From Russia with Love — Ian Fleming at his best, where fiction blends with geopolitical realities, though with a dose of propaganda
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Oct 13, 2024There is nothing novel about the use of the arts to shape public opinion. — Jay DyerEverything I write has precedence in truth — Ian FlemingThe character of Bond is much loved in the Anglo-Saxon world and it is not surprising. Bond represents the light of the fading British imperial empire and the Anglo-Saxon race, whose destiny it is or was to rule the planet, with others arguing that he also physically embodies modernity and late-stage capitalism. It is also self-evident that Bond is a Nietzschean Overman figure, beyond good and evil, “with a license to kill”.After reading into the background of Ian Fleming, it is not surprising that he held such views himself, as he worked in the British Navy’s Political Warfare Executive, an office that specialized in propaganda, psychological warfare, and rumors. What’s more, he was from an upper-class family where some of his members worked in British intelligence and propaganda, and he married into the aristocracy. Therefore, his social class without a doubt played a role in developing the character of Bond.With regards to geopolitics, we can see here the classic motif of the “great game” being played out…