Strictly speaking, the drones ARE incapable of reason – they’re just digital devices processing code. They have no thoughts. They’re not alive. They’re just machines performing their function. They’re no more capable of reason than a lever and fulcrum or a wheel is.
Well, I paid all the dues I want to pay
And I learned the truth from Lenny Bruce
And all my wealth won’t buy me health
So I smoke a pint of tea a day
I knew a man, his brain so small
He couldn’t think of nothing at all
He’s not the same as you and me
He doesn’t dig poetry
He’s so unhip that
When you say Dylan, he thinks you’re talkin’ about Dylan Thomas
Whoever he was
The man ain’t got no culture
But it’s alright, ma
Everybody must get stoned
— A SIMPLE DESULTORY PHILIPPIC (OR HOW I WAS ROBERT MCNAMARA’D INTO SUBMISSION) – Paul Simon
Not sure why today’s strip reminded me of this bit of 60s folk satire, but *Jeff Goldblum* there you are */Jeff Goldblum*
The bit he missed is that Robert Zimmerman originally billed himself as Bob Dillon, after Marshall Dillon on Gunsmoke. The Dylan Thomas reference came later.
“A Simple Desultory Philippic (etc.)” was recorded by Simon & Garfunkel in 1969, not by Paul Simon solo. It is on the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.
More of his self-delusion. So far as I can see, there’s no resemblance. Though, to his credit, he’s not much like Henry Tudor either. More like Henry VIII.
Maybe Anasigma have a virtual Dr. Lee now. Maybe that’s why they were willing to extirpate the real one.
As for “incapable of reason”, it’s not a drone thing. Thousands of people on both sides were involved in the indiscriminate bombing of residential areas in the second world war, and they were right there.
That doesn’t prove that they were incapable of reason; it suggests that they were reasoning from questionable premises. If you start from “the enemy is evil and must be destroyed”, and you think that blowing up his industrial capacity and killing his population base will help to destroy him, than carpet-bombing cities becomes a reasonable course of action. (However morally corrupt.) One must always beware the rationally ruthless idealist.
There is no record (not that I have ever seen) of Nietzsche predicting 100 million dead – either in pursuit of utopia, or as a result of communism, as has also been claimed. What Nietzsche did say, however, was that after his time, “there will be wars, the like of which have never been seen on earth before”, and he predicted that it would be focused in Europe. So in a sense, he did predict the two World Wars, although he didn’t specifically say when the wars would happen.
Well, a lotta people predicted World War One. Most of the participants bet that it would be a short war, though, but it turned into a long one—and if a modern state loses a battle, it need not admit defeat, but can continue fighting if it so chooses, and the war goes on.
Carl Fishman: Sorry, I was thinking more of the situation rather than the “can they make decisions” thing. Sweetheart’s main difficulty is that she can’t reason with the attackers, and even trying to surrender to them would be fraught with risk. That’s the same now as it was then.
Nice to know the Baron keeps his unique sense of humor even unto the end. ^_^
Damn, Sweetheart. Ice *cold*.
Granted. But still accurate.
Strictly speaking, the drones ARE incapable of reason – they’re just digital devices processing code. They have no thoughts. They’re not alive. They’re just machines performing their function. They’re no more capable of reason than a lever and fulcrum or a wheel is.
And if someone could find the trailer full of guys controlling them, the drones would simply fall from the sky.
If A-Sig is smart, that trailer would be in the next town or so, and not be marked with a huge A-Sig logo on the side. But it’s still worth hoping.
Let’s please not make this political
“No, a robot isn’t good enough. I have to ride out of here in style.”
Wait, the drones are incapable of reason, or the humans running the drones are incapable of reason?
Yes.
And the robots, bureaucrats, as well as the nanoplasmatic Necromorphic constructions are incapable of reason. (:
Well, I paid all the dues I want to pay
And I learned the truth from Lenny Bruce
And all my wealth won’t buy me health
So I smoke a pint of tea a day
I knew a man, his brain so small
He couldn’t think of nothing at all
He’s not the same as you and me
He doesn’t dig poetry
He’s so unhip that
When you say Dylan, he thinks you’re talkin’ about Dylan Thomas
Whoever he was
The man ain’t got no culture
But it’s alright, ma
Everybody must get stoned
— A SIMPLE DESULTORY PHILIPPIC (OR HOW I WAS ROBERT MCNAMARA’D INTO SUBMISSION) – Paul Simon
Not sure why today’s strip reminded me of this bit of 60s folk satire, but *Jeff Goldblum* there you are */Jeff Goldblum*
Paul Simon wrote that? Ah, well, he had more humor as a solo artist.
The bit he missed is that Robert Zimmerman originally billed himself as Bob Dillon, after Marshall Dillon on Gunsmoke. The Dylan Thomas reference came later.
“A Simple Desultory Philippic (etc.)” was recorded by Simon & Garfunkel in 1969, not by Paul Simon solo. It is on the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.
I only had a copy of “Bookends.”
Now Baron thinks he’s King Rick 3
More of his self-delusion. So far as I can see, there’s no resemblance. Though, to his credit, he’s not much like Henry Tudor either. More like Henry VIII.
Not nearly murderous enough. He’s a grifter, not a mob boss.
Um, Henry VIII was also a Tudor. I assume when you say Henry Tudor, you mean Henry VII.
Yeah; I’m one of those people who never wants to admit that the treacherous usurper Henry Tudor won, and became Henry VII.
He doesn’t know it for certain, but he’s got a hunch.
Since Dr. Lee is with them, I wonder who’s in charge of the Dismembrarium now?
Maybe Anasigma have a virtual Dr. Lee now. Maybe that’s why they were willing to extirpate the real one.
As for “incapable of reason”, it’s not a drone thing. Thousands of people on both sides were involved in the indiscriminate bombing of residential areas in the second world war, and they were right there.
That doesn’t prove that they were incapable of reason; it suggests that they were reasoning from questionable premises. If you start from “the enemy is evil and must be destroyed”, and you think that blowing up his industrial capacity and killing his population base will help to destroy him, than carpet-bombing cities becomes a reasonable course of action. (However morally corrupt.) One must always beware the rationally ruthless idealist.
That explains Daenerys.
And Friedrich Nietzsche’s prediction of a a hundred million dead in pursuit of Utopia.
It looks like his body count is low BTW.
That sounds interesting. Got a link or source?
There is no record (not that I have ever seen) of Nietzsche predicting 100 million dead – either in pursuit of utopia, or as a result of communism, as has also been claimed. What Nietzsche did say, however, was that after his time, “there will be wars, the like of which have never been seen on earth before”, and he predicted that it would be focused in Europe. So in a sense, he did predict the two World Wars, although he didn’t specifically say when the wars would happen.
Well, a lotta people predicted World War One. Most of the participants bet that it would be a short war, though, but it turned into a long one—and if a modern state loses a battle, it need not admit defeat, but can continue fighting if it so chooses, and the war goes on.
Carl Fishman: Sorry, I was thinking more of the situation rather than the “can they make decisions” thing. Sweetheart’s main difficulty is that she can’t reason with the attackers, and even trying to surrender to them would be fraught with risk. That’s the same now as it was then.
Typo alert in panel 1, “Honing in” for “Homing in”
Nice catch. Normally I notice those right away, but I missed that one.