When you talk to Nick Novak, a manager at an Omaha HyVee, you might not pin him as someone that believes conspiracy theories. Get to know him a little bit more, and, if you’re interested, he can talk to you for hours about multiple alien races and bases on earth that are covered up by the government.
Conspiracy theories have been a part of Novak’s life since he was a little kid. His dad and brother introduced theories, mainly involving the government, to him, and as Nick grew up, things started to make more sense and he started to do his own research.
After doing his own research online, Novak discovered just how many conspiracy theories are out there and he said it blew his mind. Some of the first ones Novak investigated were ones involving 9/11. At first he hadn’t given much though to the theories surrounding 9/11, but the more research he did, the more he felt like he couldn’t deny all the strange things that occurred. Novak said he thinks the conspiracies involving people, the government and what’s going on with politics are the ones that are easiest for people to believe.
What Makes a Conspiracy Theory Popular
In a TIME magazine article titled Why So Many People Believe Conspiracy Theories writer Jeffrey Kluger says that “The most common theories are the ones that follow the eddies of politics. As a broad rule, a party or group that’s out of power will be more inclined to believe in conspiracies than a group that’s in power.”
When you look at the most popular theories this concept seems to check out. According to an article by TIME titled Conspiracy Theories, the top ten most popular conspiracy theories are:
- JFK Assassination
- 9/11 Cover-Up
- Area 51 and Aliens
- Paul is Dead
- Secret Societies Control the World
- The Moon Landing Fake
- Jesus and Mary Magdalene
- Holocaust Revisionism
- The CIA and AIDS
- The Reptilian Elite
From this list, almost all of them have something to do with the government, and with so many theories out there, it’s not hard for someone to find one that they can research and start to believe.
Novak acknowledges that the JFK conspiracy has always interested him and that it’s one of the most popular theories out there, but as for his favorite, Novak said, “Me personally, I like stuff involving aliens and secret bases.”
I’m Not Crazy, You’re Crazy
Although Novak strongly believes many theories, he still considers himself a moderate conspiracy theorist, but that doesn’t mean he discounts what other more avid conspiracy theorists have to say.
“I think something must have really happened to them to make them believe that stuff and they kind of spiraled out of control,” Novak said, adding that, “Maybe one of them got abducted or worked for the government and are trying to spread it but they get labeled as crazy, so people don’t believe them.”
Believing conspiracy theories often comes with the price of people calling theorists crazy and immediately dismissing what they have to say. Novak agrees this is something he has had to deal with but Novak doesn’t let comments get to him and believes people need to open their eyes.
“I think they’re sheep. They’re close minded and they never think outside the box.”
Because of this, Novak usually keeps to himself about his love of conspiracy theories around people he doesn’t know very well.
Words from a Casual Theorist
Allyson Genereux, a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, finds conspiracy theories interesting, but tends to like learning about them more than actually believing them.
“It’s a really interesting subject. It’s really compelling to know what people’s views are.”
The conspiracy theories Genereux does find interesting are usually smaller ones involving celebrities, but she will admit the ones involving the Illuminati sometimes make her stop and think.
Although Genereux might not be quick to believe someone has been abducted by aliens, she does respect what they think.
“I don’t think you can make fun of someone for believing in something, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.”
Despite this, Genereux doesn’t encourage some theories like ones involving the Holocaust or 9/11, as she sees them as being “disrespectful.” She said she doesn’t think people should be making light of tragedies where people lost their lives.
The Future of Conspiracy Theories
Novak said he has faith that conspiracy theories will gain more traction and more people will get into them as time goes on. He said the most important thing is that people need to do their own research and make their own opinions on things. Novak hopes that when he talks about conspiracy theories it inspires people to want to learn more for themselves.
Novak cautions that although it’s easier to find evidence of theories thanks to the internet and YouTube, it’s easier than ever to fake and Photoshop evidence. Novak admits he really doesn’t have a solution for this but said you should be warry and objective when you come across a video or picture. Novak said it’s important to always check sources, just like you would for news articles.
When it comes to government conspiracy theories, Novak isn’t as convinced that the truth will be uncovered. Novak said that at this point the government is good at covering things up and something big would have to happen for some secrets to come to light.
Novak believes the government is so good at covering things up that he worries his digging might get him into trouble.
“I’m actually afraid if I share too much stuff on Facebook the government will flag me.” He even goes so far as to say, “If something randomly happens to me it’s because I knew to much and discovered something I wasn’t supposed to.”
All of this goes to show you might not realize someone is a conspiracy theorist just by looking at them. People like Novak and Genereux lead normal lives, work normal jobs, and don’t have a wall filled with pictures and red lines connecting them like you see in movies or tv shows.
All around us conspiracy theorists do exist.
TinFoil Hat
At first glance you might not know that Nick Novak believes the government is working in cahoots with aliens. Novak is one example of someone who believes in conspiracy theories and you might be surprised at how many people around you are very similar to him.
According to a research article by J. Eric Oliver and Thomas J. Wood in 2014, “Half of the American public consistently endorses at least one conspiracy theory.” This means the chances of someone you work with believing Mark Zuckerberg is a lizard or that the Earth is flat is pretty high.
Despite there being a large amount of conspiracy theorists out there, not all of them are wearing tinfoil hats.
Do You Think You Have What it Takes to Hunt for Aliens
Here are Some Tips to Help You on Your Quest for the Truth
- Do Your Research: There are many areas that are considered “hot spots” for alien/UFO activity. Be sure to research the location you are going and take some time to talk to locals. The National UFO Reporting Center and UFO Stalker provide information of alien locations and site maps.
- Gear Up: If you do find an alien or UFO it is important to make sure you can document it. Prepare to spend some time outside so dress appropriately and bring snacks. UFO Stop provides all the equipment you could need, and then some.
- Be Patient: With your snacks in hand prepare to hang out for a while. It isn’t guaranteed you will see anything and you might end up spending all night or multiple nights searching.
- Stay Calm: When you see an alien or UFO it’s important to stay relaxed and focused, you definitely don’t want “shaky cam” for evidence. It is also suggested that if you do meet an alien to not scare it away or appear threatening.
- Report Your Findings: Once you have the evidence you have been looking for report it to the Mutual UFO Network or to the National UFO Reporting Center. These organizations will review your report and add it to their database so that there is a permanent record of your finding.
Happy Hunting!
Don’t Believe Conspiracy Theories? Here are Five Conspiracy Theories That Ended up Being True
- Project MK Ultra: People had been speculating about the Secret Services’ involvement with experimentation in the ’70s. Papers released by the U.S. government revealed that these experiments, involving mind control by using drugs on people without their knowledge, were true.
- Operation Mocking Bird: From the ’50s to the ’70s, the CIA paid journalists to publish CIA propaganda and wiretapped civilians. President John F. Kennedy taped conversations of Operation Mockingbird in the Oval Office and the operation was uncovered shortly after Watergate.
- Poisoning Alcohol: During prohibition, the government pushed industrial alcohol manufacturers to use more poison in their production to discourage bootleggers from making moonshine and to discourage people from drinking alcohol. Over 10,000 people died as a result by the end of prohibition.
- Operation Northwoods: In the early ’60s American military leaders made plans of committing acts of terrorism that would have killed innocent U.S. citizens to create public support for the war with Cuba.
- Operation Popeye: During the Vietnam War, the CIA manipulated weather to gain a strategic advantage. The CIA used cloud seeding to make it rain more and prolong the monsoon season over the Ho Chi Min Trail. The goal behind extending the monsoon season was to wash out roads and cause landslides.
The Conspiracy Theorist Next Door
(PDF of infographic including links to sources)
Kaitlin Mason 
