The world’s fairs. I hadn’t even heard of them until a few years ago. There are various videos and theories on the internet about them, the public reasons for them, and of the ideas that they might not be as they seem. I have also mentioned them briefly in my article Just Passing Through, and after giving them more thought decided they deserved their own article, although maybe not entirely from the same angle as others people’s speculations.

On the face of it, they appear as what they say they are, and as we still have them today, it would seem there is nothing to see here. Although these days, despite being more advance technologically, we don’t go to half the effort we once did – check out the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition 1893 (wiki) for a bit more on what I mean there and how seemingly splendid and temporary these sites and venues were. You can see why people might ask questions, my own personal thoughts being how wasteful a time it was if they could indeed construct things like that just to destroy it after. As well as all the other rather magnificent building that were all ‘founded’ around 1850 onwards and seemed to be the norm, despite often small or tiny populations – my article The Old World looks at that point in history a bit. A big time for skilled workmen, lots of money and materials, and locations for these sites being no object – I must be thinking of a much poorer late 1800’s which doesn’t seem to have been there after all, not with the ‘evidence and history’ we see around us. Currently called Expo’s and still being held in big cities, although mostly in already established venues, hired for purpose, and showing off new and innovative ideas and inventions to the travellers who make their way to them. People work at them; people visit them and technology is distributed from them as far as I know.

In Dublin during the famine times, they had one of these fairs. Because famine, war and disaster create vast amounts of wealth for some, and industry doesn’t stop because of these things, it thrives. Much changed in Ireland over those few years, millions starved, millions left – conveniently offered passage to New York we are led to believe. Needing numbers to fill up the cities that had been built for them perhaps. And it strikes me as similar to now, how they create a problem in an area, and then ‘encourage’ the locals to leave, either by bribery, force and whatever it takes to clear an area, and create another where you would like one, with minimal fuss and kickback. But as much easier way than stealing people in slavery emerged, convince them to sign up and go where they are needed themselves. Offer them ‘wages’ and appear to compensate them for their time and life being given in service. An exchange, so it looks like an agreement, but one which has been made to appear that way. Because now it has stepped up a gear, and they are making it clear you won’t be getting a choice in the future about who’s slave to be, or what trade to be a slave to, or how much you can demand for your slave wage. Instead, we are now becoming a slave to technology, and those that control and distribute it. They hold people to ransom with it already, slowly closing any gaps and loopholes that some may find to keep themselves out of the grid.

They would have been perfect opportunities to encourage all the innovative people with bright ideas to step forward, to try and get investment and share their ideas with the captains of industry. Who then could very neatly tie them up, for later use, or to corner the current market. I always thought patent offices were also a handy way to make sure you get to see all the clever stuff first, to commandeer the ideas and inventions and therefore the future. I can easily see now why some people may have kept their rather genius ideas to themselves. To stop it falling into the wrong hands, and all that…

(c) K Wicks