VV(10) - Old Stencil's Theory

[David Morris]

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(189)  He had decided long ago that no Situation had any objective reality: 
it only existed in the minds of those who happened to be in on it at any 
specific moment.  Since these minds tended to form a sum total or complex 
more mongrel than homogeneous, The Situation must necessarily [be 
indecipherable] to a single observer.  Hence the success or failure of any 
diplomatic issue must vary directly with the degree of rapport achieved by 
the team confronting it.  This had led to his near obsession with teamwork 
[...] Soft-shoe Sidney [...].

But it was a neat theory, and he was in love with it.
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"The Situation" from Sidney's perspective is measured with the scale of 
"diplomatic issues."  This value-system is concerned primarily with 
achieving National Advantage (NA).  The "reality" of the Situation is thus 
to him severely limited.  He is only tuned to manipulation of The Situation 
for NA.

Stencil values "teamwork" as a means of enlarging an individual's hopelessly 
stunted ability to see "beyond the folds."  But Sidney's prejudice for 
unified effort is at odds with his own theory.  He both seeks multiple 
perspectives and only values those that conform to the group, with him at 
the front of the chorus-line.

This filtering is common, but Stencil's filter is poignant: State Utility.  
"Reality" has been discarded as untenable.  Heterogeneous, Irrational & 
Roman-Catholic, and Chaotic perspectives need not apply.

David Morris

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