Vocational Outcomes: The Bourne Trilogy and More
I was a liberal arts student in college who went on to get a master's in computer science. One of the reasons I did this came out of an experience with a programmer. Back in the 1970's we hired a programmer to put our research processing on computer. Neither my boss nor I knew anything about computers and our ignorance made this programmer come unglued. He would ask us questions in order to produce the program and, because we didn't know what he was talking about, our answers were apparently non-sensical. Rather than explain anything to us, he would literally pull his hair. In fact, he seemed incapable of communicating with us in the English language.
I thought that it was outrageous that he couldn't communicate with us and thought that it couldn't be all that difficult and decided to prove it by getting a degree in computer science. The first thing I found was that I had to give my brain a 1/4 turn to study this field that was alien to me. Then, after 8 1/2 years in the programming business I found that I had lost the ability to communicate. I didn't go to the lengths of pulling my hair, but I definitely saw a difference in how I related to other human beings.
Now the purpose of this tale is a caveat before I go on to the more.
Caveat: I am sure that there are many sane people who become involved in intelligence operations. It may even be that some remain sane - I would think that would be a function of intelligence job type.
However, it is also true that the nature of the job must have an effect on the life and personality of intelligence agents. I think it is also true that, for some jobs, intelligence agencies recruit people whose mental stability is questionable.
What brings this all to mind was the movie remake of the Bourne Identity with Matt Damon. Presumably the entire premise of the story was rewritten to bring it "up to date." But truthfully, Ludlum's trilogy in its original form has just as much validity today as it did when he wrote it and, Matt Damon's performance aside, the rewritten story/script really didn't make a lot of sense.
Ludlum's trilogy - Bourne Identity, Bourne Legacy, Bourne Ultimatum - ultimately exposes the craziness that is international espionage. This is an occupation where even when you start out sane, the process of secrecy, perfidy, violence, cynicism wears down the entire person. In the end, Ludlum's main characters despise the games and the unfettered crazy childishness of grown men prowling the world with plots of destruction. The evil it unleashes on the world would drive anyone crazy.
I will leave you to reflect on the meaning of this to the years 2000 - 2008. (and hopefully not beyond)
I thought that it was outrageous that he couldn't communicate with us and thought that it couldn't be all that difficult and decided to prove it by getting a degree in computer science. The first thing I found was that I had to give my brain a 1/4 turn to study this field that was alien to me. Then, after 8 1/2 years in the programming business I found that I had lost the ability to communicate. I didn't go to the lengths of pulling my hair, but I definitely saw a difference in how I related to other human beings.
Now the purpose of this tale is a caveat before I go on to the more.
Caveat: I am sure that there are many sane people who become involved in intelligence operations. It may even be that some remain sane - I would think that would be a function of intelligence job type.
However, it is also true that the nature of the job must have an effect on the life and personality of intelligence agents. I think it is also true that, for some jobs, intelligence agencies recruit people whose mental stability is questionable.
What brings this all to mind was the movie remake of the Bourne Identity with Matt Damon. Presumably the entire premise of the story was rewritten to bring it "up to date." But truthfully, Ludlum's trilogy in its original form has just as much validity today as it did when he wrote it and, Matt Damon's performance aside, the rewritten story/script really didn't make a lot of sense.
Ludlum's trilogy - Bourne Identity, Bourne Legacy, Bourne Ultimatum - ultimately exposes the craziness that is international espionage. This is an occupation where even when you start out sane, the process of secrecy, perfidy, violence, cynicism wears down the entire person. In the end, Ludlum's main characters despise the games and the unfettered crazy childishness of grown men prowling the world with plots of destruction. The evil it unleashes on the world would drive anyone crazy.
I will leave you to reflect on the meaning of this to the years 2000 - 2008. (and hopefully not beyond)