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   %FREE REPRESS HONEST ADDICT TECHNOLOGY KNOW EVIL 900530

     When the knowledge of the difference between good and
evil is articulated in terms of conformity to  prescribed/
proscribed patterns of behavior,  the natural  consequence
is  that  techniques are developed by which to  appear  to
have  conformed.    If acceptance into  dialogue  is  made
conditional upon conformity to prescribed/proscribed rules
governing  behavior,  then dialogue ceases to be open  and
honest dialogue; and it disintegrates into games of mutual
self deception.

     When the knowledge of the difference between good and
evil  is  articulated  in terms of  goals  (ends)   to  be
achieved,  the  natural  consequence  is that technologies
(means)   which facilitate the achievement of those  goals
(ends)   come to be regarded as good.   The  attribute  of
goodness  are transferred from  the  goals  (ends)   which
were  known to be  good,   to the technology (means) which
put the good goals within reach.

     The   first  step  towards  disintegration    is  the
presumption  of  the knowledge of the  difference  between
good  and evil articulated in terms of good goals;   i.e.,
the  definition  of conformal standards of good  and  evil
behavior.

     The   second  step  towards  disintegration   is  the
identification of good techniques by which to achieve good
goals;   good  techniques are those which  facilitate  the
achievement of good goals.

     The third step may be taken after the second step has
identified  certain techniques as good  techniques.    The
experts  in  good techniques come to be regarded  as  good
people with the power of good techniques at their command.
The  third  step  is  to  assume  that  the  use  of  good
techniques by good experts lead to good goals; the essence
of goodness is assumed to reside in good technology and in
the experts who know how to use good technology.

     Each  of these steps towards  disintegration  entails
dishonesty.   It is not only the goal which is  important.
The   process  of  getting  to  the  destination  is  also
important.   Any process which leads to the disintegration
of  open  and honest dialogue is not worthy of  uncritical
respect.   All processes    of coercive conformity lead to
the  disintegration of open and honest dialogue;   and are
not worthy  of  respect, no  matter how  sophisticated and
powerful may be the technology and technocrats involved.

     The second  step falsely assumes that there  can   be
good technology.  Any technology can be used in alienative
and  disintegrative ways.   It is dishonest to assume that
there  can be such a thing as a good technology worthy  of
unconditional  respect  as  a  repository  of  values  and
ideals.

     Thirdly,  it is dishonest to assume that experts   in
any technology are worthy of personal respect just because
of their expertise in their narrow area of specialization.
Such  an  assumption assigns value to  technology  and  to
those who control the use of the technology; not to unique
integrative  people  and to open and honest  relationships
among  unique people.

     When  values are defined in terms of the  achievement
of  preconceived  goals and conformal expectations,  there
evolve  dishonest techniques by which to appear to achieve
the expected conformity.   Techniques of misrepresentation
and  misleading  ways  of  behaving  form  into  dishonest
technocratic  patterns of behavior within collusive  games
of  mutual self deception.  The goal then is to appear  to
have  achieved what was expected;  appearance  becomes  as
important as reality when conformity is the expectation.

     In  the service of the appearance of conformity truth
loses,  honesty declines,  openness is replaced by secrecy
and  there  grows a pattern of the  repression  of  truth,
authenticity,  creativity, spontaneity and intimacy.   The
pattern  is  a pattern of disintegration of  personal  and
communal integrity.
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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