This seems like a good description of what late stage communism looked like in Poland. Everyone knew that communism was rubbish, the best anticommunist jokes came from party members, but “ambitious” people kept on professing how much they believed in how well it worked and how much they were helping the poor oppressed workers, since that was the way to advance.
A additional bonus is that those on other simulacrum levels are actively selected against—honestly believing in communism would result in you getting shunned, as you’re then playing a different game.
This seems like a good description of what late stage communism looked like in Poland. Everyone knew that communism was rubbish, the best anticommunist jokes came from party members, but “ambitious” people kept on professing how much they believed in how well it worked and how much they were helping the poor oppressed workers, since that was the way to advance.
A additional bonus is that those on other simulacrum levels are actively selected against—honestly believing in communism would result in you getting shunned, as you’re then playing a different game.