I think it is simple. We humans/primates live in groups. We get sick mentally if we are shunned by the group we want to belong to, and if rejected, will try to find new groups. Young males will find an alpha male that they follow. If a leader of a group does something, the members will emulate that. It is that simple. The rest is just noise and fluff. We are primates that live in tribes. Even in a city or urban area, we are tribes. Your tribe is your friends. Tribes want to dominate other tribes, but we also cooperate. I think humans are altruistic because of evolution. It has been the best way for us to gather the energy our carbon based life need. Life is just a struggle for energy, and we need a lot. There is no God, there is no plan. There is just here and now. When the tribal structures became to complex, we created law and human rules. Oh no, I am ranting.. I do not think anyone cares for reality. So sorry.
Dredging this comment back up because it irritates me, not just the condescending tone but the idea too. First off. There is no god. on what basis you so flippantly assert that? To believe in god is an act of faith, to not believe is also an act of faith, what makes your faith better than someone elses? Is it because of something you read in 'New Scientist' ?
Anyway, so humans are a bit like apes, thats not an amazing revelation, that does not mean our behaviours are the same as all primates though. we live in tribes, yes perhaps... But maybe this simplistic view is simple because its actualy too simple to describe reality. Each person does not belong to only one group but many. These groups are all hierarchical and fractal. Where does this hierarchy go to? Close to you perhaps you work and have a boss, who has a boss aswell but regardless if you do or don't you are in submission of others somewhere along the line, probably you will find out by the police force if they choose to arrest you one day. So continuing up the pyramid of power, who is sitting right at the top? The president or prime minister of your country seems obvious doesn't it. They must be the ones with absolute power. In some countries there are monarchs who wield power over the government, so power must sit with them. I think this is where the story ends for many people who prefer to not think too deeply and instead repeat what the education system and television has told them.
But wait who funds politicians? whoever does that can pick or choose who gets in and in return get certain favours granted to them, you could say most politicians are like hired hoodlums. Say a corporation who profit from war wants a war. Who will they fund and put in power, people who will give them their war. Other questions need to be thought about. Who controls the money? I'm talking fiat not bitcoin. The biggest central bank and issuer of global reserve fiat money, backed by nothing since 1971 is privately owned. Yes, there are people who own the federal reserve. It gets worse, who controls the media organisations, just like mini pyramids within the pyramid you follow it all up and they all controlled by very small number of people, same with education system. Who owns 'New Scientist' is it the same ower as 'Daily Mail' perhaps it is. What about intel agencies, does the president control CIA ? or is it the other way around? Who shot JFK, if you actually delve into conspiracy theories with a critical mind you may find you cozy little world view get rudely awakened. Why exactly did building 7 collapse on 9/11 as if it was a demolition job ? Or wait, to even look at that means you are a wacko.
Many people when faced with these kinds of questions react angrily and call you crazy.
But you can easily go on, Is there someone or some tribe right at the top who can pull the strings of media, finance, military and governments ? Why is it crzy to speculate this is in fact possible? More than possible it is quite logical. Humanity is not a tribe it is a highly organised social structure, a bit like a hive, maybe we have more in common with ants and insects on that level than with chimpanzees.
Anyway I guess it is murky at the top of the power pyramid for those of us near the base but the idea that that it isn't the president of the USA or queen of england sitting on top but some shadowy elite cabal, maybe even who call themselves the illuminate it is not so unbeivable. I think if the illumionate exist they are probably near the top (of the western /zionist bit ) but not at the top. My own feelings lean more towards those who are in control of the central banks. Maybe the shape isn't an actually pyramid but more of a dome, I don't know but I find the pyrmaid model quite an easy one to visualise.
Incidentally one reason i like bitcoin as it takes away some of their power from those who control central banks and by extension are able to control media / govenrments and finance. Maybe there will be less wars if people ditch fiat for crypto.
btw I'm not saying these power structures last forever they will change frequently in something like equivalent of earthquakes eg when world war two happened.