I love the memory management analogy.

We all need memory management, because we all need memory. Memory is important because it enables pattern matching, and without pattern matching we would have great difficulty distinguishing good from evil (i.e. virus detection), which is critical to long-term survival.

Garbage collection is the core of any memory management system. And the first part of any garbage collection system is garbage identification.

In the clash of words, garbage collection is performed by a range of mechanisms. In the Catholic Church, for example, memory management modules range from the individual conscience to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Papacy itself.

In the clash of arms, garbage collection is performed by a range of mechanisms. In the United States, for example, memory management modules range from the individual firearms to powerful, well-trained military forces and the Presidency itself.

I’m afraid as a society, we’ve paid too much attention to building capacity of arms, and too little to building capacity of words. Our institutions of learning were infected by a virus about 40 years ago, and our operating system failed to identify the virus as garbage. So it has stayed resident, and continued to grow.

Time to take out the garbage.

L3