Paper Trails
Conspiracy Theories Before the Internet
Conspiracy theories appear to be a timeless phenomenon; Machiavelli was writing about them in the 1500s in The Prince. In the 1970s, a document entitled Skeleton Key to the Gemstone File, which (allegedly) summarized the theories of a writer named Bruce Porter Roberts, began circulating around college campuses and alternative bookstores. The document offered alternative theories for the assassinations of JFK and RFK, the mysterious disappearance of Howard Hughes, and the Watergate scandal.
According to this overview of the Gemstone File by Control Alt History, the document was pretty well-known at the time but has been more or less forgotten today. Wikipedia lists four books about the Gemstone File that were published from 1992-2006 and states that authors James McConnachie and Robin Tudge called it "the original mega-conspiracy theory” in their book The Rough Guide to Conspiracy Theories. The book Inside the Gemstone File includes a chapter examining its connection to the plot lines of James Bond books and movies.
Image: Snap from Wax Museum at Innovative Film city Bangalore 144323.jpg/ Wikimedia Commons
Although supposedly thousands of pages were written by Bruce Porter Roberts, they appear to have gone missing. His concept of MMORDIS, an organization running the entire world, brings to mind The Crying of Lot 49.
Will the digital age revive interest in the paper-based Gemstone File? In addition to the overview, Control Alt History provides a deep dive into the Gemstone File, examining which of the document’s claims appear to match up with the historical record.
Top image: Howard-Hughes-1938.jpg/ Wikimedia Commons
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You know, one could view these conspiracy theories as a new kind of art form. What you are describing almost sounds like art history - all the nuances and fine points over various theories. A different medium than Banksy uses.