The Truth Behind Secret Societies
The Truth Behind Secret Societies
We’ve all seen the movies where the young and privileged get an invitation to follow in their families’ footsteps to join a secret society. As they forge ahead, they are showered with lavish gifts and never-ending opportunities for fame and fortune. Without a doubt, these Hollywood productions have created a certain mystery and allure surrounding the idea of what a secret society is—from collegiate institutions to treasure hunting—that have most of us pondering the opportunity and what the lifestyle of these privileged few must be like. The fact of the matter is, very few people will ever receive an invitation to any one of these organizations and if you were one of the few invited, are you clear as to the organization’s objectives?
Before we can dive into the gritty details of what to look for in a valid society, we must first ask ourselves what are the differences between secret societies and private organizations? A private organization can vary from local clubs to exclusive institutions looking to make an impact or to turn a profit. Private organizations can also vary in their size and scope of members, aims, goals, and initiatives both as an overall organization and within the organization itself. Likewise, secret societies have set agendas and values across the organization, though not all agendas are for the betterment of mankind. Some societies operate on the fringes of population control, political upheaval, and plans to disrupt the lives of others, lending a negative bias toward secret societies in general. Though negative secret societies exist, there are countless others whose sole purpose is making a positive impact on the world.
It’s important to note that most legitimate, altruistic secret societies are rarely as secret as they once were and operate simply as a private organization. Although these groups hold their inner workings, teachings, and processes as private within the organization, they often have ways for potential candidates to evaluate their mission and objectives. The existence of these organizations have become well known to the public and may even have a website or Wikipedia page.
These private organizations have recently allowed outsiders to see what they stand for and draw their own conclusions. The existence of these values is of paramount importance to the potential inductee.
Beyond the existence of resources expounding the beneficent aims of the organization, there are other ways to determine the validity of these private groups. Below, you will find twelve ways to evaluate these organizations and will help you identify which ones are legitimate and for the betterment of mankind.
1. Mission and Objectives Are Available to the Public
All valid secret societies or private groups operate under the umbrella of their primary mission or objective. What is the members’ ultimate goal in joining this institution? The existence of a publicly available objective lends credence to their actions behind the scenes, even though they may not provide their proprietary processes for accomplishing this goal. It only stands to benefit the organization if like-minded individuals can use this information to confirm their own interest in the cause. If the organization provides no information on their primary objectives before joining, then they are likely operating in the shadows for a reason. Publicly stating their goals is the first step in determining whether an organization is truly out to make a difference or only a hoax to lure in unsuspecting members.
Once the organization has passed the test of their public mission, their motivation must come from a place of altruism. Why does this organization feel compelled to take action on their mission? This motivation can be divvied up into two categories: accomplishing objectives for the growth of the organization or making a positive impact on the world at large. While both are necessary for the sustained performance of any organization, which category is the primary driver of their actions? Are they more concerned with the pomp and circumstance of their institution or with giving back to the world at large? Any organization worth its salt will err on the side of making a positive impact on the world.
3. Existing Membership Profiles
Now that we understand the mission and motivation behind the organization, we can drill down to the composition of the membership. You can glean a great deal about the organization’s aims and values by who they allow into their ranks. Political and religious leaders, scientists and doctors—the overall makeup of the organization can tell you where their values lie as an organization and whether or not you are aligned with their true aims. If they do not provide a list, you may still be able to find individuals in the news or on their personal websites that mention the organization and their aims.
While it may be difficult to find a list of active members for some societies, most organizations have a symbol or token that allows them to recognize other members. From the rings and pins worn by the Masons to coins, cards, or other symbolic items, true societies will always provide a way to recognize one another with discretion. They may even be worn openly to invite contacts from the organization to recognize their mutual membership. These symbols are not only calling cards for other members, they can stand as a physical reminder of the organization’s values and code of conduct.
5. Written Laws or Principles
In addition to established objectives, missions, and symbols, most verifiable organizations will hand down a set of laws, guidelines, or principles that direct the organization to the success of their mission and goals. These teachings have been established to hand down relevant information to each successive generation, keeping the knowledge and the organization alive.
This allows prospective members to determine if their own values and principles align with that of the group before considering any offer of inclusion. If the organization cannot provide you with useful tools in this manner, it is likely they are more interested in monetization or data and contact mining than making a positive impact on the world. All societies should be able to give as much to their members as they ask of them.
Outside of generational principles that should be taught and upheld by all members, true societies will have a book of rules or a credo by which all members must live. This ensures conformity between members and provides direction in interactions both inside and outside of the institution. In essence, these rules outline the standards by which the entire organization operates. These rules also ensure that all members are held accountable for their actions, propagating the high-value reputation they seek to uphold.
7. Class System for Mentorship
Given that most societies have sustained power and influence for years, their membership should include a vast array of success, experience, and wisdom across multiple generations. To establish order, hold true to the organization’s values, and provide a chain of command for mentors, it stands to reason most organizations will operate on a distinctly outlined hierarchy. All members have rights and responsibilities within the system based on their level within the institution. This allows true societies to operate in a way that meets the needs of various members while preventing the chaos of a free-for-all forum or committee.
Once you believe in the overall validity of the organization, the membership process should also provide you with insight into their true intentions. With few exceptions, secret societies establish and maintain a clear rubric of who is permitted to join their ranks. This ensures that the quality and safety of all members are respected while upholding the values that members live by. Most legitimate organizations promote only from within, relying on current members to recognize the values of the organization in others and offer up a nomination or invitation for consideration. This does not ensure your acceptance. However, if an organization will allow anyone to join, it is likely they are taking advantage of those to whom they offer a membership.
9. Small Window of Opportunity
If you are one of the lucky few that receive an invitation, it is likely that there will be a window of opportunity in which you must give your reply. Societies are looking for members that operate based on their dedication to the cause rather than on the fear of the unknown. The ability to make a decision and take action is essential to the organization’s overall success. You can be assured that a organization that is dedicated to their cause rather than the potentially lucrative benefits of having a large membership will have a specific timeline for acceptance before the offer for inclusion is withdrawn.
10. Chance to Ask Questions
Even after researching the organization, its members, and its publicly available resources, it is natural that you may still have questions. While the organization may be unable to reveal their inner workings prior to your acceptance of an invitation, that should not prevent them from answering more general inquiries. Oftentimes, legitimate societies will provide an avenue—a call, a meeting, a contact—to have questions answered about any of the topics we’ve already discussed. If you find that the organization refuses to provide enough general information or offer up enough data to verify their intentions, you will do good to be wary.
Once you’ve decided to accept the nomination, all authentic secret societies should have some degree of vetting process for initiates, much like any college or professional institution. Whatever the process is, you can rest assured that it will be tied into the core values of the organization and its membership. This allows the organization to rate your value as an asset to the organization and their cause before fully accepting the nomination. While you seek to ensure the validity of the organization, they too must believe they have offered membership to the right individual.
Finally, the question that drives many people to doubt the validity of an organization—do they have annual dues or fees? While many people may be leery of organizations that ask for money up front, annual dues are vital to the running of a legitimate organization. True societies operate like a business, from hiring staff to facilitate projects to funding initiatives under their overall objective. This does not mean that you should blindly pay dues before being accepted as a full member with rights and benefits. Conversely, you should be leery to accept a membership that does not include fees as these organizations will not have the resources to facilitate the needs of its members. This type of organization is often built to solely generate income through selling products to their members and their external contacts.
The most important takeaway from this is that secret societies are not nearly as secret as you once thought. They understand that movies and books have had a major impact on how people approach their institutions, be it from fear, adoration, or curiosity. True secret or private organizations are willing to share their overall goals, core values, and guidelines as a way to attract potential candidates that may fit in their ranks. When these factors are not available to the public or before accepting an offer of membership, it benefits the prospective member to take a step back and ask themselves why this organization won’t provide general information. The truth of the matter is that there are dozens of altruistic societies around the world and you would be lucky to find yourself offered a place among their ranks. For further reference, here are the top ten most popular private organizations active in the world today in no particular order.
The Freemasons or Masons trace their ancestry from the end of the 14th century and provide an abundance of information on their mission and objectives. Additionally, information can be found regarding their initiation, lodges, and basic rules before joining. To express your interest, you may email your local chapter.
The Knights of Columbus was founded sometime in the 1800s and their mission and goals remain unchanged even as the ways they make an impact have improved as the world develops. Their mission, history, and programs are all accessible for public knowledge. They are religiously affiliated and have a defined membership; however, anyone within their membership guidelines may email them for possible inclusion.
3. The Bellwether Alliance
The Bellwether Alliance is a long-standing organization, yet its foundation date is unknown. It operates based on their core values and has no political or religious affiliation. Their site clearly outlines their mission, objectives, credo, and hierarchy for all possible candidates. Information regarding their teachings and how to achieve generational wealth for the purpose of making a positive impact on the world may also be found online. Although it has recently become more publicly searchable, nominations may only be offered from within.
Founded in 1882, Skull and Bones resides at Yale University, earning a reputation for operating in the shadows through their mysterious nature. Nominations can only come from current membership and must be students from the current year’s undergraduate senior class. While much information is not available, a list of famous Bonesmen can be found online.
The Illuminati have been a politically and religiously affiliated society since the 17th century. Their symbols, beliefs, agenda, and history are all available through their verified website and social media platforms. Anyone may request to join the Illuminati though they specifically seek people of great influence worldwide.
Another university-based society, Quill and Dagger was established at Cornell University in 1893. One of the most public societies to post their list of members, Quill and Dagger is also well-known for being one of the first societies to accept women within their ranks. Their objectives and activities are unclear, with the exception of certain projects at the university itself. Nominations of undergraduate senior class members may come only from within.
The Flat Hat Club at the College William and Mary is the first recorded collegiate secret society in the United States. Their mission focuses on education and members are nominated from the undergraduate class by current members. Though they suspended activities during World War II, they have since revived the society and its practices.
The Seven Society at the University of Virginia was founded in 1905, yet its history remains mysterious. Their objectives and mission are not readily available to the public, but their donations to university programs and a list of past members can be found. Membership is unusual in that prospective members need not be a current or former student of the University of Virginia.
The first Bilderberg Meeting was held in 1954 with the aim of facilitating dialogue between North America and Europe. Basic information regarding their members, goals, and history may be found online, but details are sparse. Nominations may only come from within the current membership.
Little public information is available on the Georgetown University-based society, The Stewards. They are known to be both religiously and politically affiliated and were disbanded in the 1990s for a time. A second Society of Stewards is active today.
