4 ms·
There's a story from Daniel Ellsberg about how access to secret information can make politicians (seemingly) stupid. It's possible that it's still very applicab
by pilsetnieks 7y ago
There's a story from Daniel Ellsberg about how access to secret information can make politicians (seemingly) stupid. It's possible that it's still very applicable here.
> “You will deal with a person who doesn’t have those clearances only from the point of view of what you want him to believe and what impression you want him to go away with, since you’ll have to lie carefully to him about what you know. In effect, you will have to manipulate him. You’ll give up trying to assess what he has to say. The danger is, you’ll become something like a moron. You’ll become incapable of learning from most people in the world, no matter how much experience they may have in their particular areas that may be much greater than yours.”
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/daniel-ellsberg-limitations-knowledge/ https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/daniel-ellsbe...
- sitkack 7y agoAs some wonk deep in the machine that wants to get their project pushed through, generate a fantastical story, mark it super extra unbelievably stop secret, and then parade around the politicians that have clearance. They _feel_ it, but can't share it and they use those thought terminating feelings to push through kooky-dooks legislation. Preferably using secret laws.