OFF: THEM

[Paul Mather]

On Mon, 3 Mar 1997, Chris Warburton wrote:

> "They" (as good a term as any) fear anything they can't control & influence -
> it's not just Stonehenge/travellers/chemicals - look at the way the net is
> being demonised, or way back when, the Oz obscenity trial.  Once upon a time
> only governments & multinationals had the sort of easy worldwide communications
> that are now readily & cheaply available to anyone.  "They" just want us
> vegging out in front of the TV, or buying the stuff in the ads - God forbid
> that we should actually have ideas & exchange them.

This cracks me up.  You speak of "They" (often called THEY and THEM) as if
they are some foreign race of space aliens, and not living, breathing
human beings like the rest of us.  There are people on this list who work
for huge multinationals and governments.  Are they "They?"  Are these
people fearing the Internet, BOC-L, et al?  Should I loathe and demonise
them as you have done above?

When someone can give me a good, objective definition of the nefarious
cabal known as THEM (THEY, "They" etc.), I will start to take "Their"
elaborate, meticulously-crafted Machiavellian plans for global enslavement
of the masses a tad more seriously.  (Tell me how I can recognise one of
THEM.)  Until then, I shall consider them individuals, with human goals
and motives---both good and ill---and some in greater positions of power
than others.

I agree with Robert Anton Wilson when he says that anyone admitting the
existance of THEM has relinquished responsibility for their own life; one
can blame ones successes and failures on THEM, much in the same way
someone of a religious bent can attribute their daily travails to the
guiding hand of some unseen, omnipotent god.

But then again, I must be one of THEM to utter such heresy.

Cheers,

Paul.

obCD: Monster Magnet, _Spine of God_

e-mail: paul at csgrad.cs.vt.edu               A stranger in a strange land.