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There's a scene in the Cryptonomicon, where Goto Dengo's (a lieutenant in the Japanese Imperial Army in WWII) convoy is sunk by a US air attack. This involves a

There's a scene in the Cryptonomicon, where Goto Dengo's (a lieutenant in the Japanese Imperial Army in WWII) convoy is sunk by a US air attack. This involves a new weapon, which also requires a crucial change in tactics – and he knows that the Imperial Army has lost the war: this is not how the Americans are supposed to attack, how could this happen? Notably, this requires that several high ranking figures observe, comprehend and admit that their tactics are ineffective, that they are wrong – and invent and implement something new and adjust their tactics, instead, involving the entire chain of command. This shouldn't happen. They must have all killed themselves. No warrior of principles would admit to such a fault, commit to the shame, and change tactics in the midst of the war…

HPsquared 3y ago
Given that science progresses one funeral at a time, the practice of seppuku would seem to allow the Imperial Japanese officer corps to evolve their tactics more rapidly than most.
- masswerk 3y ago
  The problem being that many of our big corporations and institutions are much like an Imperial Army, but without the culture of seppuku. They have overrun considerable territory and established the Greater Welfare Zone, including its glacis and satellites, by adhering to concise, even gruel tactics. This works. This is how it works. If we just stick to the tactics and principles, this will continue to work. This is how we do things… Admitting fault and accepting shame, just to veer off proven and established procedures, isn't only a serious danger to your career, it also endangers the greater good, we've all committed to… There's too much at stake. (Compare how we are all just forced to throw out even the basics of AI safety out of the window. There's no alternative. Let's suppose that Banzai attacks do work…)

HPsquared 3y ago

Given that science progresses one funeral at a time, the practice of seppuku would seem to allow the Imperial Japanese officer corps to evolve their tactics more rapidly than most.

masswerk 3y ago
The problem being that many of our big corporations and institutions are much like an Imperial Army, but without the culture of seppuku. They have overrun considerable territory and established the Greater Welfare Zone, including its glacis and satellites, by adhering to concise, even gruel tactics. This works. This is how it works. If we just stick to the tactics and principles, this will continue to work. This is how we do things… Admitting fault and accepting shame, just to veer off proven and established procedures, isn't only a serious danger to your career, it also endangers the greater good, we've all committed to… There's too much at stake. (Compare how we are all just forced to throw out even the basics of AI safety out of the window. There's no alternative. Let's suppose that Banzai attacks do work…)