Are there, infinitely varying with each individual, inbred forces of Good and Evil in all of us, deep down below the reach of mortal encouragement and mortal repression—hidden Good and hidden Evil, both alike at the mercy of the liberating opportunity and the sufficient temptation? Within these earthly limits, is earthly Circumstance ever the key; and can no human vigilance warn us beforehand of the forces imprisoned in ourselves which that key may unlock?
Wilkie Collins - No Name (1862)
The idea of liberating opportunity is perhaps worth a thought or two in these vexed times.
For example, any wholly truthful government narrative would, in an important sense be a lost opportunity. In one way or another, lies, exaggerations and misinformation always offer the liberating opportunity to reinforce a narrative, weakening any ties it ever had to a far less manipulative reality.
It is much the same with mainstream media. Anything wholly truthful would be a lost opportunity too - which is why we don’t see it.
3 comments:
That's a good quote. I haven't read any of his novels for ages, but I have a soft spot for Collins.
It's salutary to think that politicians are largely responsible for those "liberating opportunities" which affect the rest of us. Are we encouraged to lie, or to be straight with people? Do politicians themselves tell the truth, and do they set up structures and organisations in which truthfulness is facilitated and rewarded?
This seems to be the biggest issue for us. We find ourselves in a world where boosterism, evading responsibility, spin, and bullshit are necessary for success.
"The idea of liberating opportunity is perhaps worth a thought or two in these vexed times."
So is a malevolent, sentient entity and the planning required suggests the latter explanation - it's an essential philosophical difference.
Sam - yes that does seem to be the core of it. As if everything has to be presented in a PR wrapper and voices from the real world have hardly any opportunities to make themselves heard, particularly from within virtually any organisation.
James - it can be malevolent and sentient, but many opportunities such as the pandemic do not need planning. Using them as opportunities and liberating them from reality instead of dealing with them rationally is a feature of the approach.
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