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shminux comments on When None Dare Urge Restraint, pt. 2 - Less Wrong
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Welcome to the positive use of Dark Arts. You can enumerate the exploited biases galore as an exercise.
Indiscriminately calling the soldiers and especially the war dead heroes is quite rational, as it facilitates the country's task of maintaining an enlisted military force, as opposed to a mercenary force. Yes, it's brainwashing, and it is irrational for the individuals believe it, but it is very much the right thing to do for the government. Imagine what would happen if the prevailing sentiment was "well, these dead soldiers weren't very nice people, anyway, so, whatevs".
Treating "the government" as anything like a unified agent for whom one can define self-interest or a utility function is problematic.
I would be interested to know if there is a research on the subject. It does not seem unreasonable that organizations have utility functions different from its individual members. After all, that's how bee hives and ant colonies work.
Kin groups with millions of years of natural selection aren't really the same.
Maybe, or maybe not. Like I said, I'd be interested in seeing the relevant research.