Many people have been drunk on Bill Gates conspiracy theories over the last twelve months.

I am fascinated by conspiracy theories because, it may surprise you to know, I was a full-time conspiracist from 2001–2006. I spread the rumor that rapper Tupac wasn’t dead. I would spend hours every day in internet forums talking about it. I then got hooked on the 911 terrorist attack conspiracies. I’d tell people the planes had bombs strapped to them and it was ‘a setup.’ I had no idea what I was talking about. It was all unsubstantiated nonsense.

Shortly after, a hippie friend from music school, who ate magic mushrooms every weekend, got me hooked on the secret society of the Illuminati. All it took was Tom Hanks’s role in the movie “Angels and Demons” to send my conspiracy mind into overdrive. I’m a recovered conspiracist now. My mind has healed from their devastating effects. Here’s how to keep your mind safe.

Conspiracy Theories Are Fear in Disguise

That’s what conspiracy theories taught me. When I was hooked on conspiracy theories I was deathly afraid. I had a deep mental illness that drove my actions. Conspiracy theories helped me feel part of something bigger than myself. Conspiracy theories helped me explain the unexplainable.

One of my work colleagues in 2004 was obsessed with conspiracy theories too. They led him to madness. He was literally a genius. He had a PhD. And he ended up becoming a criminal and going to jail. He, too, was scared (to face the death of his father — his only friend in life).

Now we have fake news, the more deadly upgraded version of conspiracy theories. We have strange people pretending to be doctors (like Pete Evans) on Instagram and spreading lies about an obvious health crisis you can see if you visit your local hospital. If you find yourself getting hooked on conspiracy theories it’s worth taking a deeper look as to why.

The Man Who Claimed to Go to Heaven

An interesting example is the man who claimed to visit heaven. A man by the name of Alex Malarkey was involved in a car accident that put him in a coma. Six years later he published a book about how he visited heaven. Obviously, people were fascinated (I know I was) by his story. It allowed humans to dream of this magical place many had wanted to visit.

The descriptions he gave of heaven were breathtaking. He spoke of the bright tunnel you walk down, meeting Jesus, the sight of 150 angels with fantastic wings. “The devil had three heads, with red eyes, moldy teeth, and hair made of fire.” Heaven was full of lakes, rivers and grass, according to Alex. Imagine that. I can picture it in my mind right now.

Some have left this world too soon, on a quest to find this magical place and escape Earth and its beta test of a society inhabiting it. Alex’s book made him lots of money. The term “heaven tourism” came from his experience. The fake story Alex spread was all a lie.

“I did not die. I did not go to Heaven. I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. … People have profited from lies, and continue to.”

We wanted to believe Alex was right about his experience in heaven, as it makes the present easier to escape in our heads. Alex spread his holy lie to make money and become a best-selling author. Rightfully so, he lost everything the fake success gave him.

Why Do People Spread Conspiracy Theories About Bill?

There are many reasons. Here are a few explanations based on my research and years of being obsessed with conspiracy theories.

• You can gain social media followers and attention.
• You can let your imagination run wild.
• Conspiracy theories provide answers to the unexplained.
• You can make money from spreading conspiracy theories.
• Conspiracy theories can differentiate your social media brand in a crowded online marketplace.
• Chasing conspiracy theories can cure you of boredom.
• An obsession for conspiracy can be a sign of mental illness (like it was for me in the early 2000s).

Bill Gates’ Answer to the Conspiracy Theories About Him

Bill is an easy target for conspiracy theories. His odd pursuits of helping the Third World, his obsession for vaccines, and his thirst for technology, all give him the perfect radical character traits needed to create a horror movie, where he is an evil genius trying to take over the world.

Hollywood has prepped our minds for years to imagine Bill Gates as an evil genius. It’s our Hollywood imagination talking, not reality. The nonsense conspiracy theories spread about Bill are vast and wide. It all started when a pandemic hit the world. Bill gave a Ted Talk many years ago that predicted we would face a pandemic similar to covid.

The conspiracists took this coincidence and ran wild with it. They claimed Bill’s work with vaccines was only to support his goal of implanting microchips in humans. These chips were going to change our DNA and force many of us to become employees of his empire. Somehow the peddlers of this nonsense managed to throw 5G in there for the hell of it.

You might be thinking “nobody is dumb enough to believe Bill is an evil genius.” That’s exactly what I thought. A Yahoo survey found 25% of US adults believed in a conspiracy theory involving Bill Gates and his work funding vaccines. Humans are easier to fool than you think.

A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool — William Shakespeare

When Uncle Bill was asked by Trevor Noah to explain all these conspiracy theories about him, his answer showed a lot of wisdom.

Explanation #1 from Bill

Conspiracy theories simplify complex topics and that’s why they’re easy to click on and accidentally believe. It’s easier, Bill says, to believe he is evil than to explain complex biology that causes natural events like pandemics. “Make the truth more interesting,” could be one way to defeat silly conspiracy theories.

Explanation #2 from Bill

“I wish I had the answer.” That’s right. Bill admits he doesn’t have the answer to why people spread conspiracy theories about him. This is true genius.

Providing shallow answers can make a problem bigger. Bill knows the conspiracy theories being spread about him could delude normal people from taking vaccines. He wants humanity to heal from the pandemic — not be held back by it, therefore, holding back humanity’s progress. Bill believes the truth will conquer conspiracies, which is an optimistic solution to a big problem. I am not sure I agree.

Final Thought

Humans do crazy stuff when we’re fearful. Don’t let conspiracy theories take over your brain and delude you from the truth. Bill Gates isn’t trying to take over the world — he’s part of the solution, fighting the good fight.

Your desire for answers can force you to look for them in the wrong place. Be okay with not knowing the answer to every problem. Then you’ll avoid the conspiracy theory trap.

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