In previous episodes, I pointed out that the military’s reporting of events in Afghanistan was so skewed that the high command may have actually felt that they were winning. Some readers dismissed this. There were thousands of Americans there, after all, the lie would have to be told. Yes, the conspiracy would have been revealed. But social regularity works more reliably than conspiracy.
A conspiracy can take place, for example, by a group of people making up a school in a remote town, producing fake photos on a computer, making up names of children, falsifying reports and collecting money. If it was one school and a group of conspirators of up to 10 people, it would be possible. My readers are right that in real life it would be impossible to keep something like this a secret for a long time.
Perhaps we can be critical enough of the Taliban and the Islamic State – if we explain that they are the Afghan and Arab equivalent of Trump voters…
But then there’s the other option. The psychological, social and economic laws that cause people to be motivated to lie. Like this one:
– A captain is rated by how satisfied the colonels are with him.
– A colonel is rated by how satisfied the generals are with him.
– Generals are rated by how well they please the press.
– The press wants to hear that Muslim society is basically harmonious. That most of the ideals of Western intellectuals are being fulfilled in Muslim societies. It is only Donald Trump’s voters who are threatening the world. Perhaps we can be critical enough of the Taliban and the Islamic State – if we explain that they are the Afghan and Arab equivalent of Trump voters, or the local equivalent of opponents of the European Union.
Another regularity. The crowd is afraid of otherness. It is the case also for crowd of top-managers and politicians.
Another regularity. The crowd is afraid of otherness. It is the case also for crowd of top-managers and politicians. If there is a guy with a clear view, with the ability to tell the truth and pass conflicts, he is quickly declared undesirable. The entire bureaucratic system will rise up against him – journalists, politicians, managers and senior military officers. He has no choice but to leave.
