Snippet: Useful Lies

[avatar (Alistair Young)]

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@MirrorField <mirrorfield@gmail.com> on 2018-11-15 05:05:27 wrote

Worst bar fight I ever was in? Somewhere in the Seam, can't talk about it more precisely. Anyhoo, there was this hardcore libertist, never been sure whether he worked for Sanguinary Enforcers or someone else, who started the whole thing after a drunken philosophical discussion where I pointed out how "Liberty" and "Freedom" were not preciously unique foundation stones in functioning society. Stout? Definitely. Useful? Most assuredly. Irreplaceable? By no means. I mean, just look at Equality Concord; proof that you can build societies on other foundations. Some may argue that they're foundation stones for best and most functioning societies. I agree, but only to a degree: It would take only a single innovation, philosophical or technological, to make those concepts as obsolete as gold coinage. Worse, if and when that happens, even the Empire would have to reinvent itself or crumble into the dustbin of history as the other adopters simply out-compete it.

The Guy took my viewpoint …badly. Three lost teeth, one broken rib, bruised kidney and moderate stunner trauma. Last one because someone had pulled a knife and bouncers decided to stun everyone and sort things out later. I avoided him until re-deployment and haven’t seen him since.

–Jarrus Ortheyn, memetic warfare officer for bonded mercenary company Hounds of Tindalos

@Specialist290 <carpentereli@outlook.com> on 2018-11-15 20:24:53 wrote

I do have to wonder what they would think about the sort of people who, on being told their beliefs were “philosophical weapons,” would regard it as a compliment