Is Stranger Things really based on a true story?

After the Stranger Things series finale, a casual comment, “You know that’s based on a true story, right?” ...sent me down the rabbit hole of one of the internet’s most persistent conspiracy theories: The Montauk Project.

In this episode of CTRL + ALT + DELUSION, we break down the Montauk Project, a Cold War conspiracy involving alleged government experiments, psychic children, mind control, interdimensional portals, and monsters supposedly hidden beneath Camp Hero in Montauk, New York.

We explore:

What the Montauk Project actually claims

Where the story really came from

Why it took off during the Cold War and late-night AM radio era

How real programs like MKUltra fueled conspiracy culture

Why Stranger Things feels authentic without being true

And how “based on a true story” claims survive even when the evidence collapses

Along the way, we debunk the myths, laugh at the nonsense, and explain why stories like this stick, not because they’re true, but because they feel true.

If you’ve ever wondered whether Stranger Things was inspired by real government experiments, or why people still swear the Montauk Project was real...this episode’s for you.

Stay Gold. Nerd Bold.

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