Ep 31. Decoded-Episode 31

A group of experts led by author Brad Meltzer investigate a number of historical mysteries and alternative theories in the show Decoded. In season 1 episode 31, the team tackles the mystery of the Georgia Guidestones. The Georgia Guidestones are a monolithic granite monument located in a field in rural north Georgia. The monument features a set of ten guidelines or principles etched on its surface in eight different languages.

The guidelines, sometimes referred to as the "Ten Commandments of the New World Order," include statements like "Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature" and "Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity." The monument and its messages have sparked a great deal of controversy and speculation since it was erected in 1980.

The Decoded team sets out to investigate the origins and purpose of the Georgia Guidestones. They start by interviewing locals who live near the site, some of whom are suspicious of the monument and its message. The team learns that the Guidestones were commissioned by an anonymous individual or group who called themselves "R.C. Christian." No one knows who R.C. Christian was or what his motivations were for commissioning the monument.

The team next interviews a man named Wyatt Martin, who claims to have been a member of the secretive group that created the Guidestones. Martin tells the Decoded team that the group believed that the world was facing an impending environmental disaster that would wipe out much of humanity. They wanted to create a set of guidelines that could help humanity rebuild after the disaster and avoid making the same mistakes that had led to the catastrophe in the first place. The Guidestones, according to Martin, were intended to be a sort of "message in a bottle" to future generations.

The team next travels to Elberton, Georgia, the town near where the Guidestones were erected. They visit the company that built the monument, and interview a man named Joe Fendley who was involved in its creation. Fendley tells the team that the Guidestones were the brainchild of a man named Robert C. Christian, who approached him in 1979 with a proposal to build a monument that would steer humanity in a positive direction. Fendley and his team worked with Christian to create the monument's design and messages.

The team also visits a nearby Georgia State University campus, where they speak with professor Mark Aaron who has studied the Guidestones extensively. Aaron tells the team that the Guidestones have been the subject of many different conspiracy theories over the years. Some people believe that they were created by a secret society with ulterior motives, while others see them as a warning of impending doom.

Finally, the team visits the Guidestones themselves and takes a close look at the messages etched on their surfaces. They note that some of the messages seem to be in conflict with each other—for example, the guideline that states that humanity should be limited to 500,000,000 people seems at odds with the principle of creating a world with "united humanity living in peace by perpetual balance with nature."

After conducting their investigation, the Decoded team concludes that the Guidestones were likely created with the best of intentions. They see Christian's vision as a utopian dream for a better future for humanity, one that recognizes the importance of living in harmony with nature and avoiding the mistakes of the past. However, they acknowledge that the Guidestones' messages can be interpreted in many different ways, and that some people will always see them as a sinister plot to control humanity. The mystery of who R.C. Christian really was and what his motivations were for creating the Guidestones remains unsolved, but the monument continues to fascinate and intrigue people to this day.