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I want to connect this thread on political philosophy of free will to cultural consumption choices that seem “necessary” in some ways. Things you might sincerely tag #mustread or something like Kanye West music which all my music maven friends tell me is a must-appreciate oeuvre
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Thinking about the rule of totalitarianism "Everything not forbidden is compulsory." (T. H. White) which Gell-Mann ported to physics. Science of Discworld 2 states it as the principle of societies run on tribal law.
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In what sense is a must read a must read? Or a must-watch a must-watch? Or a must-listen a must-listen? Or to generalize, a must-obey cultural consumption/knowledge imperative. It is a version of authoritarian “what isn’t prohibited is compulsory” but an unusual kind
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Divine right of kings and absolute rule of divine law produce versions of deterministic agency closure (forbidden+compulsory = everything) via cults of personality or legalism. Cultural determinism is an attempt to manufacture that imperative force.
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A national anthem is a good edge case. In India, it is short, in Sanskrit (so most of us don’t actually understand it), and universally memorized. A true must-know. And hammered in because you must actually sing it frequently in schools. Not just stand for it.
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It's a religious prayer. And quite different from the "we are the greatest and no one will beat us" type of anthem. It makes sense if you can grasp Indian spirituality.