Neal Stephenson Quote

Nope. Look. The Raft is a media event. But in a much more profound, generalsense than you can possibly imagine.Huh?It's created by the media in that without the media, people wouldn't know itwas here, Refus wouldn't come out and glom onto it the way they do. And itsustains the media. It creates a lot of information flow-movies, news reports -- you know.So you're creating your own news event to make money off the information flowthat it creates? says the journalist, desperately trying to follow. His toneof voice says that this is all a waste of videotape. His weary attitudesuggests that this is not the first time Rife has flown off on a bizarretangent.Partly. But that's only a very crude explanation. It really goes a lot deeperthan that. You've probably heard the expression that the Industry feeds off ofbiomass, like a whale straining krill from the ocean.I've heard the expression, yes.That's my expression. I made it up. An expression like that is just like avirus, you know -- it's a piece of information -- data -- that spreads from oneperson to the next. Well, the function of the Raft is to bring more biomass.To renew America. Most countries are static, all they need to do is keep havingbabies. But America's like this big old clanking, smoking machine that justlumbers across the landscape scooping up and eating everything in sight. Leavesbehind a trail of garbage a mile wide. Always needs more fuel...Now I have a different perspective on it. America must look, to those poorlittle buggers down there, about the same as Crete looked to those poor Greeksuckers. Except that there's no coercion involved. Those people down theregive up their children willingly. Send them into the labyrinth by the millionsto be eaten up. The Industry feeds on them and spits back images, sends outmovies and TV programs, over my networks, images of wealth and exotic thingsbeyond their wildest dreams, back to those people, and it gives them somethingto dream about, something to aspire to. And that is the function of the Raft.It's just a big old krill carrier.Finally the journalist gives up on being a journalist, just starts to slag L.Bob Rife openly. He's had it with this guy. That's disgusting. I can'tbelieve you can think about people that way.Shit, boy, get down off your high horse. Nobody really gets eaten. It's justa figure of speech. They come here, they get decent jobs, find Christ, buy aWeber grill, and live happily ever after. What's wrong with that?