unholy trinity
Dark power triad
An unholy trinity is a trio of things or people perceived as harmful, corrupt, or malevolent—a dark parody of the Christian Holy Trinity.
The phrase typically describes three forces working together toward negative ends: the unholy trinity of poverty, ignorance, and disease, an unholy trinity of lobbyists, politicians, and corporate executives.
The specific members vary by context, but the structure implies sinister collaboration.
Irreverence toward the sacred
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
- satanismVeneration of the adversary
- antichristEnemy of the faith
diabolism · black mass · demonology · infernal · profanity · apostasy · occult · necromancy
Price-fixing coalition
- price-fixingCoordinated artificial cost-setting
- market manipulationArtificially distorting asset prices
- crony capitalismEconomy favoring the connected
- insider tradingIllegal securities transactions using nonpublic information
predatory pricing · rent-seeking · revolving door · backroom deals · quid pro quo · kickbacks · payola · bid rigging
Environmental harm from waste
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- climate changePlanetary atmospheric transformation
- habitat destructionEliminating natural living spaces
ecocide · resource depletion · overfishing · acid rain · ozone depletion · nuclear fallout · environmental degradation · toxic waste
blasphemy
Irreverence toward the sacred
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
- satanismVeneration of the adversary
antichrist · diabolism · black mass · demonology · infernal · profanity · apostasy · occult · necromancy · witchcraft
cartel
Price-fixing coalition
- price-fixingCoordinated artificial cost-setting
- market manipulationArtificially distorting asset prices
- crony capitalismEconomy favoring the connected
insider trading · predatory pricing · rent-seeking · revolving door · backroom deals · quid pro quo · kickbacks · payola · bid rigging · sweetheart deal
pollution
Environmental harm from waste
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- climate changePlanetary atmospheric transformation
habitat destruction · ecocide · resource depletion · overfishing · acid rain · ozone depletion · nuclear fallout · environmental degradation · toxic waste · contamination