Looks like comedy, at least, is finally getting the picture.
This changes nothing, of course.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sex
Roissy is always worth reading, but this entry is especially worth reposting.
For the rationalist, all of Roissy's hard work can be replicated if one knows only this fact about human sexuabiology:
Women are hypergamous, that is, they seek to mate with males of high status.
Men are polygamous, that is, they seek to mate with as many women as possible.
It's all in the gametes, duh. Male sperm are more than 4.5 orders of magnitude more common than female eggs. Of course hominids would evolve to be picky about where the vastly rarer gametes get applied, and to apply the hyper-common gametes as widely as possible.
For the rationalist, all of Roissy's hard work can be replicated if one knows only this fact about human sexuabiology:
Women are hypergamous, that is, they seek to mate with males of high status.
Men are polygamous, that is, they seek to mate with as many women as possible.
It's all in the gametes, duh. Male sperm are more than 4.5 orders of magnitude more common than female eggs. Of course hominids would evolve to be picky about where the vastly rarer gametes get applied, and to apply the hyper-common gametes as widely as possible.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Some Photos...
Of the end of the War in the Pacific.
It is interesting to note that the vast majority of death that the US caused to Japanese civilians is left largely unmentioned. Not to suggest that the acts are comparable, I imagine this blindness is similar to the sort of attitude the Chinese hold of Mao.
There's blood on the hands of all authority. The question then becomes, was it worth it?
It is interesting to note that the vast majority of death that the US caused to Japanese civilians is left largely unmentioned. Not to suggest that the acts are comparable, I imagine this blindness is similar to the sort of attitude the Chinese hold of Mao.
There's blood on the hands of all authority. The question then becomes, was it worth it?
A Tangent on Self-Defense
This is an extremely compelling account of an armed altercation. With the exception of the wounds the author received, I am very pleased with the outcome. Life and property defended? Check. Scumbag got his just desserts? Check.
I do hope the author has recovered.
I also think this is a great example of something that's not often said, because in most self-defense company, it's a social death sentence. While training and repetition are key to a solid self-defense system that stays five steps ahead of the bad guys, the basic human animal is capable of some incredibly quick responsiveness when threatened. The author maintains that his training had lapsed, and he does not know what to attribute his admiral responsiveness to. In one of several Red situations I've been in, I was asleep late at night (circa 2 AM), when several drunken black men fumbled up to my door, without knocking, or making any signs that they'd mistaken my house for someone else's. Upon them making a loud noise, I found myself upright, in a kneeling stance, holding the AR-15 that lives by my bed pointed at them, with the safety off and the sling around my arm in a hasty wrap. This is something I'd never before practiced, I'd never done one repetition, and still my brain went from asleep to automatic to awake and cogent, with everything that needed to happen going on automatically in between. Would I trust that level of training? No. But, sometimes, a simple, constant mindset will be enough to save your life.
The only technical comment I have is that I've always wondered about the potential downsides to the 1911's grip safety. It seems here, my concerns were vindicated. In an era before good drop safeties, I can see the use for such a device, but it seems to do more harm than good these days.
H/T to Tam
I do hope the author has recovered.
I also think this is a great example of something that's not often said, because in most self-defense company, it's a social death sentence. While training and repetition are key to a solid self-defense system that stays five steps ahead of the bad guys, the basic human animal is capable of some incredibly quick responsiveness when threatened. The author maintains that his training had lapsed, and he does not know what to attribute his admiral responsiveness to. In one of several Red situations I've been in, I was asleep late at night (circa 2 AM), when several drunken black men fumbled up to my door, without knocking, or making any signs that they'd mistaken my house for someone else's. Upon them making a loud noise, I found myself upright, in a kneeling stance, holding the AR-15 that lives by my bed pointed at them, with the safety off and the sling around my arm in a hasty wrap. This is something I'd never before practiced, I'd never done one repetition, and still my brain went from asleep to automatic to awake and cogent, with everything that needed to happen going on automatically in between. Would I trust that level of training? No. But, sometimes, a simple, constant mindset will be enough to save your life.
The only technical comment I have is that I've always wondered about the potential downsides to the 1911's grip safety. It seems here, my concerns were vindicated. In an era before good drop safeties, I can see the use for such a device, but it seems to do more harm than good these days.
H/T to Tam
Monday, October 24, 2011
The Free Press, Ladies and Gentlemen!
I haven't seen spin like this in quite a while.
I particularly love how the man explicitly says he wants to cut down on government waste, especially funding for patently useless degrees, and the author manages to convert that into "Rick Scott wants to turn your children into mindless slaves!"
Bravo, indeed.
I particularly love how the man explicitly says he wants to cut down on government waste, especially funding for patently useless degrees, and the author manages to convert that into "Rick Scott wants to turn your children into mindless slaves!"
Bravo, indeed.
Friday, October 21, 2011
A Post About Zombies
Yes, zombies. No, I'm not using that as a cute term for any political group. This post is about actual (or rather, fictional) living dead.
Firstly, zombies aren't real. And no matter how much we may brainstorm about how they might be real, they will never be real. A person assimilated by the nanobot horde is not a zombie, end of story.
But this post isn't about how zombies are fiction, it's about why everyone is so continually obsessed with them.
Well, I think I know the answer. That should be obvious; if I didn't, would I write a post about it?
Many people have their own pet theories for the popularity of the less-intelligent, flesh-eating undead, but I feel that nearly all of them are wrong. I do not think this is a coincidence: I think it's directly related to something Progressives are not supposed to admit about themselves.
Namely, Progressives seek to achieve power via the destruction of all other powers. That's their modus operandi. Reactionaries build towers by stacking one block on top of the other. Progressives build towers by eroding the very earth around them.
This is why apocalypse fiction is so popular with Progressives. If all the world powers are gone, power is within their grasp! They don't even have to be all that resourceful, cunning, or strong. It's just there, for the taking. Hooray!
But zombies in particular? That's a whole new level. Not only are zombies apocalyptic, but the playing field is especially ripe. Zombies range from are you fucking kidding me? easy to vaguely threatening. At their most powerful, they are less threatening than indigenous Africans with sharp sticks. In addition, they've removed any possible human post-apocalyptic competition, since most zombie fiction involves being the last one, or near to the last one alive. The playing field is especially ripe, indeed.
However, in addition to that, zombies are completely morally unambiguous. They're dead, so you can neutralize them, but you're not killing them. They're cannibals, they're decidedly nonsentient, and they're actively falling apart, anyway. In every possible respect, they're an abomination against nature, and it is no less than this that will allow the Universalist Progressive to get a good night's sleep after annihilating scores of them.
So zombies promise a Progressive what he craves: Easily grasped power, at the expense of everyone else, and complete moral unambiguity. Their popularity is entirely predictable.
Postscript: I'm sure somewhere along the line I will get a comment to the effect of but then why are they especially popular with conservatives and libertarians? The answer to this is simple: Because conservatives and libertarians are just another Progressive sect, and more to the point, one that isn't in power. Ergo, their leveling lust is especially great, leading to a strong affinity for this type of fiction.
Firstly, zombies aren't real. And no matter how much we may brainstorm about how they might be real, they will never be real. A person assimilated by the nanobot horde is not a zombie, end of story.
But this post isn't about how zombies are fiction, it's about why everyone is so continually obsessed with them.
Well, I think I know the answer. That should be obvious; if I didn't, would I write a post about it?
Many people have their own pet theories for the popularity of the less-intelligent, flesh-eating undead, but I feel that nearly all of them are wrong. I do not think this is a coincidence: I think it's directly related to something Progressives are not supposed to admit about themselves.
Namely, Progressives seek to achieve power via the destruction of all other powers. That's their modus operandi. Reactionaries build towers by stacking one block on top of the other. Progressives build towers by eroding the very earth around them.
This is why apocalypse fiction is so popular with Progressives. If all the world powers are gone, power is within their grasp! They don't even have to be all that resourceful, cunning, or strong. It's just there, for the taking. Hooray!
But zombies in particular? That's a whole new level. Not only are zombies apocalyptic, but the playing field is especially ripe. Zombies range from are you fucking kidding me? easy to vaguely threatening. At their most powerful, they are less threatening than indigenous Africans with sharp sticks. In addition, they've removed any possible human post-apocalyptic competition, since most zombie fiction involves being the last one, or near to the last one alive. The playing field is especially ripe, indeed.
However, in addition to that, zombies are completely morally unambiguous. They're dead, so you can neutralize them, but you're not killing them. They're cannibals, they're decidedly nonsentient, and they're actively falling apart, anyway. In every possible respect, they're an abomination against nature, and it is no less than this that will allow the Universalist Progressive to get a good night's sleep after annihilating scores of them.
So zombies promise a Progressive what he craves: Easily grasped power, at the expense of everyone else, and complete moral unambiguity. Their popularity is entirely predictable.
Postscript: I'm sure somewhere along the line I will get a comment to the effect of but then why are they especially popular with conservatives and libertarians? The answer to this is simple: Because conservatives and libertarians are just another Progressive sect, and more to the point, one that isn't in power. Ergo, their leveling lust is especially great, leading to a strong affinity for this type of fiction.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
More, on Power
When Stalin's power was threatened, he killed several million of his own citizens.
When Charles I's power was threatened, he fought until he knew the outcome, then accepted reality with grace and poise.
This, kiddies, is why we let adults run countries.
When Charles I's power was threatened, he fought until he knew the outcome, then accepted reality with grace and poise.
This, kiddies, is why we let adults run countries.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Briefly, About Power
I had a brief, cogent thought about power, and I thought I'd share.
Power is most often described these days with the axiom "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
They cite the many failures of the modern age, whom we assume had nearly unfettered power. Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao, and, of course, Hitler are the most common examples. See! That power is too much for any one man! Democracy has its downsides, they say, but surely it is safer than that!
Well, in reality, there have been many good leaders who have wielded power with precision and tact, for the overall good of their country. A better axiom would be "power is a lot like heavy machinery. If you let an untrained fool use it, something will get destroyed, but in the right hands, it's a magnificent tool."
Power is not for children, or those adults who have the maturity of children. In responsible, adult hands, however, power is something that can create cities of gold, send men to the stars, and even transcend death itself.
Power is most often described these days with the axiom "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
They cite the many failures of the modern age, whom we assume had nearly unfettered power. Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao, and, of course, Hitler are the most common examples. See! That power is too much for any one man! Democracy has its downsides, they say, but surely it is safer than that!
Well, in reality, there have been many good leaders who have wielded power with precision and tact, for the overall good of their country. A better axiom would be "power is a lot like heavy machinery. If you let an untrained fool use it, something will get destroyed, but in the right hands, it's a magnificent tool."
Power is not for children, or those adults who have the maturity of children. In responsible, adult hands, however, power is something that can create cities of gold, send men to the stars, and even transcend death itself.
Beaten to the punch...
Which is just as well.
I was going to write a piece on Occupy Wall Street, but then Foseti posted this, and I have no desire to do so anymore.
He just so perfectly nails it to the wall.
I was going to write a piece on Occupy Wall Street, but then Foseti posted this, and I have no desire to do so anymore.
He just so perfectly nails it to the wall.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Short Tangent on Relationships
These two videos have encouraged me to write a (hopefully) short, well-organized treatise on the "Douche Phenomenon". In this article, I will not cover the state of women, except insofar as it describes the state of men. I am not a woman; I cannot tell you much about being a woman.
Firstly, I think Susan's description of the state of young adult relationships is essentially correct: There is a top 20% or so of young men (boys, really) who are douches and douche-mimics who get nearly all the sex. The bottom 80% are the Good Guys. I will note that term "Good Guys" does not refer to whether they are actually good people, but rather to the master they serve. More on that in a bit. This ratio softens as the individuals in question age, but it's quite true within nearly all of high school and most of college. However, Susan makes no mention of how this state came into being, except for some vague mention of "the '60s". In addition, her suggestion of how to improve this, by just magically waving a wand and getting most women to choose the shy guys, is absurd.
Even though Susan's picture of the current state of the young adult sex scene is correct, I will paint my own, similar picture for the purposes of clarity and posterity.
Firstly, let me describe the 80%er. He may not be shy. He may not be particularly smart. He may not read much. He might even smell. He could wear glasses, or not, probably has disheveled hair, and he might be fat. He might even be athletic. None of these are his defining features. His defining features are that he is deferential, submissive, and caring. He might be caring in a genuinely nice way, or he could be a borderline stalker, it depends on the person. When you are upset, he'll comfort you. He will almost never give you an example to follow. He is a Beta.
What good would a description of the Beta be without a description of his counterpart? The 20%er is decisive, headstrong, competitive, boisterous, and outgoing. He might be an asshole, or he might be kind. He might be athletic, or he might be highly intelligent. None of those characteristics define him, however. He's a leader, competent or not. He is an Alpha.
Are these states that are set in stone, a part of human biology? No, not as such. Alphas and Betas are a part of human sociology, but as they're incarnated today they're extremely dysfunctional. Why?
It has to do with how boys are raised today. It used to be that boys were raised to be men. They played boy games, like soldier, or adventurer. They were trained to be aggressive, confident, competitive, reserved, and decisive, regardless of whether they were Alphas or Betas. A good boy was one who would make his father proud.
Today, boys are primarily raised via a maternal policy. This may not be carried out by their mothers, but it is definitely maternal. I am not confident that I know the origin of this policy, only that it currently exists, and is prevalent in progressive communities. The policy is that aggressive, decisive behavior is bad. Instead, boys should be caring, sensitive, emotional, and non-violent. Mothers want these things in their boys, and they tell them that they are a "good" boy if they exhibit them. Unfortunately, this is the complete opposite of what their potential mates want out of them.
This "nice guys are good guys" meme is trained into boys from an early age in progressive communities. Some boys respond to this. They would be the 80%, the betas. Others, do not. However, why does the 20% turn out to be a bunch of total douchebags? It's because they have no incentive not to. They will act like Alphas regardless, and thus have no potential reward for good behavior, since the rewarded behavior is acting like a girl (not a Beta). The 80%, however, are able to do a passable mimicry of young girls, and thus respond to the positive reinforcement. Thus, they grow up exactly how they were raised. These boys may be of varying quality, but they are always what their mothers wanted them to be. In this group, you'll find the shy nerd with a heart of gold. You'll also find the creepy stalker, with no social skills and no sense of personal space. It's a mixed bag.
But it's the Alphas that deserved the most sympathy. With no potential reward for being good strong men, they devolve into riff raff. This is where your asshats, douches, and players, as Susan refers to them, come from.
But why do women choose the decaying Alpha over the potentially more suitable Beta? The answer is simple: Because women value strength, confidence, decisiveness, and composure in men. Duh. They are not lesbians, they don't want to date women, even if those women happen to have dicks. They want men; hairy, strong, lumberjack-esque men. I'm speaking figuratively, of course.
These lumberjacks actually need not be physically strong. I'll use my friend, whom I'll call Tom, as an example. Tom is skinny, not very attractive, and has a high effeminate voice. Yet he acts confident, sure, suave, decisive, and strong. Not only are women receptive of this, men are, too. In fact, it took me a while to realize that he did have a high voice, so compelling were his signals of strength and confidence.
Betas, you probably should be taking notes.
So then, the assholes are not being rewarded for actually being good, they're not being trained to use their aggressiveness and confidence productively, and we're beset by a plague of douches. What can we do about it?
Susan identifies the solution as residing in women. They just need to choose better men. She couldn't be more wrong.
Women, if you choose a Beta thinking he's got a heart of gold, you'll be sorely disappointed. Think about it. The Alphas aren't being rewarded for good behavior, and neither are the Betas. The Betas are only rewarded for passive, submissive, effeminate behavior. For every nerd with a heart of gold, there are ten lazy, annoying bums, and two creepy stalkers. Gah, I know, it's a sad picture I paint. Well, women, that sucks. Looks like you'll be looking an awfully long time for Mr. Right. Hope you find him before your ovaries shrivel up.
No, the problem is most definitely in men, or, rather, how they're raised. For parents, I say the solution is to not raise your boys to be young girls. Raise them to be men. Build forts with them, play soldier with them. Teach them a competitive sport. I'd say get involved with Boy Scouts, but, unfortunately, the quality of that organization is dropping rapidly. 4H is right out; they started halfway down that slippery slope. Teach your boys to shoot (hell, you can teach your girls to shoot, too, it's a good life skill), how to use knives, and how to use power tools. Don't get upset when they're indulging in what you might view as violent games. If they come home from playing with their friends with bruises (and they aren't crying about some bully*), don't worry. Boys hit each other with sticks. It's what they do.
For the Betas themselves, I'd say the answer is this. Reverse your training. Act confident and sure, even when you're not. Be competitive, strong, and decisive. Do not pander, do not submit to a woman you are trying to court. That is the fastest track to hearing the dreaded "let's just be friends..." See how the douchebags act? Don't do that, but don't do the polar opposite of that, either. Act like Indiana Jones. Act like Zorro. Do not act like Batman, kidnapping children and forcing them into a life of crimefighting will get you arrested. Act like Han Solo. Any Harrison Ford character will work, in fact.
It's worth noting that rural, less-progressive communities suffer from this problem less. The reason is obvious; they're still largely being trained to be men. However, the problem is spreading rapidly, and it would not surprise me if rural communities began adopting this parenting method as well.
*By the way, while we're on the subject, the correct solution to bullying is to teach your kid to fight. Unfortunately, this can get your child expelled from public school. Fortunately, public school isn't really worth attending, anyway. If you find your child must attend public school, walk this line extremely carefully.
Firstly, I think Susan's description of the state of young adult relationships is essentially correct: There is a top 20% or so of young men (boys, really) who are douches and douche-mimics who get nearly all the sex. The bottom 80% are the Good Guys. I will note that term "Good Guys" does not refer to whether they are actually good people, but rather to the master they serve. More on that in a bit. This ratio softens as the individuals in question age, but it's quite true within nearly all of high school and most of college. However, Susan makes no mention of how this state came into being, except for some vague mention of "the '60s". In addition, her suggestion of how to improve this, by just magically waving a wand and getting most women to choose the shy guys, is absurd.
Even though Susan's picture of the current state of the young adult sex scene is correct, I will paint my own, similar picture for the purposes of clarity and posterity.
Firstly, let me describe the 80%er. He may not be shy. He may not be particularly smart. He may not read much. He might even smell. He could wear glasses, or not, probably has disheveled hair, and he might be fat. He might even be athletic. None of these are his defining features. His defining features are that he is deferential, submissive, and caring. He might be caring in a genuinely nice way, or he could be a borderline stalker, it depends on the person. When you are upset, he'll comfort you. He will almost never give you an example to follow. He is a Beta.
What good would a description of the Beta be without a description of his counterpart? The 20%er is decisive, headstrong, competitive, boisterous, and outgoing. He might be an asshole, or he might be kind. He might be athletic, or he might be highly intelligent. None of those characteristics define him, however. He's a leader, competent or not. He is an Alpha.
Are these states that are set in stone, a part of human biology? No, not as such. Alphas and Betas are a part of human sociology, but as they're incarnated today they're extremely dysfunctional. Why?
It has to do with how boys are raised today. It used to be that boys were raised to be men. They played boy games, like soldier, or adventurer. They were trained to be aggressive, confident, competitive, reserved, and decisive, regardless of whether they were Alphas or Betas. A good boy was one who would make his father proud.
Today, boys are primarily raised via a maternal policy. This may not be carried out by their mothers, but it is definitely maternal. I am not confident that I know the origin of this policy, only that it currently exists, and is prevalent in progressive communities. The policy is that aggressive, decisive behavior is bad. Instead, boys should be caring, sensitive, emotional, and non-violent. Mothers want these things in their boys, and they tell them that they are a "good" boy if they exhibit them. Unfortunately, this is the complete opposite of what their potential mates want out of them.
This "nice guys are good guys" meme is trained into boys from an early age in progressive communities. Some boys respond to this. They would be the 80%, the betas. Others, do not. However, why does the 20% turn out to be a bunch of total douchebags? It's because they have no incentive not to. They will act like Alphas regardless, and thus have no potential reward for good behavior, since the rewarded behavior is acting like a girl (not a Beta). The 80%, however, are able to do a passable mimicry of young girls, and thus respond to the positive reinforcement. Thus, they grow up exactly how they were raised. These boys may be of varying quality, but they are always what their mothers wanted them to be. In this group, you'll find the shy nerd with a heart of gold. You'll also find the creepy stalker, with no social skills and no sense of personal space. It's a mixed bag.
But it's the Alphas that deserved the most sympathy. With no potential reward for being good strong men, they devolve into riff raff. This is where your asshats, douches, and players, as Susan refers to them, come from.
But why do women choose the decaying Alpha over the potentially more suitable Beta? The answer is simple: Because women value strength, confidence, decisiveness, and composure in men. Duh. They are not lesbians, they don't want to date women, even if those women happen to have dicks. They want men; hairy, strong, lumberjack-esque men. I'm speaking figuratively, of course.
These lumberjacks actually need not be physically strong. I'll use my friend, whom I'll call Tom, as an example. Tom is skinny, not very attractive, and has a high effeminate voice. Yet he acts confident, sure, suave, decisive, and strong. Not only are women receptive of this, men are, too. In fact, it took me a while to realize that he did have a high voice, so compelling were his signals of strength and confidence.
Betas, you probably should be taking notes.
So then, the assholes are not being rewarded for actually being good, they're not being trained to use their aggressiveness and confidence productively, and we're beset by a plague of douches. What can we do about it?
Susan identifies the solution as residing in women. They just need to choose better men. She couldn't be more wrong.
Women, if you choose a Beta thinking he's got a heart of gold, you'll be sorely disappointed. Think about it. The Alphas aren't being rewarded for good behavior, and neither are the Betas. The Betas are only rewarded for passive, submissive, effeminate behavior. For every nerd with a heart of gold, there are ten lazy, annoying bums, and two creepy stalkers. Gah, I know, it's a sad picture I paint. Well, women, that sucks. Looks like you'll be looking an awfully long time for Mr. Right. Hope you find him before your ovaries shrivel up.
No, the problem is most definitely in men, or, rather, how they're raised. For parents, I say the solution is to not raise your boys to be young girls. Raise them to be men. Build forts with them, play soldier with them. Teach them a competitive sport. I'd say get involved with Boy Scouts, but, unfortunately, the quality of that organization is dropping rapidly. 4H is right out; they started halfway down that slippery slope. Teach your boys to shoot (hell, you can teach your girls to shoot, too, it's a good life skill), how to use knives, and how to use power tools. Don't get upset when they're indulging in what you might view as violent games. If they come home from playing with their friends with bruises (and they aren't crying about some bully*), don't worry. Boys hit each other with sticks. It's what they do.
For the Betas themselves, I'd say the answer is this. Reverse your training. Act confident and sure, even when you're not. Be competitive, strong, and decisive. Do not pander, do not submit to a woman you are trying to court. That is the fastest track to hearing the dreaded "let's just be friends..." See how the douchebags act? Don't do that, but don't do the polar opposite of that, either. Act like Indiana Jones. Act like Zorro. Do not act like Batman, kidnapping children and forcing them into a life of crimefighting will get you arrested. Act like Han Solo. Any Harrison Ford character will work, in fact.
It's worth noting that rural, less-progressive communities suffer from this problem less. The reason is obvious; they're still largely being trained to be men. However, the problem is spreading rapidly, and it would not surprise me if rural communities began adopting this parenting method as well.
*By the way, while we're on the subject, the correct solution to bullying is to teach your kid to fight. Unfortunately, this can get your child expelled from public school. Fortunately, public school isn't really worth attending, anyway. If you find your child must attend public school, walk this line extremely carefully.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Brain Aneurysm
Neutrino_cannon and I were discussing what sort of things you might hear if a 17th century teacher were temporally displaced into the modern day. This is some of what we came up with:
"YOU LET THE PEOPLE VOTE?!"
"YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO WATCH EVERYTHING IMPORTANT REMOTELY AND YOU DON'T?"
"YOU CAN SCAN THOUSANDS OF SQUARE MILES OF OCEAN FOR BOATS IN LESS THAN A SECOND AND YOU STILL HAVE PIRATES?! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!"
"YOU CAN LITERALLY CALL DOWN THE THUNDER OF THE GODS AT WILL, AND YOUR NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IS A BUNCH OF ILLITERATE GOAT HERDERS???"
"YOU WANT TO PACIFY A VIOLENT REGION AND THE MOST COGENT PLAN YOUR HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONAL MILITARY OFFICERS CAN COME UP WITH IS LET'S TRY TO BE FRIENDS WITH THEM?"
"THE SECOND MOST ECONOMICALLY POWERFUL NATION HAS AN 18% SUICIDE RATE?"
"THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY TO HAVE EVER EXISTED TOOK ON RICE FARMERS ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND FAILED BOTH TIMES?"
"THE MOST REVERED PIECE OF RECENTLY DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGY AMOUNTS TO AN AUTOMATED GOSSIP SERVICE?"
"AND SAID SERVICE USES, BY SEVERAL ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE, MORE COMPUTING POWER THAN WAS USED TO GO TO THE MOON?"
"YOU ACTUALLY SET FOOT ON THE MOON, AND YOU NEVER WENT BACK?"
"YOU CAN FLY THROUGH THE AIR A HUNDRED MILES FROM CITY TO CITY BUT IT WOULD BE FASTER TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY MEASURES?!"
"YOU CAN CREATE MAGICAL ENERGY TO SUSTAIN THE HOMES OF A NATION FOR YEARS FROM A FEW HUNDRED STONE OF PITCHBLENDE AND YOU STILL BURN COAL???"
"YOU LET THE PEOPLE VOTE?!"
"YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO WATCH EVERYTHING IMPORTANT REMOTELY AND YOU DON'T?"
"YOU CAN SCAN THOUSANDS OF SQUARE MILES OF OCEAN FOR BOATS IN LESS THAN A SECOND AND YOU STILL HAVE PIRATES?! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!"
"YOU CAN LITERALLY CALL DOWN THE THUNDER OF THE GODS AT WILL, AND YOUR NUMBER ONE PROBLEM IS A BUNCH OF ILLITERATE GOAT HERDERS???"
"YOU WANT TO PACIFY A VIOLENT REGION AND THE MOST COGENT PLAN YOUR HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONAL MILITARY OFFICERS CAN COME UP WITH IS LET'S TRY TO BE FRIENDS WITH THEM?"
"THE SECOND MOST ECONOMICALLY POWERFUL NATION HAS AN 18% SUICIDE RATE?"
"THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY TO HAVE EVER EXISTED TOOK ON RICE FARMERS ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND FAILED BOTH TIMES?"
"THE MOST REVERED PIECE OF RECENTLY DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGY AMOUNTS TO AN AUTOMATED GOSSIP SERVICE?"
"AND SAID SERVICE USES, BY SEVERAL ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE, MORE COMPUTING POWER THAN WAS USED TO GO TO THE MOON?"
"YOU ACTUALLY SET FOOT ON THE MOON, AND YOU NEVER WENT BACK?"
"YOU CAN FLY THROUGH THE AIR A HUNDRED MILES FROM CITY TO CITY BUT IT WOULD BE FASTER TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY MEASURES?!"
"YOU CAN CREATE MAGICAL ENERGY TO SUSTAIN THE HOMES OF A NATION FOR YEARS FROM A FEW HUNDRED STONE OF PITCHBLENDE AND YOU STILL BURN COAL???"
Monday, October 10, 2011
A Martian Visit
Imagine, for a second, that you are someone else. This person you've become does not think like you, does not accept the things you've been trained to accept.
Imagine that all you care about is what is. Imagine, instead of proclaiming what ought to be, and defying reality, come whatever may, you only proclaimed what is, and you only cared for what is.
If there is a Power, you would acknowledge that power. If there were no such thing as a soul, you would not pretend there was. If the sky were blue, you would say so, unashamed. Your belief would be like water, forming around the nooks and crannies of reality. I understand if you have a hard time imagining this; it's not an easy thing for hominids to do.
Now, imagine you, as water to reality's cup, did not grow up in America. Imagine you didn't grow up anywhere in the world. Imagine you grew up on Mars. A Martian ape. Isn't that something? What would you, the Martian ape think of these things you hold dear to your heart? Things like equality. Why, the Martian ape would laugh. Equality? There is no equality. People are not equal. What does equal even mean? Must all people occupy the same space at the same time, possess the same physiology, same mind, same everything? Does equality only extend for people, or does it extend to other things, organisms, cells, minerals, atoms? If equality is something we must achieve, can anything exist any differently than anything else? If it can't, how can that produce anything but nothing? People, creatures, minerals, atoms, quarks, these are human concepts, each possessing a level lower than our understanding. If these are to all be truly equal, what is there to be? Everything has parts, has elements, if these parts, and parts of parts are to be Truly Equal, then there can be nothing. The only solution is obliteration. How absurd! You Earthlings have some funny notions.
What about freedom? What does freedom mean? Well, you, the Martian ape, sees this one simply. An object is said to be free if it has the capability to move, and it only has the capability to move if it actually is in motion. Consider, you say, an axle of a cart. This axle is said to be free if if can turn freely. But, say one were to apply friction brakes to the axle, it would not be free to turn, unless a force of sufficient magnitude were applied to it. Consider that all things, even things in a vacuum, will slow down. Friction is everywhere. Thus, something is "free" only if sufficient power is applied to it to make it move, whether this takes a modicum or an abundance of power to accomplish. Freedom is not a state of being, it's merely a lack of restraint, a lack of friction, combined with some motive for power. But it is not the strategic application of restraint, coupled with a similarly strategic application of power, you think, that the Earth apes desire. It's the complete, unfettered destruction of all restraints. You consider that a system of bodies, each perfectly unrestrained, will affect each other, until no motive power existed within any of them. How, with no restraint, entropy's reaping would be swift and complete. The only result of perfect freedom is perfect stillness.
Perhaps democracy will catch your attention. What is democracy? Well, it's the idea that an equilibrium can be achieve if everything is equal and free. Yes, you cry! An equilibrium of a perfectly still nothing! This is the only result, the only end! Perfect Equality can only result in nothing, and Perfect Freedom can only result in stillness, and that is what you will get! You can't believe what you're hearing. The Earthlings must be mad. Perhaps it is the air, perhaps the high nitrogen content keeps the Earth apes in a perpetual mild high. What else could explain this madness?
It suddenly occurs to you that the constant state of chaos on their planet, restrained only by the frail elements of concentrated power that still exist there, are a direct result of these ideas. You also realize why these ideas become popular: They promise power to the apes. It's well known on Mars that apes crave power; that is why power is kept from them, instead locked away, and used only by the strongest, smartest, most rational ape. If all apes played the game, seeking power, all the time, it might not look like Earth, you think, but it could not possibly look better than Earth.
The Earth apes cry for "freedom" and they really want an opportunity for power. They cry "equality" in the hopes that some other ape will be stripped of their power, allowing them to move in and occupy the vacuum. You realize that this means war. Eternal war. The Hell?
It takes you a while to realize that simple Martian expression of disbelief is actually a double entendre in context.
It takes you a while to realize that simple Martian expression of disbelief is actually a double entendre in context.
You begin to understand why any resistance on Mars is crushed ruthlessly and brutally. You used to think it was regrettable, such savagery. Martian apes hanging publicly in the streets for their crimes. Surely a civilized people would be more discreet! You comprehend now, that if that were not done, if the search for power were not met with vicious brutality, that soon, apes would disguise their lust with the favored axioms of Earth, and the result would only be war. You now realize why Martian conquest is brutal and relentless. Why those who resist are systematically slaughtered to the last ape. Were they not, they might come to believe that their resistance was not just possible, but justified. That peace and progress are not just acceptable losses, but suitable sacrifices, for the goal of their individual power, dressed in a suitable euphemism. (You briefly reflect on how, to an Earthling, "progress" means precisely the opposite of what it does to a Martian.) And if the Emperor left those lands unconquered? They might grow fat, with hidden tendrils of power, and it might be uncontrolled, untrained, vicious lust that rang victorious in that final war, as happened so many times in the great Earth wars that by the end, they were wars of Vice against Vice. No, truly it is better to pursue the swiftest, most final victory.
You're a Martian ape, alone on Earth. One of a handful of tourists that comes each year (Martians do not find Earth to be a particularly pleasant place). You realize that everyone around you, though they are apes, just like you, are completely, totally evil. You realize that even though they do not think of themselves as evil, and even though they think of you as evil, objectively, it is they that are evil, and you who is not. Because they do not wish to fill the cup. They do not bow to reality. They act only on vices disguised, through generations of practice, as virtues. You are one ape, of a handful, in a sea of apes on this blue planet, who is not evil.
The next day you book your return flight to Mars.
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