is publicly accessible, and that the Program uses de-aging, memory manipulation, and time travel to send soldiers back to Earth after they retire. The “whistleblowers” of the Program claim to recall their previously erased memories and past lives, revealing their former experiences with the Space Marines.

After Randy Cramer’s initial interviews, many more witnesses began to come forward with their own accounts of recalled Space Program memories. These witnesses had varying backgrounds, ranging from lower-middle-class Americans to Laura Magdalene Eisenhower, the granddaughter of former United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower. These witnesses eventually formed a community, which is now primarily centralized on forums and YouTube. The most prominent of these community outlets is the YouTube channel Super Soldier Talk, run by self-proclaimed former Space Marine James Rink. Rink’s channel hosts many witness accounts and interviews, and Rink himself has written multiple books discussing the Secret Space Program and its connection to other theories. 

(pictured above is James Rink)

With such a great emphasis on community accounts, the theory has bloated in scope and gained new facets, absorbed other theories, and even taken from fictional universes such as Star Trek and Resident Evil. This has created an environment in which witnesses pull from a broad variety of sources to create elaborate backstories and roles for themselves, in a similar vein to role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons.

How Conspiracies Stem, and the Allure of It All.

The Secret Space Program, like many conspiracies before, must begin with something and someone.  It has to be created for a reason, you know?  And the reality of this is that all conspiracies involve at least a kernel of truth before they get extrapolated into the wild, otherworldly tales they become.  Digging further, that little kernel must be rooted somewhere for it to be able to bloom into a greater ideology.  Most often, those roots find themselves reaching toward our own government.

Hugo Drochon, a political theorist, wrote for The Guardian, "We’re suckers for conspiracy theories – and it’s a sign of a deep social malaise."  Drochon goes on to explain that these conspiracies are born out of a “disenchantment with democracy.”  This means when a group of people become fed up with the government and the way things are being run, or the things that are happening, they create a false narrative to explain those wrongdoings of the government.  So then this creates a Malay of thought and descent from what is known.  People want a justification for everything, especially if it supports their own worldview.  From this, hidden discussions and secret organizations rise up on the belief that they are "rebelling" in astronomical ways.  They seek out others who share their beliefs or look to people who are gullible enough to be persuaded into it.

With all conspiracy theorists, there comes the allure of fitting in with a group of people who also do not fit in with regular life.  They feel like outcasts, and these bizarre theories are just desperate ways to connect.  When you feel tossed out by society, or when you feel like the environment you are in does not support the person you are, you seek out an environment that does.  You seek out any possible reason to spin it back on society and say "No, you are the one that is wrong."  Think of it like an emotional security blanket taken to the extreme.  Another author states in his work, “These forms and practices of conspiracies revel in powerlessness, seeking to recapture lost control through revelatory fantasies and role-playing carnivals that infuse a hip, pseudo-paranoia” with an enervating sense of fun” (Fenster 217).   What could possibly be more empowering than being a literal space marine in a past life?

In a study about how likely people are to believe conspiracy theories, Gary Marcus in “WHAT A CONSPIRACY THEORIST BELIEVES” commentates on this. There was an online study done to prove that people supporting “free market ideology” were less likely to support any array of conspiracy theory; moreover, on the contrary, people that did not support the idea of “free market ideology” were more likely to support the conspiracy theories. This was found through a survey rating the likelihood to believe on a scale of 1-4, the study consisted of about 1,000 responses. Marcus calls this phenomenon “‘motivated reasoning,’” which is when “people tend to believe what they want to believe, and to disbelieve new information that might challenge them.” This goes to show confirmation bias on pre-existing beliefs that these people have, and how it affects any new information that they will take in and believe.

Like described in the column above, conspiracies thrive on the community that keeps it alive, especially in this new age of technology where chat rooms and websites are built to lure people in and create a sense of unity within them.  The Internet has helped bring the SSP into modern recognition.

For example, here attached is a YouTube account where they post video interviews about the Super Soldiers who were supposedly a part of the Secret Space Program, as well as a comment made under said video.

The second comment illustrates how this theory is so far-flung, a user could easily mistake it as a role playing exercise.  This theory, which is a verified “everything bagel” of conspiracies, throwing together everything under the sun, still has a large enough following for people to make a living off of it. The enduring popularity of the Secret Space Program theory has interesting implications for human psychology and belief in general. The documentarian Oki, in his video “How I infiltrated a Bizarre Conspiracy Cult” linked above, stated “What you believe becomes your own reality, no matter how ridiculous it is.” If people could be adherents to something so bizarre, they could believe in anything. Of course, the effect of seeing some belief as far-fetched is common among all conspiracy theories, but this theory is as far-out as possible, and yet it still holds a following! No matter how ridiculous an idea, if it is part of an appealing enough package and presented to the right person, somebody could believe in it. 

Works Cited

Drochon, Hugo. “We’re suckers for conspiracy theories – and it’s a sign of a deep social malaise.” The Guardian, November 2, 2017.

Fenster, Mark. Conspiracy Theories: Secrecy and Power in American Culture. University of Minnesota Press, 2008. 

“How I Became Space Jesus (w/ @okisweirdstories1327).” YouTube, uploaded by NightDocs, 11 Jan. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyVeBELbtQQ&ab_channel=NightDocs.

“How I infiltrated a Bizarre Conspiracy Cult.” Youtube, uploaded by Oki’s Weird Stories, 30 Dec 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYvnKc908Fw

Marcus, Gary. “WHAT A CONSPIRACY THEORIST BELIEVES.” The New Yorker, April 10, 2013.

“Randy Cramer Discusses His Time in the Secret Space Program.” Gaia, 19 Dec. 2019, https://www.gaia.com/article/randy-cramer-mars-defense-force. 

“Super Soldier Talk – Dr. Dean Allen – Body Talker Biofeedback Device.” Youtube, uploaded by Super Soldier Talk, 5 Nov 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWTYYtviBXI

The Illuminati

General Overview:

When our generation thinks of the Illuminati, they mostly think of the memes, the triangle and bassed-up version of the X-Files theme song blasting. While the idea of a secret society run by the Earth’s most elite is largely silly, there are many people out there who truly believe that the world is being run by this “New World Order”. 
Though it is almost unrecognizable from its former state, the Illuminati was started as a secret society in 18th century Bavaria with Illuminati meaning “illuminated” or “enlightened” in Latin. The society wished to found a new religion to replace Christianity, a “religion of reason”. As time went on we saw historical periods effect economics such as the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and events involving governmental distrust such as Watergate and the Vietnam war influenced a counterculture movement that furthered the distrust between the common people and the elite. Many of these elite being celebrities, politicians, and entrepreneurs, especially those of color and/or Jewish descent such as Kanye West, Beyonce, and George Soros.

The belief system reminds me of QAnon, a right-wing media site that purports the conspiracy that high-ranking elites are running illegal pedophile rings rooted in Satanism that are against former president Donald Trump. It also reminds me of the New World Order theory. This theory states that a group of wealthy elite jews are running the world and using their money to enslave the world and cause tragedies to bring about this “New World Order”. These conspiracies are used, as Hofstadter states in The Paranoid Style, as scapegoats. People are taking their own frustrations with financial insecurity or lack of influence and putting it onto the wealthy in misguided and often bigoted ways.

Conspiracies associated with the Illuminati

So now that we have established just what is the illuminati, lets discuss what goes on and why it is such a mainstream conspiracy. To really understand we must grasp a much larger conspiracy concept and that is the New World Order conspiracies. Like the name suggests these are conspiracies where there is a shadow group seeking to gain a complete, totalitarian control over the world. Sounds familiar, like certain eye in the pyramid shadow group. Now going off that we are going to go into conspiracies involving the illuminati which really focus on two aspects anti-Christianity and anti-liberty which is why conspiracies spoken and those already known end up being something along the lines of illuminati taking away the freedom of the person i.e mind control, slavery, etc or we get into something involving magic/demons.

They are watching You

What scares a good old American Christian family, besides God, is taking away their individual freedom and agency. The idea that a secret society is controlling everything and watching you is a bit terrifying I do agree. How is the question? Symbols exist everywhere that seems to have a connection with the Illuminati such as the eye of providence found on every single dollar bill and hidden throughout many government buildings. The idea the illuminati has a say in government does have real life backing up since the time of this countries birth. Our first president George Washington wrote an open letter in 1798 claiming America has avoided the illuminati threat but who is to say he was not covering his own tracks and membership to lure the American people to safety at the amplest time for the Illuminati to latch itself into the very foundations of American government and society.

Devil Worshipping

Besides world domination and/or the destruction of modern society what else do you associate with the illuminati? If the answer revolves around something religious, I am here to explain that. The association with the illuminati and satanic rituals stems from the fear of religions not inherently Abrahamic but still basing those fears on said Abrahamic religion. The term satanism is used very liberally because instead of modern satanism this version that is believed to be practiced is completely based on worshipping said figure from Christianity and focusing on sacrificing and giving offering to demons in exchange for power, fame, and so much more. This is also where the connection to alleged members of the illuminati and how a common theory is that they sold their sold to achieve the talent they have now. Such a wild accusation, but this is not the first time this has been discussed, in fact the idea that current pop stars (especially ones in urban setting such as hip hop and rnb) sold their sold mirrors how many blues singers in the 20s and 30s were rumored to exchange their sold to an ancient voodoo figure papa Legba. Interesting how a more pagan based conspiracy comes back but has been converted to fit a more Christian iteration.

Doja Cat Video

Illuminati Alum

Who are the most notable figures who are "in the Illuminati?" Based on articles from Complex and Refinery29, as well as various internet comments and consensuses, the celebrities most commonly thought to be in the illuminati are Beyoncé, Jay Z, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Rihanna, Madonna, and Donald Trump. 

Jay Z and Beyoncé, making the famed Roc-A-Fella hand symbol.

The reasons for these theories are about as logical as one might expect. Beyoncé and her husband, Jay Z, are thought by some to be the King and Queen of the Illuminati due to the lyrics in each of their songs, which generally refer to current real-world events. These are usually brushed off as conspiracy. Beyonce has denounced her supposed involvement in the Illuminati. In her song "Formation," Bey sings "Y'all haters corny with that Illuminati mess." Although most people can tell this lyric is a denouncement, naturally, the vagueness of this lyric spawned even more conspiracy. As it is the year of our lord and savior, 2022, where we have become so technologically advanced, why decide for yourself who is or is not involved? Instead, take a page from this video's book:

Or, if you're looking to shut off your brain and make something of nothing, try this on for size.

Now, this is all good fun, but conspiracies like this can be rather harmful if let of their leash. Some celebrities, such as Kanye West, have addressed this harm. In his song "New Slaves," Kanye not only denounces his involvement in various mysterious organizations, but gives his thoughts on the reason behind these theories. (Sure, I understand the irony of this given what Kanye has been on the past few years, but this was 2013.) 

Here, Kanye references his supposed involvement with organizations such as the New World Order, which he denounces as bullshit. He then mentions the DEA teaming up with the CCA. CCA, now known as CoreCivic, is a for-profit prison company, the largest in the United States at that, with more than 70 facilities in operation. With these lyrics, Kanye is throwing real-world tragedy in the listener's face, while admitting he knows that people will still look the other way and form ridiculous conspiracy theories. Like I mentioned earlier, theories are all fun and games until they aren't. Looking back at my little game earlier, you'll perhaps notice a slight pattern. A majority of the celebrities there are people of color. This is an unfortunate pattern, intentional or otherwise, in the Illuminati community. Minorities are disproportionately targeted in these wild theories. It is seemingly impossible that they could attain their fame without selling their souls or being part of some underground organization. I think it's still alright to laugh at these theories, or semi-indulge, but it is vastly important to understand the weight they hold.

Citations:

“#Dojacat #Illuminati #Conspiracy #Fyp #Conspiracytiktok #Foryou #Sing #Celebrity #Sayso #Cardib.” YouTube, YouTube, 4 Nov. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-X4LjVVrts. 

AI, Asking. “Asking AI to Show Which Celebrities Are in Illuminati #Shorts.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 Nov. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9V1k9_F3Kg. 

“Beyoncé – Formation (Homecoming Live).” Genius, Genius, https://genius.com/Beyonce-formation-homecoming-live-lyrics. 

Dudesman, Rad. “Illuminati Confirmed: The Illuminati.” Know Your Meme, Know Your Meme, 22 Feb. 2018, https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/936476-the-illuminati. 

Entenmen, Elizabeth. “Alleged Celebrity Illuminati Members.” Complex, Complex, 1 June 2018, https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/alleged-celebrity-illuminati-members/. 

Flores, Myles. “The New World Order: The Historical Origins of a Dangerous Modern Conspiracy Theory.” Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, 31 May 2022, https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/academics/centers-initiatives/ctec/ctec-publications/new-world-order-historical-origins-dangerous. 

Hickson, Ally. “Everything You Need to Know about the Illuminati.” Illuminati Theories - What Is It, Celebrity Members, Refinery29, https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/01/101502/illuminati-theories-celebrity-members. 

“Illuminati/X-Files Sound Effect.” YouTube, 22 Mar. 2015, https://youtu.be/KkF8-vhVM_0. 

“Kanye West – New Slaves.” Genius, Genius, https://genius.com/Kanye-west-new-slaves-lyrics. 

Marvin, Thomas F. “Children of Legba: Musicians at the Crossroads in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man.” American Literature, vol. 68, no. 3, 1996, pp. 587–608. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2928245. Accessed 29 Nov. 2022.

Spyscape. “Secrets of the Illuminati: The Top-Secret Society with Plans to Rule the World.” SPYSCAPE, https://spyscape.com/article/mysteries-of-the-illuminati-the-secret-rulers-of- the-world.