What government does. In plain English.

published Feb 06, 2009, last modified Jun 26, 2013

It's always sad when you restate what government does into actual, everyday actions:

  • We, the rulers, forcibly take your money -- except from our friends the rich -- then use it to pay our own salaries, and whatever remains is used to fund:
    •  a series of mandatory imbecilization camps for children and teens,
    • paid assassins in fatigues that maim and kill foreigners,
    • spy agencies that know everything about you all,
    • lockups where we stash plant smokers, and
    • ex-playground bullies in blue who routinely strip you of your dignity and brutalize the poor and minorities.
  •  If there isn't enough money to do all of the above, we simply print more or borrow and stick you with the tab -- principal + interest.
  • Every four years there is an election, in which you get to decide not for the greatest good, but against the greatest evil, because the "election" was rigged by interests from the start.
  • And if you resist us, we will literally destroy your body and your reputation, regardless of how obviously right you are.

And we're supposed to believe this is all done in the name of the greatest good.  Except... how can the greatest good be derived from a multitude of outright perversities perpetrated on individuals?  Behold, the biggest perversion of morality in history.  The worst part is that nearly everything government does is so deeply buried in propaganda, doublethink and outright lies, that telling the truth is subversive and hateful.  Just look:

Killing and brutalizing people (not in defense) is immoral
But if you are a policeman or a soldier, then it's not just OK, you're a hero.
Taking stuff from people by force is robbery, and robbery is immoral
But if you are the taxman, then suddenly it's not robbery and it's OK.
 Punishment must be proportional to the offense
But if the punished is friends with a powerful politician... do I need to explain?

Of course, government officials need the repetition of these lies and doublethink to operate. How else, if not, would people let a bunch of morally bankrupt fucks take their money away?