"THE CONDEMNED MAN LOOKED SO DOGGISHLY SUBMISSIVE, IT REALLY SEEMED AS IF ONE MIGHT ALLOW HIM TO ROAM THE SLOPES FREELY, AND ONLY NEEDED TO WHISTLE WHEN IT WAS THE TIME FOR THE EXECUTION, AND HE WOULD COME."

- FRANZ KAFKA, IN THE PENAL COLONY (ENGLISH TRANSLATION, 1948).

WHAT A MAGNIFICENT AND CLEVER LITTLE STORY.  HUMAN ERROR AND THE DILIGENCE OF THE MACHINE (OR THE DILIGENCE OF THE HUMAN MACHINE?).  THIS SEEMS TO BE A PERSISTENT THREAD IN MY READING.

TO CONSIDER:    'INSTITUTION.'

REGARDING THE ROLE OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN REGION AS "THE ENGINE ROOM OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY", AND THE INCREASING CHINESE MILITARY PRESENCE:

"IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT IT REMAINS STABLE - THAT IT REMAINS GOVERNED BY INTERNATIONAL LAW,"

- MICHÈLE FLOURNOY, U.S. UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY, FEB 2011

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"[CHINA IS]...THREATENING AMERICA'S GLOBAL ECONOMIC SUPREMACY. THIS CHALLENGES THE WORLD ORDER THAT HAS PREVAILED SINCE THE END OF THE COLD WAR."

- JUSTIN ROWLATT, 'THE CHINESE ARE COMING' EP. 2 (BBC), FEB 2011

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THIS MONOLITHICITY OF REPRESENTATION IS SYMPTOMATIC OF AN INABILITY OF WESTERN NATIONS TO COMPREHEND AN INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF POWER OF WHICH THEY ARE NO LONGER THE CENTRE.  FLEXIBILITY, NOT JUST OF INDUSTRY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY OF ATTITUDES IS NEEDED.  AN HETEROGENOUS APPROACH TO THE QUESTION OF GLOBAL CHINESE IDENTITY/POWER MIGHT HELP TO OVERHAUL THE STAGNANT, COLD WAR ANXIETIES AND COLONIAL SOUR GRAPES FLAVOURING 'INTERNATIONAL' POLICY.

TO CONSIDER:  MODERN PLURALISTIC SOCIETIES / 'LIVE & LET LIVE' RESULTING IN SELFISHNESS AS GUIDED HUMAN VIRTUE?