Inside the space ships

This is another bizarre conspiracy theory I found on the web. It´s known as the Breakaway Civilization or the Secret Space Program. The scenario is that “They” (the Illuminati and so forth) already have bases on the Moon and Mars, for some ulterior purpose best known to themselves. Perhaps they want to leave the Earth in case of an emergency? And return after the rest of us are safely dead? “Inside the Program” features interviews with two people who claim to have been part of the secret space program. One of them was “recruited”, while the other claims to be a genetically enhanced soldier clone who fought several wars with aliens on Mars! The man doesn´t look like a hardened ex-soldier from “Starship Troopers” but I suppose his story could work as science fiction in the hands of a competent author of such material. I almost chuckled when he claimed that the Martian colonies had allied with insectoid and reptoid aliens to fight another reptoid faction. I wasn´t the only one, since even people in YouTube´s commentator section find this one hard to believe!

A peculiar (but somehow logical) feature of conspiracy theories is the idea that fiction must be real, since “fact” and “reality” are fakes. “Inside the Program” contains clips from an old British “science show” which was really a spoof, “Alternative 3”, and somehow claims that the contents were nevertheless real. “Alternative 3” claims that prominent scientists and military personnel have mysteriously disappeared and been recruited to a – surprise – secret space program! “Inside the Program” ends by claiming that an inordinate amount of scientists and “Germans” have disappeared while visiting US national parks, and that they have all been abducted to serve the Breakaway Civilization.

In its hard version, this conspiracy theory is obvious bunk – if the US really has access to the advanced super-weapons described, including one that distorts time and another which can put an entire city to sleep, why the hell isn´t the US in charge of the whole world? Defeating Russia or Iran would be a piece of cake, for instance. But perhaps the endless wars are simply part of the conspiracy? In its softer version, I wouldn´t be surprised if some elite groups really have looked into space colonization as a convenient way of escaping a future apocalypse, but if so, they should have discovered by now that it *isn´t* particularly comfy. Underground facilities or above-ground ditto in the hills seem more logical. Unless you believe they really are in league with alien civilizations, of course…

At bottom, conspiracy theories of this kind reflect the (legitimate) fear of overpopulation, war and environmental destruction combined with the inability of the fearful people (or certain social layers) to actually *change* anything. This political impotence is clearly seen in the notion that the establishment is all-powerful, and has near-supernatural powers. In other words, the worldview of the atomized American petty-bourgeoisie.

Or maybe it´s just paranoia.