Comments on: Quote note (#138)

By: pseudo-chrysostom

pseudo-chrysostom — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 02:27:40 +0000

>creating permanent civil service

should also read: ‘a band aid if there ever was one’.

By: pseudo-chrysostom

pseudo-chrysostom — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 02:25:39 +0000

because in large sense, its the wrong question; the answer to corruption in liberal systems is (and has been historically) generally to make them less liberal (for instance, the end of the spoils system, creating permanent civil service). amongst other things, popular governance creates an environment where dynamics which are most adept at disguising its sovereignty are selected for.

regardless of apparent system, at some point some being some where will have to make decisions, and the only thing he really has to answer too is god. in the end it is men that rule over laws, not vice versa. fear or opposition to this fact is generally predicated by the projection of a persons own (lack) of capability onto others (he imagines himself in such a position, and is rightly fearful, though this is often less than conscious). denial to this fact is infact what creates more space for disingenuous gaming of systems. and more perniciously, the banalization of traditions as a consequence of such leaves beings more unsuited to such offices ere they find themselves in them.

By: Athrelon

Athrelon — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 20:16:23 +0000

Upon more thought I wonder where Stephenson got his portrait of thete culture. It seems incredibly true to life, and not drawn from the stereotypes ofthe left or conventional right

By: Thales

Thales — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 19:52:58 +0000

A solid maybe.

By: Athrelon

Athrelon — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 18:04:12 +0000

Vickies explicitly contrast themselves with the universalist past and are shown to be among the most functional thedes thereby, rivaled only by a few ethnically defined, culturally traditionalist thedes. Thete dysfunction shown in it’s full glory, and correctly attributed to thete behavior and culture, not material scarcity or external oppression. China goes Confucian in a way Xi could only dream of, albeit at a level of technological development that in retrospect was an far underestimate that has aged badly.

Anathem has some reactionary themes of note too. If there’s a common thread, it’s that Stephenson takes part cultures and institutions seriously a social technologies that actually possess virtues, rather than being backwards rungs on the grand narrative of social progress. SF fans like new ideas and strange societies, making it a surprisingly friendly medium for a bunch of novelty seekers so open to new ideas that they became traditionalists.

By: Erebus

Erebus — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 16:18:34 +0000

@Admin
Hah! That’s funny. Well… It looks like we’ve each independently confirmed that the passage we’ve posted here is the money quote!

@Athrelon
That’s true, and the two books are extremely similar in that respect. We could draw a lot of parallels between the future of The Peripheral and that of The Diamond Age. Politically, they’re essentially identical; both futures feature the same warring factions and phyles, generally without the oversight of larger political entities. Technologically, the two futures share a similar level of ubiquitous nanotechnology, and they make use of it in generally similar ways. (Though it’s perhaps worth noting that Gibson’s nanotech is more conventionally weaponized. Fans of conceptual/visionary military sci-fi should really enjoy this one…)

By: R.

R. — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 15:58:14 +0000

Have they, really?

I’ve yet to seen a convincing approach on how to curb corruption in a nonliberal system..

By: R.

R. — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 15:57:27 +0000

Is it?

I’ve always wondered how serious Stephenson was. I’m leaning towards dead serious – similar sentiments can be found in other books of his.

Very amusing to read on lit critics assuming he must have been totally joking in that book.

By: soapjackal

soapjackal — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 09:43:00 +0000

The French appear to be using post modernism against the left. Interesting that BBC would be so fair.

Maybe it has the potential to get past the errors of deconstruction and apply the intellectual equivalent of positive disintegration.

By: soapjackal

soapjackal — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 07:37:30 +0000

Actually I am more impressed with that than I was before. The City of London does function as a pseudo-corporate governing entity and has for years. Deserves a Neoreactionary review if it hasnt already.