I’ve been waiting for this. This is more of what I assumed You were promising¹ me when You told me that Book 2 would deal with planetary issues on a global scale. So, can we begin our look at our human politics by my asking you what may seem like an elementary question?

No questions are undeserving or unworthy. Ques-tions are like people.

Ah, good one. Okay then, let me ask: is it wrong to under-take a foreign policy based on your country’s own vested interests?

No. First, from My standpoint, nothing is “wrong.” But I understand how you use the term, so I will speak within the context of your vocabulary. I’ll use the term “wrong” to mean “that which is not serving you, given who and what you choose to be.” This is how I’ve always used the terms “right” and “wrong” with you; it is always within this context, for, in truth, there is no Right and Wrong.

So, within that context, no, it is not wrong to base foreign policy decisions on vested interest considerations. What is wrong is to pretend that you’re not doing so.

This most countries do, of course. They take ac-tion—or fail to take action—for one set of reasons, then give as a rationale another set of reasons.

Why? Why do countries do that?

Because governments know that if people under-stood the real reasons for most foreign policy decisions, the people would not support them.

This is true of governments everywhere. There are very few governments which do not deliberately² mis-lead their people. Deception³ is part of government, for few people would choose to be governed the way they are governed—few would choose to be governed at all—unless government convinced them that its deci-sions were for their own good.

This is a hard convincing, for most people plainly see the foolishness in government. So government must lie to at least try to hold the people’s loyalty⁴. Govern-ment is the perfect portrayer⁵ of the accuracy of the axiom that if you lie big enough, long enough, the lie becomes the “truth.”

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1 promising
adj.有希望的，有前途的
参考例句：
The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。 We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 deliberately
adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地
参考例句：
The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。 They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

3 deception
n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计
参考例句：
He admitted conspiring to obtain property by deception.他承认曾与人合谋骗取财产。 He was jailed for two years for fraud and deception.他因为诈骗和欺诈入狱服刑两年。

4 loyalty
n.忠诚，忠心
参考例句：
She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。 His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

5 portrayer
n.肖像画家
参考例句：

6 candor
n.坦白，率真
参考例句：
He covered a wide range of topics with unusual candor.他极其坦率地谈了许多问题。 He and his wife had avoided candor,and they had drained their marriage.他们夫妻间不坦率，已使婚姻奄奄一息。

7 mechanism
n.机械装置；机构，结构
参考例句：
The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。 The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

8 labor
n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦
参考例句：
We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。 He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

9 ingenuity
n.别出心裁；善于发明创造
参考例句：
The boy showed ingenuity in making toys.那个小男孩做玩具很有创造力。 I admire your ingenuity and perseverance.我钦佩你的别出心裁和毅力。

10 erase
v.擦掉；消除某事物的痕迹
参考例句：
He tried to erase the idea from his mind.他试图从头脑中抹掉这个想法。 Please erase my name from the list.请把我的名字从名单上擦去。

11 outspoken
adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的
参考例句：
He was outspoken in his criticism.他在批评中直言不讳。 She is an outspoken critic of the school system in this city.她是这座城市里学校制度的坦率的批评者。

12 smother
vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息
参考例句：
They tried to smother the flames with a damp blanket.他们试图用一条湿毯子去灭火。 We tried to smother our laughter.我们强忍住笑。

13 legislate
vt.制定法律；n.法规，律例；立法
参考例句：
Therefore,it is very urgent to legislate for the right of privacy.因此，为隐私权立法刻不容缓。 It's impossible to legislate for every contingency.为每一偶发事件都立法是不可能的。

14 mandate
n.托管地；命令，指示
参考例句：
The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。 The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

15 precisely
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。 The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

16 motives
n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
to impeach sb's motives 怀疑某人的动机 His motives are unclear. 他的用意不明。

17 anarchy
n.无政府状态；社会秩序混乱，无秩序
参考例句：
There would be anarchy if we had no police.要是没有警察，社会就会无法无天。 The country was thrown into a state of anarchy.这国家那时一下子陷入无政府状态。

18 tack
n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝
参考例句：
He is hammering a tack into the wall to hang a picture.他正往墙上钉一枚平头钉用来挂画。 We are going to tack the map on the wall.我们打算把这张地图钉在墙上。

19 primitive
adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物
参考例句：
It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。 His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

20 hemp
n.大麻；纤维
参考例句：
The early Chinese built suspension bridges of hemp rope.古代的中国人建造过麻绳悬索桥。 The blanket was woven from hemp and embroidered with wool.毯子是由亚麻编织，羊毛镶边的。

21 outlawed
宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。 I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

22 addictive
adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的
参考例句：
The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。 Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

23 fiber
n.纤维，纤维质
参考例句：
The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。 The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

24 pulp
n.果肉，纸浆；v.化成纸浆，除去...果肉，制成纸浆
参考例句：
The pulp of this watermelon is too spongy.这西瓜瓤儿太肉了。 The company manufactures pulp and paper products.这个公司制造纸浆和纸产品。

25 miraculous
adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的
参考例句：
The wounded man made a miraculous recovery.伤员奇迹般地痊愈了。 They won a miraculous victory over much stronger enemy.他们战胜了远比自己强大的敌人，赢得了非凡的胜利。

26 affordable
adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的
参考例句：
The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。 There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

27 miserably
adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地
参考例句：
The little girl was wailing miserably. 那小女孩难过得号啕大哭。 It was drizzling, and miserably cold and damp. 外面下着毛毛细雨，天气又冷又湿，令人难受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 miserable
adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的
参考例句：
It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。 Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

29 needy
adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的
参考例句：
Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。 They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

30 influential
adj.有影响的，有权势的
参考例句：
He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。 He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

31 retired
adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的
参考例句：
The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。 Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

32 dire
adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的
参考例句：
There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。 We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

33 wasteful
adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的
参考例句：
It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。 Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源，任务已经重新分派。

34 decadent
adj.颓废的，衰落的，堕落的
参考例句：
Don't let decadent ideas eat into yourselves.别让颓废的思想侵蚀你们。 This song was once banned, because it was regarded as decadent.这首歌曾经被认定为是靡靡之音而被禁止播放。

35 obsolescence
n.过时，陈旧，废弃
参考例句：
For some small unproductive mills,the reality is not merger but obsolescence and bankruptcy.对一些效率低下的小厂而言，现实不是合并，而是可能被淘汰和破产。 Finally,the cost approach can provide a basis for allocating penalties,specifically economic obsolescence.最后，成本法可作为一个分配因陈旧特别是因经济

36 indictment
n.起诉；诉状
参考例句：
He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。 They issued an indictment against them.他们起诉了他们。

37 epidemic
n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的
参考例句：
That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。 The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

38 grovel
vi.卑躬屈膝，奴颜婢膝
参考例句：
He said he would never grovel before a conqueror.他说他永远不会在征服者脚下摇尾乞怜。 You will just have to grovel to the bank manager for a loan.你只得低声下气地向银行经理借贷。

39 hoards
n.（钱财、食物或其他珍贵物品的）储藏，积存( hoard的名词复数 )v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
She hoards her money - she never spends it. 她积蓄钱，但从来不花钱。 来自辞典例句 A squirrel hoards nuts for the winter. 松鼠为过冬贮藏坚果。 来自辞典例句

40 fixtures
（房屋等的）固定装置( fixture的名词复数 )； 如（浴盆、抽水马桶）； 固定在某位置的人或物； （定期定点举行的）体育活动
参考例句：
The insurance policy covers the building and any fixtures contained therein. 保险单为这座大楼及其中所有的设施保了险。 The fixtures had already been sold and the sum divided. 固定设备已经卖了，钱也分了。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

41 emaciated
adj.衰弱的，消瘦的
参考例句：
A long time illness made him sallow and emaciated.长期患病使他面黄肌瘦。 In the light of a single candle,she can see his emaciated face.借着烛光，她能看到他的被憔悴的面孔。

42 ribs
n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹
参考例句：
He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。 Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

43 corruptions
n.堕落( corruption的名词复数 )；腐化；腐败；贿赂
参考例句：
He stressed the corruptions of sin. 他强调了罪恶的腐朽。 来自互联网

44 plight
n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定
参考例句：
The leader was much concerned over the plight of the refugees.那位领袖对难民的困境很担忧。 She was in a most helpless plight.她真不知如何是好。

45 atrocities
n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪
参考例句：
They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

46 radical
n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的
参考例句：
The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。 She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

47 pillage
v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物
参考例句：
The invading troops were guilty of rape and pillage.侵略军犯了抢劫和强奸的罪。 It was almost pillage.这简直是一场洗劫。

48 rape
n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸
参考例句：
The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。 He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

49 plunder
vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠
参考例句：
The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。 Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

50 humanitarian
n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者
参考例句：
She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。 The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

51 machinery
n.(总称)机械，机器；机构
参考例句：
Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？ Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。