We have all been victims of mass surveillance. Walking through a park, a trip to the local pet store, even in your own home with the windows open and telephone wire in sight: they are always watching. Pigeons? Fake. Partridge? Never in the pear tree. Swans? Too good to be true. Birds aren’t real. They were, a long time ago, but in the years leading to 2001 the government committed mass genocide of all of the United States birds and replaced them with drones to spy on our every move. The news gets so wrapped up in phones and other home technology listening to us, they neglect to notice the billions of bird cameras watching. 

Or, at least this is the Birds Aren’t Real platform. American citizen Peter McIndoe was the creator of this satirical movement. In an interview with “60 Minutes”,  he disclosed that the reasoning for its beginning was to make light of “fake news” claims that had been gaining traction in the media. He started by joining a protest group on a whim, yelling out the first thing to come to mind, “birds aren’t real.” He saw how his humor positively impacted the people in this serious atmosphere, and rolled with it. Today, there is an entire fabricated history of the claim. Everything from bird genocide, to apparently making the scientists “trip” on drugs while building the drones to ensure they forget it the process, it’s all explained.

I came across this movement first on Instagram, and I was instantly invested. I mean, who wouldn’t get sucked into this absurd community?  Within an hour of stumbling on this new way of life, I had an official Birds Aren’t Real bucket hat being shipped to my home. What I have noticed since I got involved was how such a silly thing can bring strangers together. I have been stopped on the street while wearing my hat by people laughing and saying they too, are bird truthers. The sticker on my car has earned countless smiles and pictures wherever I’m parked. Anyone from little kids, to full grown adults, have bonded with me over being self proclaimed bird truthers. When mudslinging of fake news gets too thick, the Birds Aren’t Real movement is a nice brain break to step back and recognize how ridiculous the media can be sometimes. This satirical movement has helped me be able to watch the news daily without falling into fear, or panic. Because of what they have done for me (and because birds aren’t real, duh), I am proud to identify as a Birds Aren’t Real community member.  I am a bird truther.