But is that normal or a conspiracy?
The point is not just that planting a sleeper in the White House to serve corporations would be superfluous. The point is they do plant presidents, but not through arcane plots. They use campaign contributions, interflow between business and government, bribes, social events etc. With this toolbox available, the use of sinister brain implants following a kidnap would be risky, expensive, danger-prone and low-yield. That's one flaw in the conspiracy mentality: The scheme is often unnecessary and inefficient.
Conspiracy theories are also flawed in a positive sense. They aren't just wrong, they do harm. How? By obscuring the nature of the status quo. If it takes a devious conspiracy to put a sleeper in the White House, then the system must be basically sound and democratic. On the other hand, if there already are slaves to corporate interest in the White House and elsewhere, then the system itself is corrupt. Conspiracy theories don't so much shift attention to bizarre cabals as draw focus away from the normal processes that are the real means by which privately owned vice presidents and virtual corporate sleepers slip into power. Think of this as the conspiratorial purpose behind conspiracy theories.
Rick Salutin/Globe&Mail/rabblenews 13.Aug.04
