Past Present Future History of Ideas: Umberto Eco
4 snips
Oct 26, 2023 
Umberto Eco discusses the true nature of scandals, secrets, and the hidden workings of power. The essay links digital technology, medieval mystery, and Dan Brown. The podcast explores the rise and fall of WikiLeaks, diplomats as spies, the value of face-to-face interaction, Julian Assange, and the challenges of shaping information.
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Distinguishing Scandal from Crisis
- A scandal contrasts new revelations with previous beliefs.
- Crises occur when systems fail; scandals rarely cause such breakdowns.
Diplomacy as Espionage Not Secret
- Wikileaks revealed U.S. diplomats spying on allies, a supposed scandal.
- Eco argued this was not new or secret; diplomacy has long involved espionage.
Diplomats as PR Agents
- Diplomatic communications revealed known public information repackaged as secrets.
- Diplomats act like PR agents compiling known data, not secret spies.