Question 14

I would prefer to live in Mr. Lee’s Greater Hong Kong for one reason: the Rat-Thing.

Under normal circumstances, I would not call myself a realist – not by a long shot. However, that label is based upon the times in which we live, and the international political structure in which we find ourselves immersed. In the world portrayed by Snow Crash, security simply must be the ultimate worry. There are no laws, no international frameworks or organizations that govern conduct between states / franchulates. The only generally accepted, common rule seems to be that of sovereignty – and that is only accepted because of the security measures taken by each individual franchulate. For instance, one would not violate the Mafia’s sovereignty because, well, they’re the Mafia. One does not argue with Reason. Some of the security measures are preventive – the book describes the gate systems used by many franchulates, and how one needs a bar code signifying their citizenship in order to gain access.

One security measure seems to trump all others, however: the Rat-Things, the security measure implemented by Mr. Ng for Mr. Lee’s Greater Hong Kong. A gate is insufficient; it can be bypassed or knocked down. A police force is insufficient; it can be tardy. The Rat-Thing solves these problems: by having equal parts ferocity and speed, nothing can get by them unless the Rat-Thing wills it to be so.