The Prisoner and “Mindspace”


I just discovered the Cabinet Office and Institute for Government publication, MINDSPACE, Influencing behaviour through public policy (THE PRACTICAL GUIDE). It put me in mind of this:

Number Two: I am definitely an optimist. That’s why it doesn’t matter “who” Number One is. It doesn’t matter which “side” runs the Village.
Number Six: It’s run by one side or the other.
Number Two: Oh certainly, but both sides are becoming identical. What in fact has been created is an international community–perfect blueprint for world order. When the sides facing each other suddenly realize that they’re looking into a mirror, they will see that “this” is the pattern for the future.
Number Six: The whole Earth as the Village?
Number Two: That is my hope. What’s yours?
Number Six: I’d like to be the first man on the moon.

Via The Prisoner – Wikiquote.

And of course there is always C S Lewis’ famous remark:

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

I recommend the entire report for an insight into the relationship between citizen and state today.

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Comments & Responses

One Response so far.

  1. Catherine in Athens says:

    “MINDSPACE effects depend at least partly on automatic influences on behaviour. This means that citizens may not fully realise that their behaviour is being changed – or, at least, how it is being changed. Therefore, there may be little opportunity for citizens to opt-out or choose otherwise; the concept of “choice architecture” is less use here. Any action that may reduce the “right to be wrong” is likely to be controversial. This suggests a greater need for citizens to approve the use of the behaviour change – perhaps using new forms of democratic engagement.”

    I’d like to know exactly what GOD and his chums mean by the last sentence. Perhaps they mean persuading a majority of “citizens” to outvote the “thinkers”. I suppose once a country’s education system is so shot, heresthetics becomes a cinch.