Sacramento speakers series: February

[Chambers]

The Sacramento speakers series had been advertised on the campus and the speaker this month had interested the Necromancer. If only because Thomas Friedman he was known to be well travelled, direct in his reporting which he did in a way to make complex ideas accessible to his readers and covered a multitude of major events. It’s the kind of experience any Mystouge would be chuffed to have. So, he went he listen, he was impressed and he stayed for the after talk wine and finger foods.


Dressed for the occasion He moves around those that stayed making small talk and with some discussing finer points of the lecture

[Helen Kingsley]

Friedman. Hell, why not ?

Helen hasn't had many connecting points with the guy. Some of his writings broach on some of her hobby horses, so she's passingly familiar with some of his arguments in that bit of his works. But most of the time, she doesn't really look out his stuff, as her particular pet isn't something he works on. Still, she's got the time so why not go see the guy while he's in town ?

She can't say she's looking out some of the topic Friedman decided to talk about, but he did make some valid points. Others... not so much. But hey, there's also some other people still around discussing stuff. She's shunned the opportunity to dress specifically for the occasion and so brought her trainers, jeans and a dark green t-shirt to the lecture. Well, and the jacket, but she's not wearing that at the moment.After a bit while inspecting the finger foods and wine selection, she finds herself near some slightly scruffy, teacher-looking fellow.

"That was a ride, eh ? What was your favourite part ?"

[Chambers]

Looking up as he was addressed Chambers takes a sip of wine to give an excuse to pour through the content he had just sat through.

'Favourite might be a stretch.' Friedman had said a few things of interest and clearly done some research, but some of it had just been well bonkers. 'The bits about needing to take a holistic approach to world happenings and globalisation to have a better idea of how to plan and strategize.' This Necromancer was a fan holistic approaches to understanding.

Something catches in the corner of his eyes and he rubs at them. 'Excuse me.' Blinking to clear the spots. 'Must be tired.' Back to the question. 'I might not be a global mover and shaker but its an idea you can scale down well enough.' Although I certainty won't be applying it to economies.

'However some of his other ideas on globalisation seem rather readily disproven.' A man bested by time and a changing world. 'And of yourself. Find anything enjoyable in what he had to say?'

[Helen Kingsley]

"International politics was pretty interesting, but that's pretty controversial and not really something to discuss in polite society at large these days, if it ever was. At least I got the feeling the latest Middle East stuff hit a bit too close to home for him. It's nice he thinks we're all better off with that super-national stuffs. It kind of falls apart with everyone having to submit to the same set of rules, though. I mean, if everyone could agree on rules and make folks adhere to them, I'd have a house on Mars and wouldn't have to work for a living."

She looks around in a slightly exaggerated gesture.

"Well shucks, sure doesn't look or feel like Mars.

I mean, he makes it sound nice, but it kind of sounds like Free Market and those 'super-empowered individuals' will be crucial to the future of mankind and to be fair, I'm pretty hard pressed to decide which of those two people should trust more. Both have a pretty shitty track record. Go for the Market, you get 'Robocop', leave things to the people... Eh, might work out for some years, but in the end, that's going to be like..." She thinks for the word she wants to use for a bit here. "Feudalism. Only scaled up a lot. And not so nice for the people at the bottom of the ladder.

Which he kinda described with the whole 'Lexus and Olive Tree' conflic and the weak states. If that doesn't explode like now, but like it means it... There's a lot of trouble in that, I agree with as much, but he's putting a pretty positive spin on it and I think that sugarcoats a lot."

[Chambers]

He listens politely, interested and honestly glad to have someone to be discussing things with. More of a peripatetic method, if minus the actual traveling. 'I don't know about that. We've been conditioned not to discuss such things but conversations like international politics do effect us all, and should be discussed.' The idea that something shouldn't be discussed simply because it was a social faux pas, not a reason he would accept. 'I'm quite willing if you are?' fishing for a name.

That gets a chuckle as he looks around. The itch in the corner of his eye seems to settle as he does. 'Yes Mars does look rather familiar doesn't it.' Back to his conversation partner. 'The Golden straight jacket seems to hold no merit in my mind.' The itch was back he tries to ignore it. 'Giving up economic sovereignty to mega cooperation's would be the death of so much of society as we know it.' Competitive markets, human progression, ingenuity. Sure some of those things fuel the lie, but it does lead to break throughs now and then, real break throughs. Stifling everything would be worse.

Takes a sip of his wine. 'The only thing those super rich are good for it, is creating poverty.' He has a very low opinion of what he suspects might well be seers or their puppets. 'Consider the impact they have now. The ability to create significant change in the world yet they choose not to.' And why would that be any different in the future? 'Feudalism. Yes, I think you've hit the nail on the head with that.' Exactly what it would be, and exactly what they want.

'He's an optimist for sure.' Thinking over the theory himself. 'I forget when he said it but in something he published it went like ... ' Thinking. 'As the price of oil goes up freedom goes down.' That was it 'I've always understood that to factor in. Weaker nations reliance on larger powers for supply that they can't impact limits freedoms, ruins economies and all in all worsens states of living.' Pausing to get back on track. 'This singular need. The Lexus of prosperity as he puts it. Outshines all other needs a country has if it wishes to continue developing, forcing the olive tree of tradition to become a sacrificial log, cut down to save a country.' Okay a little wordy there, remember don't lecture, people stop listening when I lecture. Looking politely across for her bat back.

[Helen Kingsley]

Well, if the guy wants to go down that road, they can. Whether he likes what's waiting there ? They'll see.

"Admittedly, Mr Friedman has changed his outlook a little, but I have to say I agree with his older approach the most. Go down the area, knock some heads together as hard as you can and help those folks get some civilization going after that. Only do it right and don't pull out halfway. I mean, it worked after World War II. It's going to be messier, but it can work again. If people decided they wanted to go in all the way and way too few people want that these days. They'd rather ignore that stuff or want to glass the whole area."

Way to go. Not that she necessarily disagrees that'd be the next best solution in theory, it'd just be very ugly and way more messy in practice. Still, one low voice in the back of her head keeps confirming it'd be the rationally sensible approach.

"Yeah, if you have to gild it, it's no use, really. It's just an attempt to sugarcoat what he sees as necessity to make what's likely to happen more palatable. A placebo, if you will." She agrees. "Capitalism cares for capital, it doesn't give a shit about people, but way too many people with way too much education are still dumb enough to not see that. or they don't want to." Helen frowns. "Freedom and tradition require effort. Once prosperity got enough drag, people too willing to jump onto the wagon throw away a lot of stuff they don#t think they'll miss later. But if they're wrong, there can be a lot of trouble in the folks telling them they know how to get those back. You boil it down, the complacency that comes with prosperity is what will kill society as is. Or democracy."

[Chambers]

Oh someone actually willing to have a civil conversation about difficult topics. This was worth while after all. 'A unusual position to hear taken today. I must ask how then do you define civilization?' I would wager not the same as one who knows its all a lie. 'On that front however you are almost unassailable. Regardless of the view held regarding the legitimacy of the conflict. Both the UK and US did a rather terrible job stabilising the situation after the fact.' How much is their fault and how much is reality eroding away however is hard to say. 'As for missiles and nukes, well its hard to establish civilisation in an irradiated lifeless desert. So I find those unhelpful to the goal.' As someone with the goal to bring back civilisation as he knew it be, blasting what was currently present was not an option. 'However in the face of those who are without direction yes a guiding hand needs to be enforced.' Not Democratic, but not purely a dictatorship either. 'I am of the mind that proper Merit when cultivated and displayed. Not inherited should be the factor in determining leadership.' Chambers avoids saying the wise should rule. It might give me away if someone is listening in the room. 'So sometimes long and bloody battle is unavoidable.' All in all agreeing. But the foe I have in mind, am willing to risk my life to overcome cannot not be found by looking at a map.

He ponders. 'Now capitalism on paper is argued to have benefits for society.' Not by me but lets see where this goes. 'The idea that private ownership creates competitive markets and encourages competition to attract the work force.' Which is not what we have. 'We suffer from an excess of greed. Cooperation's that hold monopiles, a small few that are able to determine worth and value.' His seems noncommittal to the idea, just bouncing the it around to see what happens. 'Apathy and greed.' He nods. 'And before long the traditions once maintained are not even memories, just something to exploit.' Yes the yearning to get back to a truer state is something people had but could not manage and made a mess in the attempt. 'The Wikipedia effect.' Or google. 'The ability to have everything at ones disposal discourages effort and improvement.'

[Helen Kingsley]

"Let girls go to school. For all I care you can have Mars travel and collect Nobel prizes like other people collect stamps - You trewats girls and women like shit ? You're an uncivilized shithole country, end of story. I'm open to a lot of discussion what makes civilization and what don't, but that bit is not negotiable." Helen knows she's a bit subjective here, but it is a pet peeve of hers and has been for some time. "Also, glassing a place makes a lot more radicals that are more than happy to axe the liberals you'd need to get the country forward. As soon as you get the folks to see themselves as a country, that is." Another thing takes way too much for granted these days and some folks still hadn't learned that lesson and like that, the results had been pretty clear... "Technically, yuh. That's the problem, though. You prop up the reformers, they get seen as foreign agents and some parts of society won't accept them. Once you cut them loose... Ask Ashraf Ghani how he's been doing lately. You stay out, with some luck the reactionaries win and dig through the stone age to find what came before that and how it fits with their worldview. I mean, sure, you could get lucky, but most of the time, the most brutal and ruthless guys win, and that's the fun you then get to deal with." She chuckles. "Well, initially it does, but left at that, unchecked by outsdide influences like say, federal government or international bodies or agencies, monopolies are what happens. Which gets us back to the start, because if you're dependent on the goodwill of a big bloc led by some guy or girl, maybe a board ? Boom, you're a serf, welcome to the Middle Ages !"

She shakes her head.

"Kills it in the long run. Folks see tools as the finished product and stop working from there."

[Chambers]

Listening. 'For my benefit, are you speaking from a feminist or egalitarian angle regarding education and better treatment of Women?' Given the reputation and reports of countries in question either could be applicable. 'I heard an interesting perspective a while, back.' He grimaces. 'I can't remember who from I'm afraid.' Oh well. 'But it laid the idea that once members of a group begin to patch broken limbs rather then abandon the injured party they count as the earliest stages of civilisation.' There was a point to this. 'The concept of empathy and caring for the weakest in a group certainly carries some merit for civilised behaviour.'

Nodding. 'So it seems were are more or less in agreement that the big red button option is unproductive to bettering a civilisation at any stage of its development.' Unproductive to problem solving and development.

He presses lips together. 'Yes the situation in Afghanistan is well terrible really.' I might be no politician but I can't help but criticize it from start to finish. 'A prime example of the collective failure to ensure proper rebuilding.' Although it must be said. 'That problem had been brewing since the Soviet invasion and nothing was done so foreign powers do only have themselves to blame.'

That I might contest however. 'If left unchecked monopiles might form within a country yes, but to be competitive with a global market.' For that surely would be necessary to operate on. 'The would need to develop internal system robust enough to do I would have to imagine.' A little out of his wheel house but managing so far.

'What kills it is the hamster wheel idea that people are beaten over the head with, it leads them to accept the point of their life is menial labour. They lack drive, motivation and investment.' Why should when they are given all they need to vegetate and made to work for what they need to live. 'It does not promote a society that works to improve itself or the individual.' And through the journey of the self become wiser. Once wiser contributing to the wider society.

[Helen Kingsley]

"Does that really make a significant difference ?" In her opinion, it doesn't, but she also isn't big fan of -isms of all forms, colors and sizes. "Sure does, it's kinda what gave us institutionalized medicine and stuff like that. Pretty important." She chuckles and eyes a canapee shortly. "Well yeah, bettering needs a base, you remove that and simply use other folks, you didn't civilize people, you just swapped some around, is all.

The fun fact about Afghanistan is that you'd think folks would have used the opportunity to learn from the Soviets mistakes and do better. That's what I meant earlier. Just because Afghanistan has a name and a border, everyone always assumes its a state with a people that identifies with that state. It's not, it's a bunch of warlords and treating it as anything else is a recipe for disaster. People should have learned that by now. Maybe the Chinese try next and see if they can do better..."

Helen frowns.

"International's the same, just on a bigger scale and takes longer. Or several corporations cooperate, like a cartel or so. As soon as a corp goes above critical mass, sky's the limit. But I don't think anyone wants to find out how right I'm about that."

She shrugs.

"Yah, the Lexus at work, if you will."