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62 lines
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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><title>SNAFU principle</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="../../jargon.css" type="text/css"/><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.61.0"/><link rel="home" href="../index.html" title="The Jargon File"/><link rel="up" href="../S.html" title="S"/><link rel="previous" href="smurf.html" title="smurf"/><link rel="next" href="snail.html" title="snail"/></head><body><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="3" align="center">SNAFU principle</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="smurf.html">Prev</a><EFBFBD></td><th width="60%" align="center">S</th><td width="20%" align="right"><EFBFBD><a accesskey="n" href="snail.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr/></div><dt><a id="SNAFU-principle"/><dt xmlns="" id="SNAFU-principle"><b>SNAFU principle</b>: <span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="pronunciation">/sna<6E>foo prin<69>si<73>pl/</span>, <span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="grammar">n.</span></dt></dt><dd><p> [from a WWII Army ac<61>ro<72>nym for ‘Situation Normal, All
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Fucked Up’] “<span class="quote">True communication is possible only between
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equals, because inferiors are more consistently rewarded for telling their
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superiors pleasant lies than for telling the truth.:</span>” — a
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central tenet of <a href="../D/Discordianism.html"><i class="glossterm">Discordianism</i></a>, often invoked by
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hackers to explain why authoritarian hierarchies screw up so reliably and
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systematically. The effect of the SNAFU principle is a progressive
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disconnection of decision-makers from reality. This lightly adapted
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version of a fable dating back to the early 1960s illustrates the
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phenomenon perfectly:</p><div class="literallayout"><p><br/>
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In<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>beginning<EFBFBD>was<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>plan,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>then<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>specification;<br/>
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And<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>plan<EFBFBD>was<EFBFBD>without<EFBFBD>form,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>specification<EFBFBD>was<EFBFBD>void.<br/>
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<br/>
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And<EFBFBD>darkness<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>was<EFBFBD>on<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>faces<EFBFBD>of<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>implementors<EFBFBD>thereof;<br/>
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And<EFBFBD>they<EFBFBD>spake<EFBFBD>unto<EFBFBD>their<EFBFBD>leader,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>saying:<br/>
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“<span class="quote">It<EFBFBD>is<EFBFBD>a<EFBFBD>crock<EFBFBD>of<EFBFBD>shit,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>smells<EFBFBD>as<EFBFBD>of<EFBFBD>a<EFBFBD>sewer.</span>”<br/>
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<br/>
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And<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>leader<EFBFBD>took<EFBFBD>pity<EFBFBD>on<EFBFBD>them,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>spoke<EFBFBD>to<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>project<EFBFBD>leader:<br/>
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“<span class="quote">It<EFBFBD>is<EFBFBD>a<EFBFBD>crock<EFBFBD>of<EFBFBD>excrement,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>none<EFBFBD>may<EFBFBD>abide<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>odor<EFBFBD>thereof.</span>”<br/>
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<br/>
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And<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>project<EFBFBD>leader<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>spake<EFBFBD>unto<EFBFBD>his<EFBFBD>section<EFBFBD>head,<2C>saying:<br/>
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“<span class="quote">It<EFBFBD>is<EFBFBD>a<EFBFBD>container<EFBFBD>of<EFBFBD>excrement,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>it<EFBFBD>is<EFBFBD>very<EFBFBD>strong,<2C>such<63>that<61>none<6E>may<61>abide<64>it.</span>”<br/>
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<br/>
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The<EFBFBD>section<EFBFBD>head<EFBFBD>then<EFBFBD>hurried<EFBFBD>to<EFBFBD>his<EFBFBD>department<EFBFBD>manager,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>informed<EFBFBD>him<EFBFBD>thus:<br/>
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“<span class="quote">It<EFBFBD>is<EFBFBD>a<EFBFBD>vessel<EFBFBD>of<EFBFBD>fertilizer,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>none<EFBFBD>may<EFBFBD>abide<EFBFBD>its<EFBFBD>strength.</span>”<br/>
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<br/>
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The<EFBFBD>department<EFBFBD>manager<EFBFBD>carried<EFBFBD>these<EFBFBD>words<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>to<EFBFBD>his<EFBFBD>general<EFBFBD>manager,<br/>
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and<EFBFBD>spoke<EFBFBD>unto<EFBFBD>him<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>saying:<br/>
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“<span class="quote">It<EFBFBD>containeth<EFBFBD>that<EFBFBD>which<EFBFBD>aideth<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>growth<EFBFBD>of<EFBFBD>plants,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>it<EFBFBD>is<EFBFBD>very<EFBFBD>strong.</span>”<br/>
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<br/>
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And<EFBFBD>so<EFBFBD>it<EFBFBD>was<EFBFBD>that<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>general<EFBFBD>manager<EFBFBD>rejoiced<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>delivered<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>good<EFBFBD>news<EFBFBD>unto<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>Vice<EFBFBD>President.<br/>
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“<span class="quote">It<EFBFBD>promoteth<EFBFBD>growth,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>it<EFBFBD>is<EFBFBD>very<EFBFBD>powerful.</span>”<br/>
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<br/>
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The<EFBFBD>Vice<EFBFBD>President<EFBFBD>rushed<EFBFBD>to<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>President's<>side,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>joyously<EFBFBD>exclaimed:<br/>
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“<span class="quote">This<EFBFBD>powerful<EFBFBD>new<EFBFBD>software<EFBFBD>product<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>will<EFBFBD>promote<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>growth<EFBFBD>of<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>company!</span>”<br/>
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<br/>
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And<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>President<EFBFBD>looked<EFBFBD>upon<EFBFBD>the<EFBFBD>product,<br/>
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<EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>and<EFBFBD>saw<EFBFBD>that<EFBFBD>it<EFBFBD>was<EFBFBD>very<EFBFBD>good.<br/>
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</p></div><p>After the subsequent and inevitable disaster, the
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<a href="suit.html"><i class="glossterm">suit</i></a>s protect themselves by saying “<span class="quote">I was
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misinformed!</span>”, and the implementors are demoted or fired. Compare
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<a href="../C/Conways-Law.html"><i class="glossterm">Conway's Law</i></a>.</p></dd><div class="navfooter"><hr/><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="smurf.html">Prev</a><EFBFBD></td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="../S.html">Up</a></td><td width="40%" align="right"><EFBFBD><a accesskey="n" href="snail.html">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">smurf<EFBFBD></td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="../index.html">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"><EFBFBD>snail</td></tr></table></div></body></html>
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