Posted by Johan Andersson, Custodian on May 15, 1997 at 21:04:55:
Dear ladonians!
some time ago, Lord Aslak Viking discussed the "bureaucracy" in Ladonia and suggested a more hierarchical organization and a more "rational" labeling on the different ministries. with his present contribution, he is only further elucidating for us his personal attitudes towards the phenomena Ladonia and it's truest expression: eonacy. This attitude is best summarized as rational, pragmatic, goal oriented and basically materialistic.
In his latest message he makes a hair-raising statement: "without the tourists that visit these attractions (i.e Nimis and Arx), there would be no meaning to the Nimis and Arx."
One wonders why on earth our state secretary ever began buildning these objects. They must have had an initial meaning to their creator, even though an artistic, not so concrete one. If Lord Aslak is right, then our eonatic constructions are no more than tourist attractions. Lord Aslak believes that the "meaning of Ladonia" is to expand. He talks of progress, but never talks of ideas and values, about the importance of intra-communication. For him Ladonia seems to be just another country, just another piece of land that has to be recognized on a formal basis by externals, in order to exist.
In my opinion there is no "bureaucracy" in Ladonia, in the true sense of the word. Ladonian bureaucracy is turned upside down. We develope ministries, departements, projects etc. in a multitude, because they are stations of communication. It's this internal flourish of ladonian bureaucracy, that has, to some extent, made Ladonia different from other countries (i.e real bureaucracies). For example, I am proud of being ready to start a new ministry, "Ministry of the Apple-Tree", which will take care of our beloved apple-tree and it's harvest. We will turn apples into wine and other things and we will develope rituals, myths, knowledge around it, because in those apples lies the key to the enigma of immortality (according to the hesperides). Is this bureaucracy then? If so, I'm proud of being a bureaucrat.
Ladonia should indeed turn to, what Lord Aslak refers to as small and meaningless matters, because it's only from within we can grow strong; there are no hi and lo issues to discuss. Lord Aslak has to be more innovative when he propagates outside our country; he must present Ladonias peculiar nature, not to proudly count the numbers of tourists visiting us. The tourists are certainly of minor importance. One also wonders what goal he keeps talking about; it's the travel which is the goal.
Lord A has patronized common-day communication and debate, for no obvious reason, and I advize our citizens to ignore this patronizing and keep up the good work.
A final word for the Minister of Propaganda: "You don't need eyes to see, you need vision".
Regards
Johan Andersson, Custodian and Minister in the water