opnet [OpNet] Bahrain Blues.

[Wakinyan]

I was just thinking today.

Six years ago Mal could have gotten rid of Bahrain. Just wiped it off the map and freed all inside but he didn't. Not like anyone could have stopped him. All he did was go in and take one thing out.

As I start thinking of trying to be a proactive Terat I wonder. Why did he do that? Why did he leave this place of fear and loathing when a wave of the hand could have made it a memory?

Has anyone ever asked him? Does anyone know his motivation? Does he think a place like it needs to exist? I have to wonder.

[Sandcaster]

It is possible that a known place of fear and loathing is preferable to the unknown place of fear and loathing that would surely have been established within days - if not hours - of the destruction of the Bahrain facility. At least this way, Divis Mal has some idea of where to raid when he feels the need.

[Machine Folk]

If you do not remember the past, you are bound to repeat it. Look at how many people do not believe that the Holocaust happened during World War II even with the reminder of the camps.

[Singularity]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wakinyan:
Why did he do that? Why did he leave this place of fear and loathing when a wave of the hand could have made it a memory?

If the Project made a secure facility in Bahrain once they can recreate it somewhere else again. I would suspect the phrase "better the devil you know than the devil you don't" is applicable.

[Y.T.]

Or the fact that when Mal fought Pax it was not so one sided as it looked from the outside.In other words that fight may have taken more out of him than he wanted the world to know. I could be wrong, I wasn't there and never physical met either of them.

[kestrel404]

So, since his appearance to the public in 2005 with the Null Manifesto, Mal has done what?

Beaten up Pax.

That's it, I think. I haven't heard of any other proveable deeds worthy of mention. Everything else is rumor and legend.

Where do the rumors end and the man begin? Does anyone even know?

[Jager]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wakinyan:
Why did he do that?

Because he could.

Quote:

Originally posted by Wakinyan:
Why did he leave this place of fear and loathing when a wave of the hand could have made it a memory?

It servers more as an object lesson that way. Had he removed it, the memory of the events would have faded in Project Utopia's mind. Now, it remains an everyday reminder that no matter how well they build it, he CAN come in when he feels like it. Think about how that must make them feel.

Quote:

Originally posted by Wakinyan:
Has anyone ever asked him?

Yes.

Quote:

Originally posted by Wakinyan:
Does anyone know his motivation?

No. Not really.

Quote:

Originally posted by Wakinyan:
Does he think a place like it needs to exist?

As opposed to what? Killing off the ones they don't like, or can't understand?

Quote:

Originally posted by Wakinyan:
I have to wonder.

Thats always good.

My personal belief is that if Mal destroyed Bahrain utterly, the War would have started the next day. Nova versus nova and humanity versus the survivors.
If Mal leaves Bahrain standing, the illusion remains tattered but intact. If not, you start looking at every other nova and wonder when they are going to do something like that. Think about how the baselines feel ... the governments. Who's going to pull the next "Mal" and wipe out something larger and far more populated ... and get away with it?
Leaving Bahrain intact allows us to think we aren't so bad, and the next guy, or girl, or It isn't so bad either.

[Tekk One]

Quote:

Originally posted by Alchemist:


Where do the rumors end and the man begin? Does anyone even know?

We'll probably never know. Unless Mal decides to "come out" of wherever he is, all we'll have is rumors, and that will keep his mystique going.

[Soames]

You could try and wipe it off the map so why don't you? Maybe your reasons and his are pretty close. Maybe not. I don't much care either way. Uncle Utopia's got a cage in the desert. Big deal. Uncle Utopia lied through his teeth about what was there. Big deal and if that came as a surprise you ain't been paying attention.

[Noir]

If you do everything for somebody, then you rob them of experience and growth.

~Noir

[GDP_ST]

My opinion is that Mal left Bahrain standing simply to show the other human authorities: governments, the U.N, the Directive, et al exactly what Utopia does with all that authority and power they've been handed on a silver platter. There's no covering it up, no way to say "Oh, it was an environmental research station before those pesky Terats destroyed it. Pity there's no evidence left..."

Utopia's Bahrain is the excrement that humankind has left on the carpet: a place of moral horror and hypocrisy made manifest. One reason Mal may have left it there is to rub humankind's nose in their shame. We will never forget what happens to those who go there. We will never forgive the baseline government bodies for their complacent moral cowardice in letting Utopia perpetuate this. And we will never trust those government bodies again.

[Ultimax]

Maybe because Mal doesnt' want to have to deal with a bunch of ugly, psychotic, baby-eating monsters either? Is that really so hard to believe?

[Origami]

Perhaps all sides can be believed? After all, Sometimes the truth encompasses all points of view, not just one.

Then again, the moment the entirety of the truth is learned, then our shared world would be better.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

While only he can answer your question with complete authority, speaking purely from an Ethical Standpoint one can see a possible reason.

The Null Manifesto in effect is a call for Novas around the world to embrace a sense of Philosophical Anarchy. The great majority of 'news worthy' members of the Teragen seem to have missed the philosophical point and rather embraced the more commonly taken point of a breakdown of governance embodied by Lawless Chaos. One looking at Anarchy as a form of governance though would be forced to make decisions based on the consequences of violating the commonly accepted laws of society outside oneself.

Everyone has faced this ethical dilemma, even as a baseline, it's just not normally thought of as such. Who among you during your baseline years chose to break the speed limit, knowing that if you were caught, you'd face a fine. Who among you during your Nova years have willfully crossed international lines without passing through Customs? Both of these are technically crimes by accepted law, both may cause some trouble to you in the form of fines or prison time in certain cases.

But ethically speaking, both can be valid, legal choices under Philosophical Anarchy. You broke the law because you judged the punishment that would be visited upon you to be worth the benefits at the time.

By comparison from The Wakinyan's original question, breaking into the Bahrain facility and extracting something would equate to this activity.

The next step may simply be something he doesn't feel is worth the repercussions, no matter how much he may or may not fear them. Many of the above posters have touched on possible reasons that it may not be worth it. Make no mistake though, actually going into a high security facility, emptying it and theoretically razing it would be a far greater 'crime' than simply breaking in and removing 1 thing. It is in this instance the difference between merely speeding in a car and driving recklessly in a speeding car while maintaining a running gun battle with the police while hopped up on something highly illegal.

In the end, it comes down to an Ethical Volition.

Besides, what's been broken in to once, can always be broken in to again should he change his mind later.

[Soames]

Sounds like you took the long way around to saying he just didn't feel like it. Or are you trying to say he got what he wanted and didn't need to do more?

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Given the choice, more the latter. I believe he accomplished or got what he wanted. Which may not be apparent to outside observers.

[Ulysses Bailey]

Not to be one to stifle discussion of political theory, but considering the political philosophy of Divis Mal's Null Manifesto and how the Teragen have adopted goes somewhat beyond the scope of Mal's decision to not destroy Bahrain. Unless Wakinyan's goal was to inspect the minute detail of the abstract thought that motivates Divis Mal's actions on that day.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

This is true Mr. Bailey. My apologies for delving into politics beyond my intended point. Sadly, so little is known about Divis Mal that we are forced to use what little is known to consider his actions.

As Alchemist stated earlier, the Null Manifesto is the greater part of anything known of Divis Mal. Unless he is a hypocrite of the highest magnitude though, he would have to believe in that philosophy to have shared it with the masses as he did.

1. His Manifesto espouses Self-Governance which includes self-restraint and active Volition.

2. He beat up what was previously thought to be the most powerful Nova of the Age.

Logic would suggest that if he had a desire to do more, he would have done more, if not personally (due to injuries or exhaustion from the battle) then through the proxies of the others that were present on the scene.

Perhaps philosophy does not have the words or thoughts yet to consider someone as theoretically advanced as Divis Mal. If that's true then I apologize for wasting everyone's time, it is however the only lens through which I at least can consider the situation.