From: Upgrade! (f-prime@buildfreedom.com)
Date: Fri Jan 07 2000 - 11:30:34 MST
Varying degrees of tyranny is practiced in the world.
By tyranny I mean the use of violence or threat of violence
by some people to coercively impose their will on others.
In order for tyranny to occur, some people must have
power over other people. In my opinion, this condition of
some people dominating and oppressing others at least
partly stems from a mind-set I call the tyrant-paradigm.
The tyrant-paradigm can be described as a collection
of certain memes that are extropian enemies. They are
contrary to the extropian principles of open society and
self-direction.
I further contend that people can reduce tyranny by removing
the tyrant-paradigm from their minds. As long as people's
minds remain infected by the tyrant-paradigm they will
perpetuate tyranny.
"But to tear down a factory or to revolt against a
government or to avoid repairs of a motorcycle because
it is a system is to attack effects rather than causes; and
as long as the attack is upon effects only, no change is
possible. The true system, the real system, is our present
construction of systematic thought itself, rationality
itself. And if a factory is torn down but the rationality
which produced it is left standing, then that rationality
will simply produce another factory. If a revolution
destroys a systematic government, but the systematic
patterns of thought that produced that government are left
intact, then those patterns will repeat themselves in the
succeeding government..."
-- Robert Pirsig in 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenance'
The tyrant-paradigm consists of the "construction of
systematic thought," "the systematic patterns of thought"
that give rise to coercive and tyrannical political systems,
to some people being ranked over other people.
At a high level of abstraction, I describe the tyrant-paradigm
as consisting of certain concepts, ideas words, patterns of
thinking, attitudes, and beliefs that give rise to coercive and
tyrannical political systems. I see the tyrant-paradigm as
one of the most important problems in the world.
"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is
the mind of the oppressed."
-- Steve Biko
Consider the possibility that tyranny is a lot easier to
practice if tyrants in some ways "own" the minds of their
victims. What if the mind-set I call the tyrant-paradigm
effectively enables tyrants in some important ways to
"own" the minds of their victims?
"It is hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your
head."
-- Sally Kempton
The Tyrant-Paradigm Removal List has been set up
to explore all aspects of the tyrant-paradigm and for
subscribers to assist each other in removing the
tyrant-paradigm from their minds.
You'll be amazed by how your personal freedom expands
as you remove the tyrant-paradigm from your mind!
I invite you to subscribe to the Tyrant-Paradigm Removal List by
sending a blank email to <tyrant-paradigm-subscribe@topica.com>,
or by subscribing at <http://www.buildfreedom.com/lists/tyrant-paradigm.html>.
Frederick Mann
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