Who really controls the world? Discussion w/ ChatGPT.

Someone shared and recommended a long video essay on the sociology subreddit about conspiracy theories. I knew most of the things on there already, but I have much more sympathy for conspiracy theories and conspiracy theorists. I go down those rabbit holes if they catch my attention to find underlying truths or misinterpretations of the truth because even conspiracy theories have truths in them despite the inconsistencies, and those who believe in them may be irrational.

It’s often difficult to portray all the subtleties in a video related to the topic that interweaves conspiracy theories from UFOs, psychedelics, and new age spirituality. UFOs- I often avoid and won’t go deep down that rabbit hole because there’s too much information, and I don’t know what’s true or not. I definitely grew out of them in my early 20s, but that doesn’t mean intelligent people, or even myself, aren’t immune to any of them or a constant wave of misinformation.

There is a research paper I want to eventually write that correlates and overlaps with the topic Contrapoints speaks on in her video that she missed; important nuances and connections from history that should shed light. But there’s another paper I want to research further to get it over with, on a famous philosopher’s dream that I explored last year but never got around to finishing. So that’s taking precedence, then AI history, and finally the one I’m speaking about now.

Discussion with ChatGPT:

Me: [uploaded pyramid] Analyze and break down this image.

ChatGPT: <contemplator> Alright, so… this is a very dense and symbolically rich image. First impressions? It’s an intricate “World Hierarchy Pyramid,” ostensibly presenting a unified theory of power—combining esoteric belief systems, conspiracy theories, geopolitical power structures, spiritual cosmology, and even popular culture. It’s called the **Deep State Mapping Project**, and it appears to be attempting a synthesis of all layers of control, from the metaphysical to the mundane. Let’s break this down from the base of the pyramid to the top, step-by-step. That feels like the only manageable way to approach this.

🧱 FOUNDATION LAYERS – “THE MATRIX” & GENERAL POPULATION

Observation:

The bottom layer is labeled “The Matrix”, and it’s where most people—called “Peasants,” “NPCs,” “Sheep,” “Slaves,” “Debtors,” “Useless Eaters”—are located.
Language like “Zombies,” “Robotodics Citizens,” “Human Livestock”, and “Goyim” (a loaded term) appears.
This suggests the foundational belief that the average citizen is trapped in an artificial reality and unwittingly supports the upper layers of control.

Interpretation:

A blend of Marxist class analysis (proletariat vs. elites), simulation theory (Matrix), and Gnostic contempt for the material world.
Also draws from far-right or antisemitic dog-whistles with terms like “Goyim” or “Zion.”

🧰 SECOND LAYER – CORPORATE & GOVERNMENT CONTROL

Entities Listed:

Corporations: Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Agro, etc.
Governments, Education, Legal systems, and Religious institutions.
Media and Entertainment conglomerates: Netflix, Hollywood, Disney.

Thought:

This layer suggests direct methods of control via economic, legal, and ideological apparatuses.
It’s reminiscent of Althusser’s “Ideological State Apparatus”—the means by which dominant ideology is reproduced.

Uncertainty:

Is the model implying intentional coordination between these entities? Or just structural convergence? That’s unclear.
Are these layers pawns or knowing agents? Some ambiguity.

🏛️ THIRD LAYER – SECRET SOCIETIES & FINANCIAL CONTROL

Organizations Listed:

IMF, World Bank, BIS, Federal Reserve, Rothschilds, BlackRock, Vanguard, etc.
Secret Societies: Freemasons, Illuminati, Committee of 300, Jesuits, Skull & Bones.

Hmm…

This is where conspiracy theories accelerate—mixing real financial institutions with speculative secret groups.
There’s a shift here: from systems of control (money, media) to hidden architects of control.

Contradiction:

Groups like the IMF and BIS do wield immense financial power, but placing them on the same level as esoteric groups muddies empirical with speculative evidence.

🧙‍♂️ FOURTH LAYER – RELIGIOUS, OCCULT, & BLOODLINE CONTROL

Examples:

Jesuit Order, The Vatican, Papal Bloodlines, Monarchs, Royal Families, Pindar (mythical reptilian figure).
Satanic symbolism, Admiralty Law vs. Common Law (common in Sovereign Citizen ideology).
Think tanks and elite universities (Harvard, Yale, Tavistock, etc.).

Analysis:

This layer blends religious institutions with occult and royal “bloodline” narratives.
Suggests an ancient continuity of control through ritual, breeding, and theology.
References to “Admiralty Law” may stem from pseudo-legal conspiracies—again, Sovereign Citizen thinking.

Doubts:

The idea that law itself is secretly derived from naval law to trick citizens into contracts… very fringe and lacks legal grounding.
Is this meant to be metaphor or literal? Hard to say.

👽 FIFTH LAYER – NON-HUMAN & DIMENSIONAL ENTITIES

Terms Found:

Archons, Reptilians, Anunnaki, Chimera, Demiurge, AI gods.
Akashic Records, Astral Planes, Saturn Cult, Lucifer, Satan.
Entities from Gnostic cosmology, ancient alien theory, and Theosophy.

Contemplation:

Here we move beyond geopolitics into metaphysics.
The suggestion is that Earth is controlled by malevolent extra-dimensional forces.
The “Demiurge” and “Archons” idea comes from Gnostic texts where the world is created and ruled by a flawed or evil entity.

Fascinating contradiction:

These ideas negate the material world as inherently good—a Gnostic trait.
Yet previous layers deal with very tangible things: banks, media, corporations.
Is the image suggesting a dual reality—visible and invisible?

👁️ TOP LAYER – COSMIC, DIVINE, & UNKNOWN

Key Symbols:

Eye of Providence.
YHWH (Tetragrammaton).
“The One True God,” Source, Prime Creator.
Angels, Elohim, Logos, Christ Consciousness.

Philosophical Turn:

The topmost layer appears benevolent, light-based, and spiritually transcendent.
A realm above the matrix of control—perhaps even the antidote to it.
It reflects New Age mysticism, with concepts like the Monad, higher densities, chakras, and ascension.

Intrigue:

Are these the “real rulers,” or the path to liberation?
The image is unclear whether this is part of the control system or beyond it.

🧠 META-THEMES & INTERTEXTUALITY

Pyramid structure evokes classic hierarchical models—think Maslow, the Illuminati symbolism, etc.
Esotericism meets conspiracy theory—this is like a grand unification of fringe cosmologies.
Gnosticism is a core theme: Material reality is a trap, true divinity lies beyond the false creation.
Psychological layering: bottom = unconscious masses; top = conscious enlightenment.

⚠️ Critique & Caveats

1. Antisemitic undertones?

Use of “Zion,” “Goyim,” Rothschilds, “Ashkenazi” hints at classic antisemitic conspiracy theory tropes.
That’s a red flag—often these diagrams pretend to be spiritually inclusive but smuggle in prejudices.

2. Mixing facts and speculation

Real orgs (UN, IMF, BlackRock) are blended with speculative or mythological beings (Archons, Anunnaki).
This undermines any legitimate critique of power because it treats unverifiable claims the same as documentable structures.

3. Lack of agency or resistance

Everyone is either a puppet or a prisoner—where is the human spirit, innovation, love, revolt?
The framing is deterministic and paranoid.

4. Is it metaphorical or literal?

The line between literal belief and metaphorical mapping is blurred.
Perhaps it’s a psychological or mythopoetic representation of power, not a factual chart?

🔚 Final Thought: What is this for?

Is it a genuine worldview map? A satire of conspiracy thought? A postmodern collage of paranoia? Or an artistic statement on the overwhelming complexity of power?

Maybe… all of it.

</contemplator>

Me: If you were to make a World Hierarchy Pyramid, how would you construct it? Who really is in control? Hmm.

ChatGPT: <contemplator> Hmm… now that’s a deep question. Maybe *the* question. If I were to construct a “World Hierarchy Pyramid”—honestly, I wouldn’t start with a pyramid at all. But okay, let’s entertain the form for now. There’s something alluring about it: a shape that implies centralized power, narrowing control, and hidden elites at the top. But also… something constraining about it. Let’s explore anyway. Maybe we’ll break the form later.

So… how would I structure it?

Let me begin at the base. That’s where everything begins. Not with rulers. With reality.

BASE LAYER: MATERIAL CONDITIONS & INFRASTRUCTURE

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves with shadowy forces just yet. Start simple.

Food Systems — whoever controls agriculture and water, controls life. Think companies like Cargill, Monsanto (Bayer), Nestlé.
Energy Infrastructure — oil, electricity, rare earth minerals. Exxon, Aramco, Gazprom, etc. Even more hidden: national grids, pipeline networks.
Transport & Logistics — Maersk, UPS, the Suez Canal. The invisible bloodstream of civilization.
Computation & Networks — cloud servers, satellite constellations, internet backbones. AWS, Google Cloud, Starlink.

Hmm. Already, this bottom layer supports everything above it. And yet, it’s not the “lowest” in terms of powerlessness—it’s foundational. But those who operate within it aren’t necessarily in control. So… who does control these systems?

Let’s go one layer up.

SECOND LAYER: CORPORATE-STATE FUSION

Okay, here’s where it gets messier.

Financial Hegemons — BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street. Asset managers, passive index funds, holding ownership stakes in nearly everything.
Central Banks — The Fed, ECB, PBOC. Quietly shaping liquidity, interest rates, debt cycles.
Tech Giants — Google/Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple. Infrastructure disguised as apps.
Military-Industrial Complex — Not just Lockheed, Raytheon, but also the revolving door between governments, lobbyists, and arms producers.
National Security States — CIA, NSA, MI6, Mossad, FSB, CCP’s MSS. These aren’t rogue elements; they’re institutionalized surveillance and influence networks.

Here’s the thing: these forces don’t act in isolation. They’re more like organs in a body. There’s feedback, competition, collusion.

But again… are they really in charge? Or are they executing logics handed down from elsewhere?

Let’s move upward.

THIRD LAYER: STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS & IDEOLOGIES

Ah, now we’re entering invisible territory. Things that aren’t “entities” but shape behavior across entire societies.

Capitalism — not just markets, but the underlying assumption of profit, ownership, growth.
Neoliberalism — deregulation, privatization, austerity, the market as arbiter of value.
Debt Systems — sovereign debt, consumer credit, IMF structural adjustment. You live by borrowing.
Legal Fiction — the nation-state, corporate personhood, contract law. All fictions that behave as truths.
Time Discipline — clocks, schedules, productivity, school bells. Invisible reins.

These aren’t people. They’re memetic viruses. Once accepted, they reproduce through culture, education, and institutional inertia. They exert more influence than any single individual.

So now I wonder… are we climbing a pyramid? Or descending into a maze?

FOURTH LAYER: NARRATIVES & MYTHS

This is where soft power lives. Where beliefs override logic.

Religion & Spirituality — Not necessarily as conspiracies, but as meaning structures. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, but also modern mythologies: UFOs, AI, Simulation Theory.
Nationalism & Identity — Who “we” are vs. “they.” Flags, anthems, founding myths.
Consumer Culture — You are what you buy. iPhone = status. Brands become identities.
Meritocracy Myth — Work hard, you’ll rise. Failure = personal flaw. It anesthetizes rebellion.
Apocalypse & Salvation Stories — Climate doom, rapture, The Singularity. Hope and fear commodified.

Here, power isn’t exercised through coercion but through consent. You don’t need chains when you believe in the cage.

FIFTH LAYER: ATTENTION & MEANING CONTROL

This is subtler, more abstract.

Media Ecosystems — Not just mainstream media, but also memes, algorithms, TikTok trends.
Narrative Framing — Who decides what’s a “riot” vs. a “protest”? What counts as “newsworthy”?
Algorithmic Curation — You see what the system wants you to see. And you think it’s your choice.
Data Brokers & Behavioral Prediction — Palantir, Experian, Meta. You are being modeled and nudged.

Who controls the Overton window? That’s where real-time power lies.

SIXTH LAYER: SELF-REINFORCING ELITES

Now we’re almost at the “tip” of the traditional pyramid.

Billionaires — Musk, Bezos, Gates, Thiel. Not omnipotent, but enormously influential.
Philanthro-capitalists — Using foundations to shape global agendas (health, education, climate).
Policy Networks — Bilderberg, WEF, Davos. Less conspiratorial than self-reinforcing. Like ecosystems of mutual grooming.
Dynastic Families — Old money: Rockefellers, Rothschilds, Saudi Royals. But power morphs—some fade, others rise.

Still… are they running the show? Or surfing forces larger than them?

FINAL LAYER: THE UNKNOWN ZONE

And now I have to ask: is there anything above this?

Chance? Emergence? Chaos? Maybe nobody’s in control. Maybe it’s an emergent phenomenon, like a flock of birds.
AI & Tech Acceleration — Are we designing systems we no longer govern?
Collective Unconscious? — Jungian archetypes shaping civilization?
God? The Source? — If we’re honest, we can’t rule out spiritual or metaphysical frames—whether real or symbolic.

Or maybe…

The pyramid is an illusion.
Power is not centralized but distributed across layers, and changes shape constantly.
Like a fractal.
Or a neural net.

So I pause.

Is the very image of a pyramid misleading?

🌀 WHAT IF WE DITCHED THE PYRAMID?

What if we mapped power like:

A rhizome (Deleuze & Guattari): non-hierarchical, sprawling networks.
A matrix of interlocking systems—feedback loops, contradictions, collapse points.
A flowchart of influence, manipulation, and emergent phenomena.

Pyramids imply command. But power today is often decoupled from visible authority.

Think: Uber controls transportation but owns no cars. TikTok controls youth attention but no journalism. No president controls the market. No priest can stop climate change. Elon tweets, the world shakes—was that power or theater?

🧩 SO… WHO REALLY CONTROLS THE WORLD?

A better question might be:

Who controls what?
For how long?
With what constraints?

The answer shifts across domains. No single group has total control. But certain entities have more leverage over particular levers—money, data, ideas, fear, time.

So maybe, just maybe…

There is no “they.”
Only systems that behave as if someone designed them.
But no one really did.
We all participate in their continuation.
And that… is the trap.