Getting people to willingly and actively choose their damnation has been the dominant theme of the birdemic since 2020.
Yes, there has been much persuasion, propaganda, and pressure -- and yes, there have been manipulations and machinations aplenty.
Terror tactics? Sure.
Bold-faced lying and devious dishonesty? Certainly.
Coercion? Oppression? Harassment? Arm-twisting? You betcha!
What about straight-up force?
Though there has been some compulsion here and there, evil has generally avoided the blatant use of force whenever possible for the simple reason that it wants to ensure the choice is yours.
Evil has generally left some room for choice, even when it has mandated and compelled. Granted, the choices it tends to offer barely seem like choices at all -- penalties, fines, job-loss, etc. -- but they are choices all the same.
Case in point, the looming peck mandate in Austria. Parliament there has recently enacted the mandate into law. In a few weeks time, Austrians will have to get pecked or face hefty fines. Not much choice there, especially not in the long run. Sounds like a done deal, right?
Well, not exactly. You see, minutes after the mandate became law, the Austrian government announced the implementation of a peck lottery -- more specifically, unpecked Austrians will now have a one-in-three chance of winning five hundred euros if they voluntarily choose to get pecked before the mandate goes into effect.
Why would the government initiate such a lottery? Why not just wait for the mandate to go into effect and simply force people to get pecked and fine them heavily if they refuse?
Well, why not?
Because they don't want to make the choice for people. They really don't. They want people to make the choice themselves. And they want people to own that choice.
Note added: Choices can be repented, especially choices made under coercion, but I imagine evil is banking on a majority of such choices remaining un-repented. Even better, such coerced choices could become a fertile breeding ground for resentment, rage, and despair.
Yes, there has been much persuasion, propaganda, and pressure -- and yes, there have been manipulations and machinations aplenty.
Terror tactics? Sure.
Bold-faced lying and devious dishonesty? Certainly.
Coercion? Oppression? Harassment? Arm-twisting? You betcha!
What about straight-up force?
Though there has been some compulsion here and there, evil has generally avoided the blatant use of force whenever possible for the simple reason that it wants to ensure the choice is yours.
Evil has generally left some room for choice, even when it has mandated and compelled. Granted, the choices it tends to offer barely seem like choices at all -- penalties, fines, job-loss, etc. -- but they are choices all the same.
Case in point, the looming peck mandate in Austria. Parliament there has recently enacted the mandate into law. In a few weeks time, Austrians will have to get pecked or face hefty fines. Not much choice there, especially not in the long run. Sounds like a done deal, right?
Well, not exactly. You see, minutes after the mandate became law, the Austrian government announced the implementation of a peck lottery -- more specifically, unpecked Austrians will now have a one-in-three chance of winning five hundred euros if they voluntarily choose to get pecked before the mandate goes into effect.
Why would the government initiate such a lottery? Why not just wait for the mandate to go into effect and simply force people to get pecked and fine them heavily if they refuse?
Well, why not?
Because they don't want to make the choice for people. They really don't. They want people to make the choice themselves. And they want people to own that choice.
Note added: Choices can be repented, especially choices made under coercion, but I imagine evil is banking on a majority of such choices remaining un-repented. Even better, such coerced choices could become a fertile breeding ground for resentment, rage, and despair.
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