“What about your
foreign policy?”
“No comment.”
“Our exports will operate in every corner of the
globe.”
{Number 113 and Number 6 - Free For All}
I didn’t realise the
globe had corners. But never mind that. What’s all this about a foreign policy,
what is The Village got to do with the outside world? The Village is a
detention centre for malcontents, recalcitrant agents. Traitors, reactionists,
anarchists. People are taken to The Village who have held a job of a secret
nature, who have a certain kind of knowledge which is to be either protected or
extracted. As far as the outside world is concerned, The Village doesn’t exist.
So there can be no question of Village exports. Besides which The Village
doesn’t actually produce anything. But then again certain technologies are
developed in The Village, like wireless technology. Those loudspeakers are
wireless. Mobile phones. There’s that electronic defence beam, the education
process Speedlearn, and not for getting the membranic Village Guardian. They as
technology, could be exported around the globe, to the highest bidder. But
there’s the sneaking feeling that The Village imports more that it exports. Tinned
food produce, sweets, all manner of household goods, cameras, records, and
Cuckoo clocks.
Foreign policy? The only foreign policy The Village has is
that it’s on foreign soil. Remember the words of the new Number 2 as the old
Number 2 was departing The Village in the helicopter “Give my regards to the Homeland.”
Having dirty linen is one thing, but having it in ones own backyard is
completely different!
Be seeing you
The Village's "foreign policy", "internal policy" - of course all this mentioned in the election campaign interview isn't anything else than the mocking of the media-inundated politician statements we all know perfectly well.
ReplyDeleteHowever, "I didn’t realise the globe had corners." - David, you're hinting to what we once discussed as the "squaring the circle" issue in The Prisoner. The globe = round, the corners = rectangular. Thank you for this! - BCNU!
Hello Arno,
DeleteYes you are perfectly right about "foreign and external policies" which are questioned by the press during the election. And if the member of the press cannot get the answer it wants from the potential politician, then it makes up its own!
It always annoys me with politicians here in Britain when they are asked a question, especially with the leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, and Liberal Democrats. Invariably before they utter anything, they begin with the same words "Now let me be clear on this........... and then simply spout the party line!!!!
That's right, "Squaring the circle," or "circling the square" as I like to see the aptitude test in 'Arrival.' I knew you would like that, and I expect Jana will appreciate it as well.
Very best regards
David
BCNU