Difference between revisions of "Night Watch"
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| − | {{spoiler}} | + | {{spoiler|the television show [[Babylon 5]]}} |
{{editing}} | {{editing}} | ||
| − | In [[Babylon 5]], the [[Night Watch]] organization initially offers members 50 credits per week to join; the only | + | In [[Babylon 5]], the [[Night Watch]] organization initially offers members 50 credits per week to join; the only requirements are: |
| − | *members must wear black logo armbands (an [[Arbitrary Requirement]], since these armbands | + | *members must wear black logo armbands (essentially an [[Arbitrary Requirement]], since these armbands serve no clear function) |
| − | *members must help the Night Watch to stamp out "negative thinking" -- although this requirement is initially highly sugar-coated within a more digestible requirement that they simply help their fellow humans to cope in the current difficult times. | + | *members must help the Night Watch to stamp out "negative thinking" -- although this requirement is initially highly [[Sugar Coating|sugar-coated]] within a more digestible requirement that they simply help their fellow humans to cope emotionally in the current difficult times. |
*members must be loyal to Earth | *members must be loyal to Earth | ||
| − | + | After some time passes, and the political situation has evolved somewhat, Night Watch membership is used to coerce recruits who are otherwise well-intentioned into performing more and more questionable activities ([[Gradually Increasing Requirements]]), with the threat of treason used to prevent members from leaving ([[Asymmetric Entry-Exit]]). Loyalty "to Earth", initially presented as being fairly abstract and more or less on a level with loyalty to humankind, is refined to mean loyalty to a particular organization which claims sovereignity over Earth (and which created the Night Watch as a way of ensuring popular support desipite their unethical activities). | |
Revision as of 20:30, 8 July 2005
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Spoiler Warning: The following article contains plot details regarding the television show Babylon 5. If you are familiar with this work and know how it ends, or don't care whether you find out in advance, feel free to read on. |
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In Babylon 5, the Night Watch organization initially offers members 50 credits per week to join; the only requirements are:
- members must wear black logo armbands (essentially an Arbitrary Requirement, since these armbands serve no clear function)
- members must help the Night Watch to stamp out "negative thinking" -- although this requirement is initially highly sugar-coated within a more digestible requirement that they simply help their fellow humans to cope emotionally in the current difficult times.
- members must be loyal to Earth
After some time passes, and the political situation has evolved somewhat, Night Watch membership is used to coerce recruits who are otherwise well-intentioned into performing more and more questionable activities (Gradually Increasing Requirements), with the threat of treason used to prevent members from leaving (Asymmetric Entry-Exit). Loyalty "to Earth", initially presented as being fairly abstract and more or less on a level with loyalty to humankind, is refined to mean loyalty to a particular organization which claims sovereignity over Earth (and which created the Night Watch as a way of ensuring popular support desipite their unethical activities).