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Philosophical Question VII
Daily Meditation 877–7/25/2024
Please enjoy the previous installment here and all the others!
Today is a much more simple “plot” of the philosophical question, albeit much more personal.
You are a parent. You are married, mostly happy, you have your state-run housing, bills, and a bit of debt. You completely love your young child — she’s 5, amazing, and endlessly making you laugh. She’s really the light of your life.
Unfortunately, you have a difficult job with the State.
In your job, you are given files with evidence that has pictures of detainees of the State. In these files, there are pages and pages of crimes committed — some you know are legitimate crimes. Theft of bread, breaking and entering, etc. Some crimes, however, are manufactured “against the State.”
It it your job to quickly review the files and put them into 3 piles:
- Pass — They go home with a slap on the wrist.
- Re-education Camp — They’re sent to a remote, frigid camp far to the north with 1500 calories a day, 2 sets of clothing, and 10 years of hard labor outdoors. Only 10% survive the 10 years.
- Guillotine (self explanatory)
Each Friday, your boss reviews your piles, cross checks them to ensure they’re not True Enemies of the State (instant death — pile 3), and pays you. You are paid with an amount of food enough for the next week for yourself, your wife, and your child…
