10 ms·

> Most people who betray their country are not thinking rationally, or they would not be involved in such a self-destructive activity. They are driven, in large

> Most people who betray their country are not thinking rationally, or they would not be involved in such a self-destructive activity. They are driven, in large part, by irrational emotional needs to feel important, successful, powerful or to get even or to take risks. These emotional needs are out of control, so the same emotional needs that lead them to betray also cause them to flaunt their sudden affluence or to brag about their involvement in some mysterious activity. Because they are so mixed up psychologically, they make mistakes that get them caught. This makes me rather sad. The punishment for espionage is rather severe. That it's explained as essentially a mental illness and lapse of judgement makes me wish we had a better mental health support system and rehab.

tehjoker 5y ago
This is propaganda directed at the public and at the other members of the agencies. Often people have good reasons for doing what they do. For example, Chelsea Manning was accused of espionage for revealing war crimes. The US has a long history of starting wars on fictional grounds (it's hard to think of one that wasn't after the Civil War, with a possible exception for WW2) and this can lead people that come to realize they were conned to try to get justice.
- silisili 5y ago
  This aligns with my own ideas, though not directly. Even without a lying, quasi evil govt, society is still to blame. Designing and forcing folks to live in a society that so idolizes power and money, while seemingly purposefully alienating people from each other and forcing down wages, what would one expect to happen? In both our examples, the government has failed its people, and they act like it's so egregious that people would do such a thing.
- linschn 5y ago
  Have you heard of WWII?
  - rawTruthHurts 5y ago
    Based on this bit the commenter's response, take a wild guess: "with a possible exception for WW2"

tehjoker 5y ago

This is propaganda directed at the public and at the other members of the agencies. Often people have good reasons for doing what they do. For example, Chelsea Manning was accused of espionage for revealing war crimes. The US has a long history of starting wars on fictional grounds (it's hard to think of one that wasn't after the Civil War, with a possible exception for WW2) and this can lead people that come to realize they were conned to try to get justice.

silisili 5y ago
This aligns with my own ideas, though not directly. Even without a lying, quasi evil govt, society is still to blame. Designing and forcing folks to live in a society that so idolizes power and money, while seemingly purposefully alienating people from each other and forcing down wages, what would one expect to happen? In both our examples, the government has failed its people, and they act like it's so egregious that people would do such a thing.
linschn 5y ago
Have you heard of WWII?
- rawTruthHurts 5y ago
  Based on this bit the commenter's response, take a wild guess: "with a possible exception for WW2"