paranoid leadership leads to hate and conflict

[mckitterick]

Does this sound familiar?

"Leadership in this society here would naturally fall to the paranoids... But you see, with paranoids establishing the ideology, the dominant emotional theme would be hate. Actually hate going in two directions; the leadership would hate everyone outside its enclave, and also would take for granted that everyone hated it in return. Therefore their entire so-called foreign policy would be to establish mechanisms by which this supposed hatred directed at them could be fought. And this would involve the entire society in an illusory struggle, a battle against foes that didn't exist for a victory over nothing."

-Philip K. Dick, Clans of the Alphane Moon

He wrote that in 1964. Huh.

Best,
Chris

Comments

[bodandra.livejournal.com]

It is amazing how the more things change, the more they stay the same -
or perhaps never changed in reality.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

...except for the technology they have at their disposal.

[cmt2779.livejournal.com]

Of course it sounds familiar.

I think the real question is here is this: How fucked up is the guy who's running the simulation we're all a part of? If we're all part of a simulation, someone had to create all this paranoia and hatred. Perhaps he should not be allowed to simulate worlds if this is the best he can do.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Hey, have you yet read Charles Stross' new novel, Glasshouse?

[cmt2779.livejournal.com]

I haven't. I want to, though. I was actually looking for Stross at the used bookstore yesterday, but (despite the otherwise excellent selection) they had none.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

The title has a link to Amazon, where you can find used and cheap new copies. The book is relevant to your comment....