,AN>*Y ,IS ,A ,SCALE-,9DEP5D5T ,PROPOSITION 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,WILLIAM ,GILLIS 

,TEXT 3 

,!RE'S A P>TICUL> N>RATIVE-SURPRIS+LY COMMON 9 C]TA9 CORN]S ( ! AN>*I/ SC5E-?AT NO ONE HAS REALLY BO!R$ TO CALL \T & SO HAS GR[N RA!R FAT & COM=TABLE OV] ! LA/ FEW DECADES4 ,IT GOES SOME?+ LIKE ?IS3 

,?9K+ OR ACT+ FROM A BIG-PICTURE P]SPECTIVE IS-IF NOT ,! ,PROBLEM-!N AT LEA/ A MAJOR ROOT CAUSE ( EV]Y?+ MIS]ABLE AB\T \R WORLD4 ,ANY CLAIMS1 !ORIES1 IDEALS1 OR MOTIVATIONS ?AT EXT5D \R FRAME ( REF]5CE BEYOND \R IMM$IATE LIVES >E PR$ICAT$ 9 ! SAME MI/AK5 >ROGANCE1 A MI/AKE RESPONSIBLE = ! SEEM+LY 9TRACTABLE POISON )9 ! LEFT & ACTIVI/ /RUGGLES1 AS WELL AS SO MU* MORE4 ,9 RESPONSE WE MU/ W>D \RSELVES FROM ! IDEOLOGIES1 ! GR& CON/RUCTS1 ! /ORIES ?AT DW>F ! P>TICUL>S ( \R IMM$IATE P]CEPTIONS1 \R SOCIAL CIRCLES1 \R DAILY /RUGGLES4 ,MO/ ( ALL WE MU/ REJECT ! SE>* = UNIV]SALS & FOCUS ONLY ON ! 0HUMAN SIZ$04 

,(T5 ?IS N>RATIVE QUICKLY SEGUES TO PATT]N-MAT*+ ?IS 0BIG-?9K+0 T5D5CY 9 T]MS ( SOME UNIFI$ ,JUDEO-,*RI/IAN TRADITION 7UND] ! ASSUMPTION ?AT !RE'S ONLY A T9Y *ANCE ( RUNN+ ACROSS ANYONE ) A /RONG CLAIM TO BE P>T ( A DIFF]5T TRADITION74 ,AT ?IS PO9T ! N>RATIVE REALLY PICKS UP /EAM3 ,!RE WAS ONCE POLY!ISM_/ANIMISM_/SPIRITUALISM BUT !N ALL ! LITTLE GODS & LITTLE TRIBES GOT GR\ND UP BY ! BIG UNIV]SAL MON/] & N[ !RE'S JU/ UNIV]SAL /UFF1 & WE %\LD JU/ BREAK ?+S AP>T AGA9 UNTIL !Y'RE BACK ON A 0HUMAN SCALE0-ALA ,DUNB>'S ,NUMB]-:]E WE CAN BETT] KEEP TRACK ( EV]Y?+4 ,&1 SUPPOS$LY1 !RE= /OP \R ?\<T FROM GR[+ 0\T ( CONTROL40 

,ALL Y\ %\LD BE CONC]N$ AB\T >E Y\R IMM$IATE RELATION%IPS ) O!R PEOPLE 9 Y\R SOCIAL_/DRAMA CIRCLES1 H[ Y\ RELATE TO !M & ! K9D ( PSY*OLOGICAL /ATES Y\'RE ABLE TO BRIEFLY CREATE TOGE!R4 

,= A LOT ( PEOPLE ?IS P]SPECTIVE SOMEH[ RESONATES V]Y DEEPLY AS A K9D ( CLEAN BREAK4 ,!RE'S ?IS BIG BOOGEYMAN REPRES5TATION ( SUPPOS$LY ALL EXI/+ P>ADIGMS1 & !N !RE'S !M1 BREAK+ AWAY1 ABRUPTLY FREE TO EXPLORE AN >RAY ( NEW POSSIBILITIES4 ,Y\ GET ?IS ) A LOT ( CULTS TOO1 ONCE Y\ JU/ SEE ,! ,PROBLEM EV]Y?+ IS SO CLE> & FILL$ ) NEWNESS & POSSIBILITY4 ,\R BRA9S LOVE ! FEEL+ ( A NEW P]SPECTIVE OR A NEW CONTEXT1 ESPECIALLY :5 WE'RE DEAL+ ) CONT9UALLY GR9D+ PROBLEMS4 ,WE GET TO LET GO ( ALL \R FRU/RAT+ CALCULATIONS & CONSID]ATIONS CON/ANTLY HANG+ >\ND1 P]SI/+ 9 ! BACK ( \R M9DS1 & />T ANEW6 ,PEOPLE GET SO OV]:ELM$ BY ?AT RU% ?AT !Y REFUSE TO PAY ATT5TION :5 ?IS NEW ,ONE ,SIMPLE ,TRICK FAILS TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS ANY?+1 :5 ! EXACT SAME SORT ( PROBLEMS CREEP BACK1 & ! LIMITS ( ! NEW P>ADIGM />T TO FEEL LIKE PRISON WALLS AGA94 ,& SO Y\ SEE PEOPLE1 5RAPTUR$ BY ! FEEL+ ( ! ORIG9AL BREAK1 ) ! IMPRESSION ( IT1 REFUS+ TO FEEL \T = !SE WALLS1 REPEAT+ ! SAME K9D ( SAD CONT5T-DEVOID MANTRAS 9 RESPONSE TO ANY 9PUT4 0,IF Y\'D ONLY SEE ?AT IT'S ALL ,MORALISM MAANN40 

,GRANT$1 ?IS CAN BE AN IMPORTANT /EP 9 FLEX+ Y\R BRA91 ,I GUESS1 IF Y\ COME FROM A C]TA9 BACKGR\ND1 ) C]TA9 PRIORITIES4 ,BUT ,I DON'T4 ,?IS %IT & ! CONTEXT IT COMES \T ( >E JU/ SO 9CR$IBLY ALI5 TO ME4 ,& SO ! MAGICAL SALVE ( RETURN+ TO ! SMALL-SCALE IS JU/ A WAD ( SPIT & LEAVES TO ME4 ,IT DOESN'T BEG9 TO ADDRESS ! ?+S ?AT WORRY ME4 

,LIKE A LOT ( PEOPLE ,I DIDN'T ORIG9ALLY BECOME AN AN>*I/ OV] CONC]NS AB\T BLACK HELICOPT]S OR MU%ROOM CL\DS OR ANY %[Y L>GE-SCALE HORROR4 ,I FIR/ BECAME AN AN>*I/ BECAUSE AT A V]Y Y\NG AGE ,I SAW PEOPLE-9DIVIDUAL PEOPLE-EX]CIS+ CONTROL OV] O!R PEOPLE4 ,I SAW DYNAMICS ( ABUSE1 CO]CION & MANIPULATION & ,I RECOIL$ FROM !M4 ,I ?\<T AB\T ! WAY !SE DYNAMICS WORK$ & !N ,I CRITIQU$ & REJECT$ !M4 ,SIMPLE AS ?AT4 ,CRUCIALLY !SE BEHAVIORS W]E (T5 COMPLETELY DIVORC$ FROM EPIC N>RATIVES1 BIG IDEOLOGIES OR GLOBAL =CES4 ,!Y W]E1 9 FACT1 (T5 9T5SELY LOCALIZ$1 P]SONAL1 & SITUATIONAL4 ,SOMETIMES !Y GAVE RISE TO GR& AMBITIONS & SWEEP+ FRAMEWORKS4 ,BUT !Y >OSE SEP>ATELY1 & 9DE$1 W]E (T5 JO9$ CLOSELY ) AN ANTI-N>RATIVE & ANTI-GLOBALI/ B5T4 0,?IS SITUATION IS UNIQUE & CAN'T OR %\LDN'T BE COMP>$ ) ANY O!R1 MU* LESS ANY COMMONALITY ID5TIFI$40 0,E?ICS IS A DELUSION = WEAK PEOPLE40 0,!RE >E NO CON/ANTS SO :Y NOT GIVE 9TO :ATEV] IMPULSES /RIKE ME40 ,9DE$ ! MO/ P[]FUL TOOLS 9 P]PETUAT+ !SE P[] DYNAMICS W]E ?OSE ?AT D5I$ UNIV]SALS OR CON/ANTS & ?OSE ?AT EXPLOIT$ LIMIT$ KN[L$GE1 9=MATION OR COMMUNICATION4 ,GASLI<T+4 ,TRIANGULATION4 ,ISOLATION4 

0,Y\ ACTUALLY BELIEV$ ME860 & !N CACKL+ LAU<T]4 

,SU* SOCIOPA?Y IS NOT A FR+E DYNAMIC1 BUT A NE> CON/ANT T5D5CY ?AT IS DEEPLY DEEPLY RIV5 9 JU/ AB\T EV]Y SOCIETY OR CULTURE ON ?IS PLANET4 ,IT SURVIVES 9 NO SMALL P>T BY KEEP+ ITS EV] PRES5T MA*9ATIONS HIDD5 OR AT LEA/ UNSPOK54 ,IT P]PETUATES ITSELF ?R\< N>RATIVES ?AT R$UCE ! WORLD TO AN UNMAPPABLE =MLESS MESS1 DEVOID ( CON/ANTS OR DIRECTIONS4 ,IT PORTRAYS ! WORLD & \R EXP]I5CES AS A SUB/ANCELESS GAME ( IMM$IATE IMPULSES & *ANCE P>TICUL>S4 ,EV]Y?+ IS >BITR>Y1 SO :Y NOT8 ,AN IMPULSE T[>DS FRI5DS & FAMILY AFT] ALL IS JU/ A HI/ORICALLY CONT+5T TRAPP+ ?AT ONE C\LD EASILY EM]GE )\T OR %$ (F4 ,LOVE & COMPASSION JU/ A FLEET+ AFFLICTION ( S5TIM5T1 ) NO DEEP REASON TO PROMPT VALU+ ITS P]PETUATION4 ,I MAY BASK 9 P>5TAL LOVE = Y\ TODAY & TOMORR[ DELI<T MYSELF BY Y\R SCREAMS AS ,I BREAK Y\R F+]S4 ,!RE >E NO CON/ANTS1 NO UNIV]SAL ATTRACTORS1 NO WAY TO >GUE OR P]SUADE ?AT ISN'T JU/ MANIPULATION1 POSITION+1 DELUSION4 ,BE+ K9D OR RESI/+ P[] MI<T HAPP5 TO GIVE Y\ SOME S5SE ( PLEASURE OR HAPP9ESS BUT ANY SUFFICI5TLY 9TELLIG5T P]SON CAN *ANGE !IR BRA94 ,:Y NOT TAKE ! EASI] R\TE & JU/ JU/ F9D WAYS TO HACK H[ Y\ GET PLEASURE8 ,TO DI/RACT Y\RSELF FROM RECOGNIZ+ OPPRESSION & SUFF]+1 OR TO TAKE DELI<T 9 !M8 

,C9EMATIC BUCKETS ( BLOOD DUMP$ ON ,C>RIE OR ! HORDES BEAT+ ,PIGGY >E NOT A DEP>TURE FROM ! NORM BUT >E IMPLICIT 9 EV]Y?+ WE DO4 ,\R SOCIETY'S ILLUSION ( NORMALCY IS A DET5TE RIV5 ) ! FLUCTUATIONS ( \R CONT9U+ & ALMO/-ALL-PRES5T MANIPULATIONS1 CRUELTIES1 & SELFI% ACTS4 ,!SE SMALL VIOL5CES =M A CON/ANT FABRIC :OSE WR9KLES =M ! SCAFFOLD+ ( L>G] EM]G5T /RUCTURES UNTIL WE >RIVE AT GOV]NM5TS1 RELIGIONS & CORPORATIONS4 

,LEFTI/S DECL>E SU* 9T]P]SONAL P[] DYNAMICS-9S(> AS !Y >E EV] =C$ TO RECOGNIZE !M-ONLY ! CONSEQU5CE ( MACROSCOPIC PATT]NS LIKE ,CAPITALISM4 ,:AT A LAU<6 ,! SMALL IS ULTIMATELY NOT SO MU* ! RESULT ( ! BIG AS ! O!R WAY >\ND4 ,FEUDALISM1 /ATE COMMUNISM1 CITY /ATES1 F$]AT$ TRIBES444 NO MATT] H[ Y\ PU% ! WR9KLES 9 ! FABRIC >\ND ! PSY*OLOGY ( ABUSE1 CONTROL & DECEPTION ?AT TIES IT TOGE!R REMA9S UNADDRESS$4 ,HUNT] GA!R]S LIKE ANY O!R IT]ATION ( HUMANITY (T5 DID HORRIBLE ?+S TO ONE ANO!R1 HELD EA* O!R 9 ABUSIVE BONDAGE1 FAI? & RITUAL4 ,! BONDS ?AT OPPRESS US >E NO LESS BONDS IF !Y >E SMALL-SCALE & RESPONSIVE4 ,! MI<T ( EMP]ORS HAS (T BE5 BUT A PUFF ( AIR COMP>$ TO AGGREGATE CO]CIVE P[] & SUFF]+ CAUS$ BY EV]Y ABUSIVE P>TN] OR P>5T OR FRI5D 9 ! WORLD4 ,IT DOES NOT TAKE ! EXI/5CE ( SWEEP+ PATRI>*AL NORMS & SOCIALIZATIONS = P>TN]S TO ABUSE EA* O!R1 = P>5TS TO BE CRUEL OR DOM9E]+ TO *ILDR51 !SE BEHAVIORS EM]GE 9 ALMO/ EV]Y CULTURE OR CIRCLE4 ,! RATES ( ABUSE & PHYSICAL VIOL5CE AMONG LESBIANS >E ! SAME AS AMONG HET]OS4 ,?IS IS NOT SOME MAGICALLY ADAPTABLE MACROSCOPIC =CE OR CONSPIRACY ?AT ABSORBS EV]Y PUN* WE ?R\< AT IT & REORGANIZES ITSELF1 IT IS NOT SOME HUGE SPECT] \T !RE BEYOND \R IMM$IATE LIVES1 IT IS A P]SI/5T T5D5CY1 A CREEP+ L[-LEVEL 9FECTION RIV5 ?R\<\T \R IMM$IATE LIVES1 \R COLLECTIVE & ONE-ON-ONE RELATIONS4 

,& EV]Y:]E IT SMIRKS TO ITSELF4 ,EV]Y ,POPE HAS BE5 AN A!I/4 ,EV]Y SUCCESSFUL PRESID5T OR CZ> A PASSIONATE EGOI/4 ,!Y WRAP !IR ?\<TS 9 ROBES1 JU/ AS MO/ ( US WRAP \R ?\<TS 9 :AT WE T]M 'USEFUL' DELUSIONS 9 \R MO/ CLE>HEAD$ MOM5TS4 ,TEMPOR>Y ALLEGIANCES & AFFECTATIONS4 ,SURE ! P[] ?AT B9DS O!RS (T5 B9DS ! WIELD]4 ,BUT NOT ALWAYS4 ,& C]TA9LY NOT ALWAYS 9 A MEAN+FUL ONE-TO-ONE RELATION AGA9/ ! SUBJECTIVE DESIRES ( ! WIELD]4 

,?IS K9D ( P]SON1 ?IS K9D ( ?9K+1 HAS NO NE$ = UNIV]SAL OR BIG-P]SPECTIVE ?9K+2 !Y WILL SCRAMBLE = P[] 9 ANY CONTEXT4 ,! PROBLEM !Y REPRES5T IS IRRESPECTIVE ( ! SCALE ( PAGEANTRY4 ,!SE SOCIOPA?IC CURR5TS RUN DEEP 9 ALMO/ EV]Y CLU/] ( 9DIVIDUALS & (T5 CRAWL 9TO \R [N HEADS4 

,! DAMAGE WE DO EA* O!R AT ! SMALL-SCALE1 AT ! 0HUMAN LEVEL01 IS USUALLY F> MORE PR(\ND 9 SUFF]+ ?AN ! DAMAGE DONE BY BIG TANGL$ CONTEXTS & SOCIAL ORGANISMS ABOVE & BEYOND \R FAMILIES1 LOV]S1 & FRI5DS4 ,!Y 9T]SECT1 !Y FE$BACK (F EA* O!R 9 9T]E/+ WAYS1 & ) BIGG] SCALE COMES BIGG] RISK1 TO BE SURE1 BUT AT ! 5D ( ! DAY ! N>RATIVE ( SMALL-SCALE AGA9/ BIG-SCALE IS UTT]LY TOO?LESS AGA9/ ! ROOTS ( ! HORRORS WE FACE4 

,I & MANY O!RS W]E ORIG9ALLY ATTRACT$ TO AN>*ISM NOT BECAUSE WE W]E LOOK+ TO SATIATE SOME HUNG] = ! P>TICIPATORY DELUSION _/ COMMODITY KN[N AS 0COMMUNITY01 BUT AS A RAY ( ABSOLUTE RESI/ANCE AGA9/ ! FUNDAM5TALLY SOCIOPA?IC & NIHILI/IC SOCIAL NORMS ( \R WORLD4 ,AGA9/ AN OMNIPRES5T F\L FOG ?AT BURNS \R LUNGS & SEEKS TO SETTLE DEEP 9TO \R SK94 

,= US ,AN>*ISM HAS ALWAYS FIR/1 =EMO/1 & AT ROOT1 PRES5T$ ITSELF AS A %>P CRITIQUE ( ?IS RAMPANTLY COMMON & P$E/RIAN P]SPECTIVE1 ?IS /AUN* BELIEF 9 IMM$IATISM & ! IRRELEVANCE OR NONEXI/5CE ( UNIV]SALS OR SOLIDS ( ANY =M ( TRULY P]SUASIVE >GUM5TS ?AT MI<T BE F\ND-?IS ASSUMPTION ( ! UNI=M >BITR>9ESS & FUTILITY ( VIGILANT 9VE/IGATION BEYOND ONE'S MOM5T>Y OR HAPP5/ANCE MOTIVATIONS-?AT 9FE/S EV]Y ABUS]1 EV]Y CONMAN1 EV]Y SOCIAL CAPITALI/1 EV]Y CREEP1 EV]Y RAPI/4 

,\R AN>*ISM REPRES5TS A BREAK ) ?IS1 IT IS ! CRY ?AT AN->*Y IS POSSIBLE1 EV5 CONSID]ABLE1 ?AT WE NE$ NOT REASSIGN ! T]M LIKE SO MU* LITT] TO D5OTE M]ELY DIFFUSE1 LOCAL & P]SONAL >*IES4 ,?AT WE NE$ NOT EMBRACE ! ORWELLIAN FRAMEWORK 9 :I* AN>*Y IS ! SAME %IT1 ONLY MORE LOCALLY RESPONSIVE4 ,IT IS ! DECL>ATION ?AT !RE IS A SUB/ANTIVE DIFF]5TIATION TO BE F\ND BETWE5 ! IDEOLOGIES OR PSY*OLOGIES ( CON/RA9T & ?OSE ( RI*]1 WID] 5GAGEM5T1 ( MORE EXPANSIVE ID5TITY & COMPASSION4 ,& ?AT ! LATT] IS ULTIMATELY MORE ATTRACTIVE ?AN ! =M]4 ,?AT WE NE$ NOT %Y AWAY FROM REALITY OR L[] \R GAZE 9 FURTIVE DEJECTION TO \R IMM$IATE TRAPP+S1 TO M]E FLEET+ IMPRESSIONS ( LOVE & RESI/ANCE1 TO ES!TICS RA!R ?AN ANY?+ ( CONSEQU5CE4 

,SU* AN AN>*ISM IS AN UNRAVEL+ ( ! V]Y FABRIC ( P[] RELATIONS ?AT B9D ALMO/ EV]Y SOCIETY ON E>?4 ,& CRITICALLY3 !RE IS NO SCALE AT :I* IT DOES NOT APPLY4 

,?AT BIG %[Y TANGLES ( P[] MU/ ALSO BE DISSOLV$ IS BUT A TRIVIAL RAMIFICATION1 IT IS NO MORE REPRES5TATIVE ( ! AN>*I/ BREAK ?AN ANY O!R %IFT OR TWI/ 9 ! FABRIC ( P[] RELATIONS4 ,NOR CAN \R BREAK BE *>ACT]IZ$ BY A BRIEF OR LOCAL LOOS5+ ( ! WEAVE4 ,! BREAK AN>*ISM SIGNIFIES IS NOT ) ! P>TICUL>ITIES ( ! WE/1 OR ( CIVILIZATION1 IT GOES F> F> DEEP] ?AN ?AT4 

,:Y DO WE ?R[ \RSELVES ON BOMBS OR /RAP BOMBS ON \RSELVES TO SAVE O!RS8 ,!SE >E NOT SUP]FICIAL FEEL+S1 !Y >E NOT SOCIALIZ$ HAPP5/ANCE OR QUIRK ( BIR?4 ,!SE >E CONCLUSIONS ?OSE :O >E RADICAL 9 !IR 9VE/IGATIONS1 !IR VIGILANT EXPLORATIONS1 F9D !MSELVES DRAWN TO4 ,AS RADICALS WE NEV] ALL[ \RSELVES TO BE SATISFI$ ) HAZY MY/ICAL SIMPLIFI$ AB/RACTIONS & SPOOKS LIKE 0FRI5D%IP0 RA!R ?AN CONCRETE REALITIES & DYNAMICS ( ?\<T & ACTION4 ,OR W&] 9 CIRCLES1 ADD+ CONTEXTUAL COMPLICATIONS BUT NOT EV5 ATTEMPT+ TO WEI<1 REORGANIZE OR SORT ?R\< !M4 ,RELI%+ ! SELF-CREAT$ MAZE ( NOTES UPON NOTES & SO NEV] ATTEMPT+ TO ISOLATE ! DEEP] PATT]NS OR CONSI/5CIES4 

,! N>RATIVE ( OPPOSITION TO 0BIG-?9K+0 IS AT ITS CORE JU/ A K9D ( SMUG PRIDE 9 TIMIDITY1 ( RITUALIZ$ FE> & COM=TABLE DESPAIR4 0,WE HAVE NOT WON 9 A FEW SCANT IT]ATIONS ( HI/ORY & ?IS IS PRO( ?AT WE WILL LOSE40 0,SOME PEOPLE TRI$ ?9K+ & LOOK AT :]E ?AT 9EVITABLY L$40 ,IT'S ! 9/9CTIVE RECOIL ( ! TRAUMATIZ$ ANIMAL4 ,A S5SE ?AT 0:5 ! /AKES GO UP WE D>E NOT RISE TO COMPETE40 ,& AT ITS CORE IT SWALL[S & PRES]VES EV]Y NIHILI/IC ASSUMPTION AT ! CORE ( \R SOCIOPA?IC SOCIETY4 ,ONE MI<T BE ABLE TO RELATE TO ! MEWL+ SLAVE REPEAT+ 0MI<T MAKES RI<T0 LIKE A PRAY] ( ABSOLUTION1 HAV+ 9T]NALIZ$ ! MA/]S' 9TELLECTUAL LAZ9ESS1 BUT ONE %\LD NEV] JO9 !M4 

,LET US NEV] =GET ?AT C(F9S >E MADE 0HUMAN SIZ$02 \R LIVES %\LD BE BIGG] ?AN !M4 

,FROM 3 ,!,AN>*I/,LIBR>Y4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,JANU>Y #b#a1 #bba 3 ,AN>*Y ,IS ,A ,SCALE-,9DEP5D5T ,PROPOSITION -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #f1 #bbb 3 ,AN>*Y ,IS ,A ,SCALE-,9DEP5D5T ,PROPOSITION -- ,UPDAT$4 

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