Blog:

This blog discusses ideas, drafts and papers about the whole spectrum of systems theory and anything else that concerns the WissTec R&D Services UG.

22.7.2020 - Social Systems Security 4:

Howto be an useful idiot:

(By Eike Scholz)

In this post we follow Paul Watzlawick's tradition of usually contraindicated advises. It is only usually contraindicated, you can do what you want, but have to live with the consequences like everyone else.

One of the big miracles of life is the apparently never fading high demand for useful idiots that is miraculously matched by an equally inexhaustible supply.

While I do not understand why someone would voluntary work with idiots, or even pay them, being a useful idiot seems to be an occupation that provides at least a baseline of income to - well - idiots.

After a long time of observation I have extracted the following dogmas, that is undoubtedly correct rules to follow, to become a useful idiot:
  1. Always follow the leader.
  2. The leader is the person who seems to be able to hurt you the most.
  3. If you are not sure who is able to hurt you most, follow the one who seems to be less nice. Even if nice people could hurt you more, they are less likely to do so.
  4. The truth of a statement can be inferred from how emotionally it is stated.
  5. Never reject gossip as unfounded.
  6. Always remember, that the severer the accusation the more likely it is true. Someone accused of a murder is likely a murder. Someone accused of rape is a rapist. Someone accused of mass murder is not only a mass murderer but also your leader - you want to stay alive, don't you?
  7. Always remember, that you are defined by the group you belong to and have to believe what and act how they do. Losing faith in even a single core value and acting accordingly will destroy your identity and worth.
  8. Never admit mistakes of the leader verbally and even less by action.
  9. Mistrust honorable conduct, it helped the Nazis or Communists to perform mass murder.
  10. Avoid people that value and teach thinking for your self and acting without instruction. They just do that, so that they can blame and shame your for your failures, while not being responsible for them. At best, do not talk to them at all.
  11. Do not trust your eyes or ears, the majority usually has a better perception, and the leader has the best.
  12. Always remember, that humility is the most common mask for incompetence and preparation for laziness.
  13. Always remember, that competence is derived from social status, and not the other way around.
  14. Learn at least one useful skill. If in doubt gossiping or hurting people will suffice.
  15. If you want to excel in something chose one topic only. The leader might feel threatened and hurt you otherwise.
  16. Always remember, that people who lie and get away with it are clever and competent. You have to be smarter then others to fool them, don't you?
  17. It is better to die for your convictions then to change them, if the majority or the leader tells you that, if not, its worse.
  18. Always remember, that truth is defined by the leader first, the majority second and your feelings third. Observation and logic are deceits.
  19. Never oppose organized mass murders, for example like the Nazis, Stalinists or ISIS. In the end, they always won by killing their opposition.
  20. Always remember, that everything the leader can not understand is wrong.
I am quite confident, that memorizing this short list of rules will help every aspiring useful idiot to find peace and his place in the world.

All posts of this month.