Normal War from bookish, a weblog by George Girton

Normal War . . . . . apr 14 2003 — bookish62.dat

The sociologist Emile Durkheim introduced the concept of 'normal crime' into the social science lexicon. His basic idea: it's not possible to eliminate crime, it's part and parcel of any society with a legal system. Indeed, on this view it may be a mistake to try to eliminate ALL crime, since you will just end up with millions of people in prison, many for relatively minor offenses. Sound familiar? As I look out my window and see a television antenna which has been repaired in the past week, I wonder if the idea of 'normal war' will also enter common parlance.

The television antenna, which frames two oil wells pumping away on a distant hill here in Los Angeles, had been blown over in a high wind about a week ago. Now it stands tall once more, a symbol of our need to be entertained, and perhaps a symbol of order in the midst of chaos.

The science ficton writer Jerry Pournelle, a writer who has invented many wars and battles in the great beyond of science fiction's outer space, believes that There will be War [buy at amazon] . by Jerry Pournelle.

Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television [buy at amazon] . by Jerry Mander.

Soon Baghdad residents will have their broadcasts once again, pending resumption of their electrical service, because War eliminates Television, but, we would assert, only temporarily. Maybe they will be tuning in to 'Friends', or has that been cancelled?

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