I’ve never been one to get all excited about symbolic meanings or secret messages, so I have to admit the latest conspiracy theory from the QAnon-folk leaves me a bit baffled:
On Aug.16, hundreds of Afghan civilians swarmed an Air Force C-17 cargo plane after it landed at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Before military officials could unload the aircraft, security concerns led the crew to take off as some Afghans clung to the side of the aircraft.
In the days since, conspiracy theorists have pointed to viral videos of the deadly events as evidence the conflict in Afghanistan is not actually happening. Proponents of this “false flag” theory are highlighting the number 1109 on the side of the cargo plane as a signal the events are somehow connected to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.
One lengthy Instagram post from Aug. 18 presented the conspiracy this way: “I find it an odd ‘coincidence’ that the US plane that was in the Afganistan (sic) Taliban video was 1109, which seems to be hinting at 9/11 and thus another false flag event to provoke WW3 and order out of chaos and the crowning of the Antichrist false Savior and One World Leader.” [USA Today]
I know that such fields as Christian Art have well documented symbolic images, which make some sense when it comes to getting messages across compactly when it costs substantially to go with a more prolix, if I may use such a term in painting, message. Hidden messages are more of a mystery to me.
I mean, Why have a hidden message at all? What function does it serve to hint that a plane carrying refugees is somehow connected to the 9/11 attack of 2001, and that it means the whole Afghanistan withdrawal is a hoax – even though 9/11 was not?
Yeah, once you ask that question, the whole edifice comes tumbling down.
I don’t know what the conspiracy theory experts have to say – and, yes, they’re out there – but, to me, it feels like the conspiracy theorist who has sussed this sort of thing out of whole cloth is climbing the social ladder. Look at me, they say, I’m smart enough to see the clues.
It’s all about self-importance.
This is related, in an odd way, to this dude, who thinks – or grifts – that because the number 45 came up in a football score – uh, sort of – that means God wants our 45th President to remain President. And he wants to be known as the guy who saw it.
The climb up the social ladder to power and prestige can lead to some rather odd rungs.
I must add, full disclosure, that this sort of reasoning even applies to me, only I don’t use the religion or conspiracy theory route. I just see some potential future event happening due to an occurrence in the recent past, and I put it on the blog. A lot of it is just me venting, but if other people think it’s an insightful thought, then, hey, it puffs me up, too.
Sort of.
