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> It's a good idea to keep your people in a state of poverty and always prepared for war. This helps to reduce both ambition and boredom—two qualities that can
by pavel_lishin 3y ago
> It's a good idea to keep your people in a state of poverty and always prepared for war. This helps to reduce both ambition and boredom—two qualities that can undermine obedience.
> Fierce competition in a society is desirable, for it generates energy and ambition
Don't these two statements exactly oppose each other?
- scottedwards 3y agoyeah agree, plus not sure I believe that poverty reduces ambition
- AnimalMuppet 3y agoIt may. You don't dream of becoming president; you dream of having enough money to have both an apartment and food. You have just as much ambition, but the ambition is for smaller things. You therefore are not threatening the political power of those who have it.
- the_sleaze9 3y agoIt isn't poverty that reduces ambition, it's that poverty has crushingly enormous cognitive overhead.
- jonahx 3y agoNot necessarily. Think of life in poor neighborhoods today. People can be competitive over limited resources or status within their world of poverty. And the constant threat of violence ("prepared for war") can even exacerbate this dynamic. Yet at the same time all larger ambitions -- those which could threaten the people with real power -- are thwarted.
- hammock 3y agoOne sector of the population is dull and complacent, the other are fiercely competing for limited spots at higher eds and tech companies with 2% acceptance rates