usually you follow a quote with some sort of explanation. tonight i'll pussy out and not do that. however, i'll still leave you with this lengthy exerpt from george orwell's 1984 .
i think i enjoy reading old classics because no matter if its from 50 years ago, as this book is, or 500 years ago, as was the case with machiavelli's the prince, there is always something applicable to present times. i also enjoy some allusions that are made by the authors. stuff that was probably common knowledge in that day, like the mannerisms of a horse, that everyone could relate to and get a vivid image, but nowadays, i can only imagine.
anyway. here's the quote that i found intriguing today. its from page 191 - 192 in the signet classic edition that i borrowed:
" The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labor. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent. Even when weapons of war are not actually destroyed, their manufacture is still a convenient way of expending labor power without producing anything that can be consumed. . .In principle the war effort is always so planned as to eat up any surplus that might exist after meeting the bare needs of the population. In practice the needs of the populatoin are always underestimated, with the result that there is a chronic shortage of half the necessities of life; but this is looked on as an advantage. . .
War, it will be seen, not only accomplishes the necessary destruction, but accomplishes it in a psychologically acceptable way. In principle it would be quite simple to waste the surplus labor of the world by building temples and pyramids, by digging holes and filling them up again, or even by producing vast quantities of goods and then setting fire to them. But this would provide only the economic and not the emotional basis for a heirarchical society."
i think i enjoy reading old classics because no matter if its from 50 years ago, as this book is, or 500 years ago, as was the case with machiavelli's the prince, there is always something applicable to present times. i also enjoy some allusions that are made by the authors. stuff that was probably common knowledge in that day, like the mannerisms of a horse, that everyone could relate to and get a vivid image, but nowadays, i can only imagine.
anyway. here's the quote that i found intriguing today. its from page 191 - 192 in the signet classic edition that i borrowed:
" The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labor. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent. Even when weapons of war are not actually destroyed, their manufacture is still a convenient way of expending labor power without producing anything that can be consumed. . .In principle the war effort is always so planned as to eat up any surplus that might exist after meeting the bare needs of the population. In practice the needs of the populatoin are always underestimated, with the result that there is a chronic shortage of half the necessities of life; but this is looked on as an advantage. . .
War, it will be seen, not only accomplishes the necessary destruction, but accomplishes it in a psychologically acceptable way. In principle it would be quite simple to waste the surplus labor of the world by building temples and pyramids, by digging holes and filling them up again, or even by producing vast quantities of goods and then setting fire to them. But this would provide only the economic and not the emotional basis for a heirarchical society."
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