# Smapti is Pitted **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 21, 2014, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907 "2014-05-21T08:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/321 "2014-07-18T03:42:46Z")
So, selling fascism/totalitarianism as freedom? Your location says “Olympia, WA” - is that the new young people’s slang for “North Korea”? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/322 "2014-07-18T03:49:31Z")
Guys, I think we’re being trolled. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/323 "2014-07-18T04:57:27Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > So, selling fascism/totalitarianism as freedom? Your location says “Olympia, WA” - is that the new young people’s slang for “North Korea”? North Korea had a chance at greatness in the '50s. They blew it by letting one guy take control of everything and turn the country into his personal playground. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/324 "2014-07-18T05:04:52Z")
Do tell! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/325 "2014-07-18T07:05:19Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Guys, I think we’re being trolled. As I’ve said twice already, I am not trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/326 "2014-07-18T07:13:18Z")
That’s just what a troll would say! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/327 "2014-07-18T10:50:00Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The public good can be objectively defined and laid out. The tech experts have gotten one piece of it figured out (securing the communications network against snooping from whatever source). What contributions toward their efforts do you plan to make so that this bit of the objective public good will be achieved sooner? ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/328 "2014-07-18T12:41:45Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > …Had Napoleon not subverted the revolution in the Nam of his own dreams of personal power, the world would be a better place today. I was far too sleepy to be attempting to read this post this morning. At first, all I could think was, “I didn’t know that Napoleon got involved in a land war in Asia.” I had to read it several times before I realized that \*Nam \*probably is supposed to be _name_… I’m off to google now to find out if Napoleon did get involved in Asia. Why do you people make me think? /hijack ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/329 "2014-07-18T12:59:30Z")
> [@stretch](#): > > I’m off to google now to find out if Napoleon did get involved in Asia. Why do you people make me think? Literally, no; the portions of Russia he invaded are part of Europe by the standard geographical definitions. Figuratively, yes; the invasions of European Russia by Napoleon and Hitler are too deeply entwined with the “don’t get into a land war in Asia” trope to sweep aside just because neither of them got as far as the Ural Mountains. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/330 "2014-07-18T15:19:23Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > - Winston Smith conquers his petty dreams of rebellion and learns to be a productive member of society, the state saves the life of a dangerous subversive, and world peace is finally within reach. It’s a happy ending. Is this how the 1984 version of 1984 ends? Because it’s not the way the one George Orwell wrote ended; Winston Smith is made to love Big Brother before they execute him, and well, in a world where war is peace the world has always been in a state of perpetual world peace. Or war. Whichever, it’s the same thing. Huh, maybe the state did save the life of a dangerous subversive by killing him. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/331 "2014-07-18T16:13:30Z")
I thought the happy ending was the “boot stamping on a human face - forever.” ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/332 "2014-07-18T16:18:05Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > I thought the happy ending was the “boot stamping on a human face - forever.” Ohhhhhhhh! I get it now! **Smapti** ’s a hard crush fetishist! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/333 "2014-07-18T16:38:20Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > The tech experts have gotten one piece of it figured out (securing the communications network against snooping from whatever source). What contributions toward their efforts do you plan to make so that this bit of the objective public good will be achieved sooner? You certainly are obsessed with this encryption thing. What is it you’re doing online that you’re so worried the police will find out about? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/334 "2014-07-18T16:46:14Z")
> [@Dissonance](#): > > Is this how the 1984 version of 1984 ends? Because it’s not the way the one George Orwell wrote ended; Winston Smith is made to love Big Brother before they execute him, and well, in a world where war is peace the world has always been in a state of perpetual world peace. Or war. Whichever, it’s the same thing. Huh, maybe the state did save the life of a dangerous subversive by killing him. Smith doesn’t die in the end. The execution is a metaphorical one that happens in his mind as he realizes he’s been born again; [Quote=George Orwell] Much had changed in him since that first day in the Ministry of Love, but the final, indispensable, healing change had never happened, until this moment. The voice from the telescreen was still pouring forth its tale of prisoners and booty and slaughter, but the shouting outside had died down a little. The waiters were turning back to their work. One of them approached with the gin bottle. Winston, sitting in a blissful dream, paid no attention as his glass was filled up. He was not running or cheering any longer. He was back in the Ministry of Love, with everything forgiven, his soul white as snow. He was in the public dock, confessing everything, implicating everybody. He was walking down the white-tiled corridor, with the feeling of walking in sunlight, and an armed guard at his back. The long-hoped-for bullet was entering his brain. He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother. [/quote] ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/335 "2014-07-18T16:48:53Z")
**Smapti** , honest question: How do you feel about Joe McCarthy? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/336 "2014-07-18T16:51:23Z")
Smapti, if you’re going to be satirical, it’s best done subtly. It’s an art. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/337 "2014-07-18T16:58:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > You certainly are obsessed with this encryption thing. What is it you’re doing online that you’re so worried the police will find out about? Who gives a fuck what he’s doing? The function of the police, in a non-totalitarian state, is not to observe everyone in order to ensure that they are not committing any crimes. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/338 "2014-07-18T17:01:39Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Smapti, if you’re going to be satirical, it’s best done subtly. It’s an art. It’s either satire or one of the worst misunderstandings of literature in history. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/339 "2014-07-18T17:03:28Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > Who gives a fuck what he’s doing? _Nobody_, which is why it’s so strange that he worries about it so much. > [@](#): > > The function of the police, in a non-totalitarian state, is not to observe everyone in order to ensure that they are not committing any crimes. I agree. But that’s not what we’re talking about; Steve MB is arguing that it should be impossible for the police to snoop on him even if they _had_ cause to suspect him of a come and a warrant to search his net activity. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907/340 "2014-07-18T17:04:31Z")
> [@andros](#): > > **Smapti** , honest question: How do you feel about Joe McCarthy? He was sorely misguided. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-is-pitted/688907.md?page=18)