Many presume a connected conspiracy where only a confluence of unaffiliated but compatible pressures and stimuli exist.
And yet, such a confluence is worse than a conspiracy!
A conspiracy is easily and readily uncovered and defeated. Shine a light on it, trace the interactions, and you will have the threads splitting in your fingers.
A confluence of pressures is an even more diabolical system—one in which everything that exists is built around and upon the status quo. Everything that stands, stands on that ground. Attempting to change or displace the status quo means not going up against one concerted group, but it means making an enemy out of many! It means opposing those whose alliance rests on the maintenance of the status quo.
And so, conspiracy is easier to change than coincidence.
But, coincidence is not impossible to change. The change just has to be, on average, downhill for most.
That is, you have to offer an alternative that has either:
- A dramatically higher reward function (equilibrium ROI) and a low cost of switching
- A moderately higher reward and a zero or negative cost to switch
For instance. You’re trying to move a trade route because you want to build a wall. Your new proposed trade route should present to the existing traders:
- Have new and very lucrative stops for them to sell along, with minimal cost to switch
- Save them some money (cheaper transport costs) and include monetary compensation for the change