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Conspiracy theories seem to never lose their appeal. Thanks to the internet, the rapid spread of these beliefs appears to be so effortless. And interesting as they are to begin with, people tend to warp them to relate to the current times.

One very old conspiracy theory albeit a very popular, prevailing one is the ‘New World Order.’

The New World Order conspiracy gained momentum once again due to the sinister ideas surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. The belief made noise along with the World Economic Forum’s Great Reset for having quite similar ideas.

But what is the New World Order really about?

What is the New World Order (NWO)?

The New World Order is a conspiracy theory in which it is believed that a secret, all-powerful global elite is plotting to take over the world and establish a totalitarian, dictatorship government.

It is a huge phrase involving the widest scope of themes affecting political, economic, and even religious orders on a global scale. All these ideas spun into a one-world, shadow Establishment that enthusiasts believe “will dominate the earth during the end times.”

History tells us that the ideology has been around since the 1960s. It appears to have sprung out from religious ideas such as from Christian fundamentalists’ interpretation of the Book of Revelations. 

The conspiracy evolved throughout the years. But naturally, talks go through the roof when big names get linked in the controversy.

The Big Names Around the New World Order

Have you ever heard of the ‘Illuminati’? The New World Order paranoia could not have taken off as it is without naming this supposedly secret society.

The origins of the group came from 18th century Bavaria’s Adam Weishaupt, a professor who oppose religious ideologies as the prevailing belief system during his time. He, then, sought for ‘illumination’ for a radical change.

The Illuminati was said to be formed during the Enlightenment. Also known as the Age of Reason, it is an era when reason and science are emphasized over religion. Illuminati started out as a reading group, by Weishaupt’s students, eventually recruiting a large number of influential and intellectual men – princes and their councilors, professors, and bureaucrats. The secret society was claimed to privately group together to counter the involvement of the Church in their daily life, pushing against Catholic authorities.

The Illuminati was said to be based on the brotherhood of Freemasons, the oldest fraternal organization in the world. The Masonic brotherhood began in the middle ages as a guild of skilled builders. Historically, members include prominent people like Winston Churchill, Mozart, and George Washington. In modern times, freemasons are still believed to be philanthropists, donating millions to charity.

Both the Illuminati and Freemasons are believed to be the elite organizations behind the New World Order, even with Freemasons not being a secret society.

Many conspiracy theorists still believe that the Illuminati and Freemasons continue to be at work today. In fact, according to a recent publication, 23% of Americans believe in the Illuminati and The New World Order.

The fear actually persists with pop culture adding to the buzz. 

Did you know that Beyoncé and Jay-Z were also believed to be members of the Illuminati? And other celebrities are getting caught up in the conspiracy theory. Even Rihanna and Katy Perry played symbols in their artistry, finding amusement in their involvement as believed by enthusiasts. 

Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol is a well-known novel that piqued the interest of many with the talks about Freemason’s “secret symbols”. Inevitably, these stories lead to more conversations about the New World Order and the secret society’s involvement.

New World Order and Covid-19

The theory of the New World Order once again gained traction recently because of — no surprise here — the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s old but somehow found its way to recent headlines. 

For one, with the sinister ideas around the Great Reset triggering the public, it comes as no surprise that the New World Order will take its place in the narrative. To supporters of conspiracy, resetting the global economy appears to be more of proof of the New World Order starting rather than a movement to address the pandemic challenges. Experts claim that the Great Reset skepticism is just a repackaged version of the New World Order.

Another conspiracy theorist, David Icke, even called the Covid-19 virus “fake”, saying it is just an excuse to bring about a new world order. Twitter banned his account for spreading such misinformation.

Conspiracy theory followers were also stirred up when an Australian chief medical officer mentioned the ‘new world order’ in relation to contact tracing.

The thing is, the phrase ‘new world order’ may loosely translate to the “new world” we’re living in, impacted by the pandemic. Or the new world order waiting for us post-Covid, changing the course of our lives in the practical sense. It doesn’t always necessarily refer to the proper noun, “New World Order,” that riles up a good number of theory adherents.

Apparently, influential people cannot casually drop the big phrase in discussions. Otherwise, people will almost certainly spin tales around it.

Whatever ‘new world order’ is being referred to, people must always make the effort to know what the facts are. Educating oneself is key to avoiding being clouded by baseless ideas and getting paranoid. 

Especially in the age of the internet, misinformation could be a real issue. It affects a huge part of the public and may lead to bigger problems than what we expect. Being a responsible audience is, indeed, highly critical in this day and age.

So whether to join in on the conspiracy theories or not, beliefs and decisions should be always grounded on substantiated claims. 

*Cover Photo/Thumbnail Photo from Pexels