May 17, 2004
Conspiracy
Classical values addresses conspiratorial thinking.
It amazes me that people understand what it means to line up to get a driver's license renewed or convince the city to enforce a no parking zone but still attribute divine competence to the CIA, FBI or their equivalents in the UK or elsewhere. They may be spooks but they are still civil servants working in massive government bureaucracies. I imagine that for many people it is more comforting to believe a malevolent force is running the show than face the fact that most of the time nobody knows with much certainty what the heck is going on.
I still fall into the trap of thinking everyone can be reasoned with and that every disagreement is grounded in an honest difference of opinion. I cannot quite resolve myself to the idea that people should choose an X-Files safety blanket over trying to come to grips with the world. I should get it through my head. My cousin once observed to me that William Shakespeare described every manner of rogue, scoundrel and fool hundreds of years ago. What on earth, he asked me, has changed in human nature since then?
Posted by Ghost of a flea at May 17, 2004 08:17 AM
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? Perspective from ***Dave Does the Blog
I just sort of like this essay. Surely there is a middle ground between sheep-like passivity and apocalyptic doomsaying, pretty... [Read More]
Tracked on May 17, 2004 11:22 AM
Comments
Nicholas, thanks for the link!
Two heads are better than one, as you just reminded me of a pertinent story I saw last week:
(via *http://www.bradenton.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/8635931.htm*):
**
FBI effort to update computers gets low grade in review
By Ted Bridis
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The FBI's nearly $600 million effort to modernize its antiquated computer systems to help prevent terrorist attacks is "not on a path to success," according to an outside review completed weeks after the bureau director gave Congress assurances about the program.
**
Must be tough to run a vast conspiracy using old clunker computers....
Posted by: Eric Scheie at May 17, 2004 10:44 AM
Definitely quotable, Nicholas. And quite true.
Given the number of scandals and cover-ups that end up being uncovered, the idea of a Vast Governmental Conspiracy to do anything stretches credulity. If three people are involved in a plot in Washington (or Ottawa, or London, or ...), one of them is leaking the story to the press, and another is making notes for their tell-all book ...
Posted by: *** Dave at May 17, 2004 11:24 AM
Excellent rejoinder, and I wouldn't be surprised if Mossad, which is far more effective than the CIA, gets blamed.
I read these conspiracy theories as the left's recognition that the horror of Nick Berg's final moments devastatated their appeasement policies so responded by raising questions about the legitimacy of the video itself.
There are a lot of people who will gratefully grasp that straw.
Posted by: Debbye at May 17, 2004 05:14 PM