Robert Seeberger wrote
If we accept this story as factual, not only in the general sense,
but in it's particulars; then I believe it has to effect the way
we filter conspiracy theories.
Yes. Clearly, in a police state, the only way to cause change
unwanted by the tyranny is to conspire. Otherwise, the police will
get you.
Inside a tyranny, people may move around considerably. Especially if
they believe in some sort of Destiny, they may think of themselves as
sufficiently free for their purposes. It all depends on how far and
in what direction they want to move the country and and how far the
others permit change.
Over the past half century, as far as I know, most of the really big
ones have involved changes in many people's belief. An example is
Iran's change from the Shah to Khomeini. Smaller conspiracies, like
the one involving the escape of six US embassy employees, involve a
lot of money. You may not have to persuade thousands of people over
30 years, but you have to persuade many over 30 days.
In a country in which ordinary people take part in a public
government, and all believe it is sufficently public, conspiracy is
not seen.
In a positive-sum world, such as one in which education, research,
development, and innovation are pushed, so technology advances, more
change is available. In a zero sum world, the have-nots must take
from the haves. As a practical matter, the haves will fight to keep
what they have. That is natural. Mostly, of course, they will first
do what is cheapest, which is to change the beliefs of thousands of
people. Only later will they act more expensively.
On the other side, a person such as David Brin will write a book
against conspiracy (I don't remember whether he mentions the word, but
"The Transparent Society" is clearly against conspiracy). He will
continue speaking, as he has, for modernism (and its concomitant
education, research, development, and innovation) and against
feudalism, post-modernism, and other zero-sum belief systems.
As far as I know, none of the Moslem countries of the Middle East has
what white, middle-class Americans of the 1930s would consider a
`wide' belief system. Iran may have the widest ...
--
Robert J. Chassell GnuPG Key ID: 004B4AC8
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.rattlesnake.com http://www.teak.cc
_______________________________________________
http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
