When you hear about the word “Illuminati,” what is the first thing that comes in your mind? If I were to guess, you might think of something related to a new world order or an all-seeing eye that sees and controls everything below it. Thanks to a bunch of write-ups available online, you might have already heard about the Illuminati being a secret organization that has one particular goal: world domination.

Aside from the crazy and out-of-this-world conspiracy theories that are often shared in social media, popular media also had its share in instilling the wrong idea about the Illuminati. There are several movies, TV series, and books created over the years that portrayed the Illuminati as an evil organization that silently watches in the background as they control everything that is happening in the world. While we should know that these films and shows are products of a very imaginative mind, but most people would still take them as reality. Thus, only a few people know about what the real Illuminati is. For starters, the actual secret society that comes close to the depiction of the fictional Illuminati was born as the Bavarian Illuminati.

However, the Bavarian Illuminati no longer exists today. The group was formed in the early centuries in Europe, and contrary to popular beliefs, the Bavarian Illuminati never wanted to control the world. Instead, its members only wanted to have a better understanding of the world around them, and in order for them to do so, they must first discover the path to enlightenment.