Unarmed combat in the digital armchair

I apologize for the lack of content. I am working on a small deadline.

If you are really desperate for a fix, you can scroll down here and watch me work out, albeit laconically, on some Special Forces types. I get angry and have to use my Sith command voice. Fortunately, there is fire support—unedited:

No one who lived the life described above by 925 (or me, or others) would peddle that crap.

PC-COIN is what you tell children, at least the Surge narrative that was put out. Because Children is who we in no small part defend, and in large part comprise our “elites” and especially the current government. Callous, Callow, sanctimonious, snarky, and so instantly corrupted the instant an offer is made it makes you question the existence of the soul, and whether people are innately good at all or is it just learned behavior.

Or they walk away because “it’s too hard.” Really that may be the defining statement of this generation of elites.

Fortunately, it’s not the defining statement here at UR! And we’re as 31337 as it gets. Though not on actual military matters—where we always delegate our judgment to expert opinion. Reserving the right, of course, to choose which experts. I think I see some at the link above.

Anyway. Enough with the real guns and ammo. Let’s get back to virtual warfare. Here is an open thread where people can talk about the Canon: Froude, Maine and Carlyle. Collectively, the most dangerous information device in human history.

Or so I’d like to think! But definitely a targeted munition. With one N only, the Canon is a literary device and not a military one. All it is is three old books: The Bow of Ulysses (1887), Popular Government (1885), and Latter-Day Pamphlets (1850). (These are full-view in the US, but may not be in other countries. Alternative links: Froude at archive.org; Maine at OLL; Carlyle at Gutenberg.)

(If you’ve already finished all three, I am preparing extension packs which will supplement and expand your new historical reality. For further directives from the Flounder—keep monitoring this digital channel.)

When discussing Froude, Maine and Carlyle, or any of the Froude Society authors, it should in general be kept in mind the point of the exercise is not to analyze or (heavens) criticize these writers, but to understand them. We want to understand them because we want to use their minds. We want to use their minds because we have real problems to solve.

How can we use the minds of Victorian thinkers? We can use their minds by showing them the 20th century, and asking them what they think. Since we cannot physically revive these dead white males, we cannot perform this exercise mechanically. It must be an exercise of imagination. Sometimes it takes a lot of imagination. Sometimes—not so much.

For instance, you could ask Froude, Maine and Carlyle what USG has to do in Afghanistan, if it My guess—no, my certainty—is that they would agree with Elihu Root and “Elf.” They would be utterly confident in this answer, as am I.

One can reject the High Victorians’ advice, of course. There are no mystic gurus at the Froude Society. (Carlyle is definitely channeling something, but it’s probably just laudanum.) These great fossil whales of Victorian scholarship are tools for our living brains—not replacements.

And on some subjects, they have nothing at all to say. Froude, Maine, and Carlyle are not of great assistance in, say, the design of programming languages. How can they help you understand the 21st century?

Perhaps not at all. Once you read them, you can say. Take the challenge! Pass through the fire! You are already almost there. You will never be closer. Click the link; open the door. Your credit card will not be charged.