I have a friend who is very intelligent, as well as a very independent thinker.  Recently, when I told him to stay safe during this pandemic, he took issue with the word pandemic, saying it was a PLANdemic, as it was planned by such evil people as Bill Gates.  I just thought Gates was  the world’s richest nerd??  My friend then suggested I see this 8 minute video by a very angry man:

https://youtu.be/KzXs1OHvItA

So, I watched it, as well as three subsequent parts.  The angry man makes the case that dramatic moments in recent history are the result of evil men conspiring against mankind.  To most any existential economist, this seems wildly illogical.

An existentialist often sees mankind as atoms bouncing off each other, sometimes randomly, sometimes not.  The only profound thing I’ve ever read is the classic bumper sticker that said “stuff happens.”  Also, I cannot imagine people getting together for some evil purpose and then being able to keep it secret.  We couldn’t keep the atomic bomb secret, but we can keep secrets about manipulating the future of mankind?  I don’t think so.  (Compare to “efficient market hypothesis” in investment theory.)

An economist knows that most decisions require a motive.  What would be the motive of Bill Gates, or other evil people (like Dr. Fauci?),  to kill a million people with a virus?  It’s not money, as he has plenty.  It’s not control, as he has plenty.  It’s not publicity, as he is already well-known and has higher approval ratings than most any President.  Besides, why would he give billions to charity, if he just wanted to kill people?

According to Wikipedia, “many conspiracy theories exist with varying degrees of popularity, frequently related to clandestine government plans and elaborate murder plots. Conspiracy theories usually deny consensus or cannot be proven using the historical or scientific method and are not to be confused with research . . . “

Enough said!