I'm a big fan of the TV series Foyle's War, with its excellent acting and attention to historical details. It provides a brilliant insight into what it must have been like in the United Kingdom during World War II, and shows both the bravery and the cowardice of a population under real threat from a superior enemy. In particular, those episodes set early in the war (during the Battle of Britain) show how the possibility of invasion by Nazi Germany pushed people to do both inspiring and dispiriting things, but mostly how the entire population just 'got on with it', coping with the threat and their fears pretty damned well.

Which is why when I read things like this, I just cringe:

Hundreds Evacuated from North Sea oil platform after 'dream' sparks bomb alert.

A 23-year-old woman is expected to appear in court today after reports of a bomb on a North Sea oil rig sparked a full-scale emergency operation involving the army, RAF and police.

According to one report, the scare started when a woman employee on the rig was overheard recalling a dream she had had about a bomb on the platform. Jake Molloy, general secretary of the Offshore Industry Liaison Committee, one of the biggest unions representing offshore workers, said: "It was complete madness. This girl had a dream about a bomb being on board and she was a bit shaken. The next thing anyone knew workers were being evacuated."

He said the rumour that a bomb was on the accommodation block - or "flotel" - had spread to senior managers within an hour. "It was complete madness on behalf of everyone. There was never any reason to evacuate the platform."

Read the whole thing. It is clear that this was nothing short of bureaucratic panic. What do I mean? I mean that when bureaucrats are given procedures which they have to implement in order to cover-their-asses, they will do so whether or not the situation really calls for it, and no matter how disruptive and pointless the exercise will be. This is the exact same mindset in operation with the TSA's Security Theater (credit Bruce Schneier), but played out in a more dramatic fashion.

Somebody overheard someone else talking about a disturbing dream they had. And they panicked. It's that simple.

We've allowed the bureaucrats to so control our lives out of fear of being held responsible, that we've become afraid of our own dreams. How pathetic. How sad.

Jim Downey

(Via BoingBoing. Slightly longer version cross-posted to Communion of Dreams.)