secret societies [in my opinion anyway] are the worst kept secret ever. think about it. if someone was a member of a secret society like the illuminati or something, how would we know the name? you're not suppose to talk about it. there are stupid people in every generation, so you know someone would brag up how they're a member of 'fight club' even though we all know the first rule of fight club is you do not talk about fight club. people like the idea of superiority and special treatment so i think secret societies are a combination of people imagining the reason someone else is treated better is because they're part of a secret group, and people making up stories they are to feel special. if any secret societies exist i think it would be like The Stone Cutters in The Simpsons, a group of people in robes getting drunk and playing pool all night.
there's so many more things we need to look into as a society before secret organizations with evil agendas. look up gerrymandering, the US electoral college, or lobbying for a taste of how real people can stack the deck of reality in their favour, and yet no ones stopping them. it's not a conspiracy, it's that not enough people care to force change. [not saying the Canadian system is much better, you vote for the party, not the prime minister, so you might like the person running for the conservatives in your area, but want the liberals to run the country. so you're forced to vote for the liberal guy in your area even though you know he's made a lot of shoddy deals, you have to vote for him]
Nekoshema you are right, i totally agree with you. But there is still a part of me which wishes for secret Socities but with a meaningful description unlike illuminati who are said to control the world, it's sounds more funny than magical.
I always like to laugh when people talk about "secret societies". Of course their existence is not secret. For a large part, neither are their teachings. Masonry's teachings are fairly well published. Some of the others, such as the Odd Fellows, still enjoy some level of secrecy.
For most of these societies the secrecy is not to keep knowledge out of people's hands but as an exercise in self-control and humility of its members, and as a matter of tradition. To an extent this has fallen out of facor with Masons. I saw a huge compass and square sticker on the back window of a pickup on the way home yesterday.
The vast majority of these groups are not political and have no malice in them. Many, such as Masonry, teach to support the government.
I am part of a secret society known as Miles Dei. Most people think that secret societies are out to rule the world. We simply just have agendas most people would think impossible.
The trouble here lies mainly in definition. Any group, gathering, or club that is exclusive to its members and that maintains a sense or privacy in ti's actions can be called a 'secret society'.
For example the freemasons, a legitimate and openly known group, is a secret society. And in my opinion probably the birthplace of the illuminati and their pervading myth. The organisation started as, well, basically one of the original unions. A collective of literal stone masons who got together to better themselves and their practice.
The group was a place to share and protect the secrets of the trade, which is why it became a place only joined by family members of those already a part of them. Since then the many, many, -many- years of history and evolution of the group made it what it is today. And they still keep some of the old edicts of exclusivity and secrecy. The beginning and end of every meeting is a ritualized tradition, there are levels of rank in the group known as 'degrees', based on an individual's participation and contributions, there are no women allowed, and no member can ever talk about anything that occurrs or any information that is shared. Not even among their spouses.
By the same token, they also have an internal code of conduct that is supposed to be followed both in life and also in business. Such as dealing honestly, doing your best work at all times, and working to better yourself, and the trade you partake in by contributing new knowledge and techniques. So, usually, if you are talking to a tradesman wearing a freemason pin, you can expect them to be pretty stand-up in their dealings. Because if they aren't and it gets back to their lodge, it can lead to removal from the order.
I guess my point in all of this, is that there are certainly secret (or at least secretive) groups and societies out there, and while the mystery of it might create some fantastic stories and conspiracies... it is just people. Doing people things. Sometimes in a business setting, sometimes in a religious one. On the odd occurrence it is a cult like heaven's gate or something similar, but I look at it as more an exception than the rule.
I got a book from an Order of the Eastern Star member in my family. I can't reveal the book or what her name is. I could imagine what rules in it would say though. Everyone is allowed some secrets. You can destroy a person with eavesdropping or ear hustling someone's secrets by revealing to the public your secrets. That is why your lips must be sealed in secret groups you belong to
@ singlespirit to truly be a 'secret society' you must exist behind the shadows. i may not know more than your name, but i bet someone has said 'i belong to Miles Dei and we do this...' [and since i don't know you, you could of made it up to sound cool, or just broke the 'don't talk about Miles Dei' rule of the secret society handbook]
it's neat to speculate about urban legends and myths and whatever, but regarding reality, i know people, and i don't trust most of them. the closest i can believe in any 'secret society' is something like British Traditional Wicca where you take an oath to never speak of coven traditions to non-coven members. to become a BTW you need to prove yourself trustworthy, only then will they open up more to you. if you told me there were groups like that which only give wisdom to trustworthy members, i would believe that. if you told me a group was behind the scenes of reality pulling the strings that no one knows about [like Hydra in Winter Soldier] i don't believe you. the only reason i doubt this is [as mentioned] people are stupid. someone will want to brag, someone will want more power, there is no way you could get a group of like-minded individuals together for centuries to quietly be the puppet-masters of our society.
I know. Some will spread occult knowledge and others will mess up secrets to make others look bad. People just can't keep secrets due to curiosity and fear.
