Difference between revisions of "Night Watch"
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{{spoiler|the television show [[Babylon 5]]}} | {{spoiler|the television show [[Babylon 5]]}} | ||
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In [[Babylon 5]], the [[Night Watch]] organization initially offers members 50 credits per week to join; the only requirements are: | 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 wear black logo armbands (essentially an [[Arbitrary Requirement]], since these armbands serve no clear function) | ||
| − | *members must | + | *members must 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). | + | 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). "Helping fellow humans to cope emotionally" is carefully [[equivocation|equivocated]] ("coping emotionally" means we must stamp out negative thoughts; critical thoughts are, of course, negative by nature, especially any thoughts critical towards the current efforts to help everyone cope) to justify the act of reporting "disloyal" speech, and of arresting those reported to have spoken such. |
Revision as of 22:29, 19 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. |
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 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). "Helping fellow humans to cope emotionally" is carefully equivocated ("coping emotionally" means we must stamp out negative thoughts; critical thoughts are, of course, negative by nature, especially any thoughts critical towards the current efforts to help everyone cope) to justify the act of reporting "disloyal" speech, and of arresting those reported to have spoken such.