The three Ins [YEAR END REPRINT]
Yesterday I was bitching about a 1951 radio program that turned out to be awful. Another bad experience with a '50s program tonight led to a minor Aha.

Why were the cheap programs from the '30s better?

Empathy.

The division isn't precise, but in general 1930s movies and radio were written from a realistic view of human genes and differences. When you're down you need to understand that you're permanently down, and shape your life to survive the predicament. Hearing stories about other people who are in various predicaments helps us to understand and tolerate variety, and helps us develop our own strategies. The writers were conscious of this mission, and shaped their stories toward understanding, not mass action.

Genes were abolished in 1946. Instead of genes, choices are responsible for everything. Cop shows started with a moralistic lecture aimed at parents. If your kid turns out bad, it's entirely your fault. If lots of kids are turning to crime, it's everyone's fault. Education cures all ills, so we need to spend more money on education. But if YOU'RE not rich and popular, you need to try harder. You CAN be rich and popular after you obey the orders of the rich and popular people As Seen On TV and buy the products they recommend.

Result:

When most of life is seen as predetermined, there's no reason to obey mass instructions. Everyone is permanently different, so everyone has to figure out how to survive his own unique life. You can't do much about other lives; you can only do your own.

When everything is possible, solely depending on actions, the authorities can mobilize people to action. Mass guilt leads to mass action AS RECOMMENDED, individual shame leads to individual action AS RECOMMENDED.

Rome has always done things the latter way. Original Sin and Prosperity Gospel. Priests are rich and powerful because Jesus was rich and powerful. Anyone can gain power by sucking up to the priests (literally and figuratively). If criminals misbehave, it's everyone's fault. We shouldn't punish the criminal or protect ourselves against the criminal. Instead we should try harder to worship the authorities.

= = = = =

The Sorosian world follows the Roman model. Three steps. Insinuation, Instigation, Inquisition. Unsurprisingly, the FBIII, founded by the perfect Roman, implements these three steps perfectly.

Insinuation: There are evil forces MEDDLING with our souls. Witches or Terrorists or RussianBots. You may be a witch, or you may know a witch. All of us are responsible for finding and detecting witches.

Instigation: Some people respond to the You May Be A Witch message by deciding to Be A Witch. When you're down and out, watching the rich and wicked succeed with impunity, the bonds of guilt-based action break. You've been obeying, and things keep getting worse. The authorities As Seen On TV are disobeying every rule of natural and written law, and they get away with it. They are committing mass murder all the time with no guilt, and they want us to feel guilt for having wrong thoughts (such as thinking the authorities commit mass murder all the time.) You say FUCK IT. Okay, I'm a witch. At this point the FBIII gives you an organization and a plan so you can FUCK IT in a way that will serve their purposes.

Inquisition: Now that the witch has been cultivated, it's time for the Star Chamber and the barbecue.

= = = = =

Credit footnote: Henry Lea's book outlines the three steps in the earlier version of Sorosia. I've simply mirrored them into modern times. Lea's description of the link between Insinuation and Instigation is especially powerful and still fresh. Modern writers either don't understand it or deliberately skip it.
  ¶ 12:57 AM