There Is No Cabal

There Is No Cabal symbol

There Is No Cabal (abbreviated TINC<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>) is a catchphrase and running joke found on Usenet.<ref name="Coleman">Template:Cite book</ref> The journalist Wendy M. Grossman writes that its appearance on the alt.usenet.cabal FAQ reflects conspiracy accusations as old as the Internet itself.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The anthropologist Gabriella Coleman writes that the joke reveals "discomfort over the potential for corruption by meritocratic leaders".Template:Refn

History

The phrase There Is No Cabal was developed to deny the existence of the backbone cabal, which members of the cabal denied. The cabal consisted of operators of major news server newsgroups, allowing them to wield greater control over Usenet.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This acronym spawned the later There Is No Lumber Cartel (TINLC) and There Is No We (TINW) in the news.admin.net-abuse.* newsgroups, especially news.admin.net-abuse.email.

See also

• Backbone cabal
• Cabal
• Internet meme
• Lumber Cartel

External links

• alt.conspiracy.usenet-cabal FAQ on the Cabal and TINC