what is illuminati culture

The Illuminati is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on May 1, 1776, in Bavaria, Germany. The societys stated goals were to oppose superstition, obscurantism, religious influence over public life, and abuses of state power. The Illuminati believed in Enlightenment ideals like rational thought and self-rule. They were anti-clerical and anti-royal, and they sought to infiltrate and upset powerful institutions like the monarchy. The Illuminati had a hierarchical structure and used spy-like protocol to keep one anothers identities secret. They were accused of conspiring to control world affairs, by masterminding events and planting agents in governments and corporations, in order to gain political power, influence, and to establish a New World Order. However, these links have not been substantiated. The Illuminati has become a periodic staple of both popular culture and various subcultures, where they are depicted as lurking in the shadows and pulling the strings and levers of power.