Armies and government and every-day people have been destroying books (or whatever media are being used) to annihilate ideas and memory since the destruction of Ebla (c.
This is yet another indication that authoritarianism always has two faces. One is plainly shown to its enemies, who are subjected to the worst possible torture: their thoughts are criminalized. The other is shown to its allies, justifying the torture as protection of "normal" people from "abnormal and dangerous" lies. Acceptance of the characterization of these thoughts is to be accepted on faith, just as the basis of a religion is to be accepted on faith. It is ironic how authoritarians proclaim to be objective truth-followers, unlike religions, who are superstitious mystics, when their basis for existence relies on the same blind faith.
The difference, of course, is that the authoritarians' basis is true. If you don't believe them, just ask them.
Me, too. I didn't expect too many people to look at these but I keep thinking about the censorship today of big Tech and seeing that the world has always tried to do this. I run across them and mention them but now I'm reading and seeking footnotes and it is a daily dose that people have been trying to stop other people from thinking anything but what the ones who run the show want them to think. Thank you.
This is yet another indication that authoritarianism always has two faces. One is plainly shown to its enemies, who are subjected to the worst possible torture: their thoughts are criminalized. The other is shown to its allies, justifying the torture as protection of "normal" people from "abnormal and dangerous" lies. Acceptance of the characterization of these thoughts is to be accepted on faith, just as the basis of a religion is to be accepted on faith. It is ironic how authoritarians proclaim to be objective truth-followers, unlike religions, who are superstitious mystics, when their basis for existence relies on the same blind faith.
The difference, of course, is that the authoritarians' basis is true. If you don't believe them, just ask them.
The older I get the more I like superstitious mystics.
Me, too. I didn't expect too many people to look at these but I keep thinking about the censorship today of big Tech and seeing that the world has always tried to do this. I run across them and mention them but now I'm reading and seeking footnotes and it is a daily dose that people have been trying to stop other people from thinking anything but what the ones who run the show want them to think. Thank you.