Retake: "Full Auto Capitalism"

(The joy of reading or watching a particular work is that when you go over it a second or third time, you begin to see alternate perspectives on how the story is playing out. You get to highlight new items of significance and draw new parallels. So while we have covered a great many works in the WLIA blog, a select few will have multiple articles dedicated to them.)

Title: "Full Auto Capitalism" (Episode 14)
Series: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Original Topic: Investments

This stand-alone episode of Ghost in the Shell deserves special mention because like in Idolater, the Section 9 team sought to cover up a potential scandal, which meant allowing an unethical action continue to manifest. Confused as to how the death of one man could be scandalous? Well, consider this.

In April 2013, the Associated Press's Twitter account was hacked to publish a claim that the president of the United States had been involved in a terrible accident at the White House. Because the tweet came from a reliable source, and was spread by thousands of people, it triggered a red flag in various search algorithms the world over, including those tied to Stock Exchange manipulation. In just one day, the S&P 500 lost an astonishing $130 Billion in value. Had humans not stepped in to correct the mistake, we could have been looking at a catastrophic market event and progressive long-term financial damages.

GITS: SAC - "Scandal" - On Approach

Episode twenty-two of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex opens with Section Chief Aramaki taking Bureau Chief Nimi into custody, on accusations of involvement with the MHLW scandals. The "narc squad" then makes three counterattacks against Section 9 - an attempt to plant drugs on Aramaki, an attempt to sabotage Motoko's body, and the attempted suicide by Nimi while in custody.

Delving into the aesthetics of the episode, there are a few points worth mentioning. The city's "Invited Refugee Residential District" is one of many slum societies we get to see in this series, but it takes on its own kind of significance for the ties it has to Daisuke Aramaki's estranged brother, Yousuke. This episode, then, becomes a story of warring ideals between men of the same blood.

Not much is told to the viewer about Yousuke, but what we do come to find out is that the elder Aramaki brought order to a lawless ghetto, much in the same manner that the younger Aramaki sought justice in the lawless elite. While the story of Yousuke's drug bust was a complete fabrication, it did remind Daisuke that the brother he once abandoned was still out there, doing a different kind of human work.

It's hard to tell why the two brothers drifted apart. We know that during World War III and Non-Nuclear World War IV, there were conflicts which shattered lives, and that it was during this period the two lost touch. But we know not the terms in which the two drifted apart. It seemed as if Daisuke knew that his older brother had fled to the ghettos, which implies that his younger brother was some sort of criminal during that time. However, this is only speculation.

The greater point is that these two men grew up with the same upbringing and the same goal, but chose different means to accomplish it. Thus the Aramaki's represent the arbiters of the "civil society" and the "criminal society." At the end of the day, they are truly not so different after all. That is the moral of this story.

GITS: SAC - "Eraser" - On Big Data

"Eraser" is the twenty-first episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. As it's been a while since we covered this series, here's a recap of what happened. In the twentieth episode, Togusa was performing an independent investigation into the Sunflower Society, the Murai Vaccine, and the MHLW. His investigation resulted in a counterattack by the MHLW, and he was shot by an assassin. This episode begins with the rest of the Section 9 team browsing through his memories to continue the case on his behalf.

Imakurusu is the name of the man who they discover bears a strong connection to the Murai Vaccine. He was the one who originally vetoed the vaccine's use, which started the entire Laughing Man incident. The MHLW sends assassins after him, and Section 9 struggles frantically to intervene before it's too late.

Of course, Section 9 has an ace up its sleeve: access to the American Central Intelligence Agency's global communications intercept net. This network of satellites can tap into any global communication on the planet, in order to get information on any person accessing any communications device in any geographic location. Of course, this tactic has a price: the amount of data collected is so vast that the computer systems of Section 9 are unable to process all of it. This becomes a major indicator of the true logistical nightmare that is big data.

2014 is considered the Year of Big Data as more and more private and public sector groups rely on computers to catalog every facet of existence, extract precise representations of real world phenomena, and produce predictions of global forces with an alarming degree of accuracy. So how much data are we talking, here? Try on the magnitude of hundreds of terabytes, or more.

Data like this takes a long time to be analyzed, but humans do not have a lot of time, and therefore employ several tricks which make the analysis process exponentially faster. Take, for instance, the Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing (BOINC). While this type of project has been around for many years, it remains a crucial technique for analyzing big data quickly. The data is broken down into fragments, sent over the net to thousands of separate computers, individually processed, sent back to the central server and then re-combined to create the finished product. This is known as distributed computing.

Parallel computing works similarly, but instead of multiple workstations across a large area, all of the devices are contained in a much smaller local network using a shared memory resource. These are less powerful clusters, but the information is transferred between points much more quickly. In "Eraser," Ishkawa set up a parallel network of human cyberbrains in a gambling parlor in order to get magnitudes more processing power for analysis of the communications data.

Both are equally viable options which speed up the time it takes to analyze big data. Of course, they're not without problems. Access to multiple systems requires either a large number of volunteers, or a large number of entity-managed devices. Parallel systems also require a large number of entity-managed devices. With even the most basic computing device costing around $250, large data centers can cost hundreds of thousands to set up, and tens of thousands more a year to maintain.

Thankfully, the emergence of new devices into the market have potential to bring down these costs. The Raspberry Pi microcomputer, BeagleBoard, and currently developing Intel Edison all provide enough power for the task when hooked up in parallel. All of them are tiny in comparison to the modern workstation, all of them use minimal power and all of them produce very little heat. With these devices, entire supercomputers can be built from the ground up and taking up the space of little more than a small closet.

In the future, every business and public sector entity will be able to have one of these parallel supercomputers for little more than the cost of a small car. And with that, every aspect of our lives will be converted to data. It's pretty amazing if you think about it.

GITS: SAC - "Re-View" - On the Antithesis

With the Stand Alone episodes out of the way, the Ghost in the Shell anime gets back on track with the story of the Laughing Man. The twentieth episode opens with the Laughing Man hacking a janitor's body to steal a top secret document from an underground storage room. Meanwhile, Section 9 deliberates on how the Ministry of Health and Welfare is tied to this case.

Togusa manages to break the case when he analyzes the true symbolism behind the Laughing Man logo (which references a quote from "The Catcher in the Rye"). However, the Laughing Man modified the quote with the addition, "...or should I?" Rather than copy the original work, he became the work's antithesis, and Togusa is able to draw a parallel between the writing and the actions of the original incident.

The Laughing Man, as we know, relies heavily on technology and digital communication. And what is the antithesis of digital media? Analog, physical, paper documents. This is the key which leads Togusa to find the missing file: information on a revolutionary vaccine for Cyberbrain Sclerosis (an analogue to the real-world Multiple Sclerosis - both lack a cure). Further investigation reveals the truth, that the Ministry suppressed information about the vaccine to purport a micromachine therapy that doesn't work. The episode ends with the Ministry sending assassins to reclaim the file, and as a result, Togusa is shot.

Series Review - GITS:SAC - Stand Alone Episodes

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - All Stand Alone Episodes
Classification: Anime
Number of Episodes: 14
Setting: Japan 2030

Plot: The Stand Alone episodes of Ghost in the Shell each take on an individual plot thread which is usually resolved by the end of the episode. From a psychopath committing android genocide, to a group of med students stealing organs to sell on the black market, the diversity of the plots themselves allow us to look into a wide array of topics.

Of course, honorable mention goes to a small handful of interconnected yet unique plots. First, the Marcelo Jarti incident (Idolater) calls into question whether the Romantic Hero is justified in committing unethical acts to promote the greater good. This is expanded on when the Section 9 team battles a terrorist group stationed at an offshore industrial rig (Not Equal), and we are left to ask whether many unethical actions can be construed as for the greater good.

When Major Kusanagi and Commander Aramaki go to the UK and end up in the crossfire of a money laundering scandal (Angel's Share), we get further insight and affirmation into this phenomena. We go on to find further ways to exploit the criminal underworld to further our overworld. Finally, the scandal brought on by the kidnapping of the Prime Minister's daughter (Captivated) reveals where this phenomena can fall short of ideal, thus creating a foolproof case for us to abide by.

This review will focus mainly on the "Big Four" (the episodes mentioned above). However, all of the episodes which were considered "Stand Alone" have really good insight and should be considered worth examining.

GITS: SAC - "Captivated" - On Criminals and Nations

In the nineteenth episode of "Stand Alone Complex," young women across the city are being led to a mysterious bridge where they disappear without a trace. The next victim is the daughter of former Prime Minister Kanzaki. The suspected abductor is the group "Blind Fold Ivan," a pseudonym for the North Territories Mafia.

The NTM, a Russian criminal group, is rumored to have been in a state of disarray as of late. Due to the political backlash of their activities, their home nation begins to hold them at arm's length. The individual who kidnapped Kanzaki's daughter, a former operative with Russian Foreign Intelligence, soon finds that her actions have sparked global media scandal. When the Embassy refuses to take her in, she is quickly apprehended.

This episode is a further deconstruction into the many hidden worlds which exist among society. In prior articles we have discussed the advantages which come out of these entities; however, cases such as the one in this episode act to challenge such a perspective.

The most iconic example of this is that of Young Bosnia and the Black Hand. Consisting of thousands of members by 1914, this grassroots movement organized acts of political corruption within the Serbian territories. When Franz Ferdinand (an Austrian archduke) was assassinated within Serbia on the 28th of June, blame shifted well beyond the Black Hand to the entire nation of Serbia. Unable to quell the accusations, Serbia itself was drawn into international conflict, starting the first World War.

The issue of great importance here is how governments and nations react to their own corrupt elements going rogue. Generally there are four outcomes:

GITS: SAC - "Lost Heritage" - More on Altered Memories

The eighteenth episode of "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" begins with the Section 9 team performing surveillance on the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister. A death threat was made on his life following his intent to visit a Japanese war memorial, and has both nations in a state of civil distress. The Section 9 team gets a lead, and are shocked to find it's the son of the late Japanese colonel being honored in the service. So begins a race against time to figure out why the son is acting so strangely, and how the assassination is to be carried out.

This episode has strong callbacks to the first episode, with a cyberbrain being controlled by someone other than the individual who normally occupies that vessel. However, in this case, it is the memories of a second individual which serve as the control, and the first individual retains their autonomy. The implications of a shared consciousness (notwithstanding one of the two being entirely synthetic) manifest in a combination of levelheaded logic and youthful aggression, turning two sane men into one psychopathic assassin.

This plotline gets used again in the Ghost in the Shell series "Arise" (an article by Yuki Mishima covers that episode). But in this current example, our task is to question the full effect of memory alterations, be them accidental or intentional.

What is truly bizarre is that this affliction of incongruous recollection is not merely a synthetic thing in the real world, but a biological one as well. It happens that the brain is not so adept at holding a carbon copy of the information presented to it over time, therefore details can become incredibly muddled after significant attempts to recollect. It is almost as if a second consciousness of false memories develops in the individual, guiding it down an imprecise path.

Of course, such phenomena can be rather dangerous. To believe wholeheartedly in something is to make every attempt to validate and affirm it, even if those attempts defy logic. We see this both in the account of the attempted assassination in "Stand Alone Complex," as well as in the false testimonies mentioned in the above article.  As our emotions cling to the lies, we lose all sense of judgment.

Humans like to believe that they can trust themselves more than anything. I wouldn't be so sure.

GITS: SAC - "Angel's Share" - On Alternative Money

The article "On the Criminal MO," written for the Ghost in the Shell episode "Not Equal," is something of a monument with which to describe the series. It ties together facets of both the stand alone and complex episodes of the series, and continues to grow as more episodes are written about. In a sense, it is the true party piece of the WLIA blog.

The seventeenth episode of Stand Alone Complex is a continuation of the sixteenth, giving a rundown of what happened to the Major and section chief Aramaki on their trip to an anti-terrorism summit in London. Aramaki breaks off from Major Kusanagi to visit an old friend who manages a wine brokerage firm. While the two are discussing a suspected money laundering scheme, a pair of armed criminals break in to steal the very set of wines involved in the scheme. The firm's security company gets involved, it turns out they were the ones orchestrating the money laundering; so begins a cat and mouse game to expose the truth.

GITS: SAC - "Silver Oxide" - On Sports Ethics

The sixteenth episode of "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" is a standalone episode focusing on Section 9's Officer Batou. While the Major and section chief Aramaki are away on an anti-terrorism conference, Batou is transferred to a naval base to perform an undercover investigation of a world-renowned boxer. This boxer, a man by the name of Zaitsev, is suspected of illegally selling military secrets on the black market.

Because the antagonist in this episode is a boxer, this episode centers around the sport quite a bit. One of the main plot points results from Batou getting knocked out the first time he fights Zaitsev. The reason? Zaitsev uses a technique known as the "prosthetic blind spot." It is a subtle indication that those with natural bodies and those with augmented bodies both compete in the same professional sports divisions, without either side having the edge over the other.

We still struggle with this in the real world, as the true potentials of augmented bodies have not been met yet. Therefore, we cannot tell just how much better an augmented human would be athletically compared too a natural human. As it stands, there are already strict rules and regulations against augmenting the body by chemical means.

However, I really wouldn't count out the idea of allowing augmentations in professional sports. As this episode demonstrates, it comes down to more than just brawn; even the physically unmatchable can be defeated through cunning tactics. That said, it works both ways, as Batou reveals when he promptly wipes the floor with Zaitsev at the end of the episode.

Furthermore, many on the side of opposition refuse to take into account the amount of intense training required to master artificial body parts. In many ways, it takes exactly the same persistence and efforts as a natural athlete would require. This article provides insight into such an example.

In closing, my thoughts and the subject of large are still very premature, at least until augmented bodies become more mainstream. Only when we know the full extent of ability brought forth by augmentation can we deliver a verdict which is fair and just to all perspective athletes.

GITS: SAC - "Machines Desirantes" - On Machine Thinking

The fifteenth episode of "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" starts with Saito field testing a new sniping mechanism. However, the device is causing too much interference; therefore it is taken back to the tech room where the Tachikoma units decide to examine it. A good portion of the episode involves the Tachikomas discussing concepts of human and machine ethics. However, the degree of growth shown by the Tachikomas at this point is concerning to Major Kusanagi, who recommends they be sent back to the lab for further observation.

While my article on the MAGI (from the Evangelion series) discusses a more Input/Output-based interaction with machines, this article is more focused on the autonomous growth of said machines. Still, the two concepts are very closely correlated, as more advanced questions do require a noticeable degree of forethought and critical thinking. The J.A.R.V.I.S. program mentioned in the MAGI article even alludes to the development of Critical Thinking AI.

The question we have to ask here is what exactly allows the AI to function in the same fashion as the human brain. For starters, the AI must have a mechanism for making observations; and from there, it must be able to isolate and categorize the key information retrieved. It must then use the tools of a reason, such as cause and effect or juxtaposition, to achieve a conclusion about what has been observed. From there, it needs to be able to weigh in alternate conclusions which have varying degrees of probability to them. In short, the ability to guess, even if that guess is wrong, is integral to the formation of a successful artificial intelligence.

But perhaps the most important element in all of this is the element of desire. For a human, this is incredibly simple: humans always have something they want. The human wants to go somewhere, to do something, to see something. A machine, on the other hand, does not have a want, and therefore does not move to act. If a machine were to have a desire, then it would come and itself to take the actions which bring about fulfillment. Perhaps this is the missing link between man and machine.

With that said, the challenge now becomes how to give artificial intelligence the element of desire. Though perhaps, it may be far easier than we realize. It is no mystery that animals with far smaller intelligences than our own can be encouraged to have a desire, and to act upon it.

GITS: SAC - "Full Auto Capitalism" - On Investments

The fourteenth episode of "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" starts with the Section 9 team busting a group of low-level criminals who intend to rob a financial district. They eventually come to learn that this criminal job is really a diversion, and that an assassin is on her way to murder a wealthy investor. This man is the anime equivalent of Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim, or Richard Branson; after devising a program which accurately predicted stock trades, he went on to invest heavily in gold, amassing a legendary fortune. It is no wonder that the man has enemies.

The story is a little farfetched; if investing were so easy in the real world, then everyone would be incredibly wealthy. And I won't sit here and tell you that I know all there is to know about economics. I would simply like to outline some hypotheses of mine, based on observations and education I have received. (And of course, if you want a more in-depth look into Economics in general - in a much easier-to-read fashion than anything I could ever write - head over to TVTropes - UsefulNotes - Economics or try Wikipedia).

GITS: SAC - "Not Equal" - On the Criminal MO

In the thirteenth episode of "Ghost in the Shell: stand alone complex," the Section 9 team is tasked with investigating an offshore autonomous colony run by anti-cyberization terrorists. What they find, however, is that the girl seemingly has become the leader of the terrorist group. Further investigation only compounds the mystery.

The offshore colony of which the group resides is in itself a very fascinating subject, as it is a major hotbed of criminal activity. This activity includes the trafficking of illicit goods (as well as people), an activity that in the real world is commonly orchestrated by members of the Mafia, the Cartel, and various other criminal syndicates. Individuals also get involved.

GITS: SAC - "Escape From" - On Escapism

The twelfth episode of "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" centers around Batou's Tachikoma unit, who takes it upon itself to joyride around the city. He meets a young girl and helps her search for a lost pet, only to find a mysterious box. After reprimanding the Tachikoma, Major Kusanagi examines the box, discovering the mind and work of a skilled filmographer, as well as dozens of people who used the box as a means of escapism from the real world.

This episode serves as a lighthearted break from the main storyline, but at the same time, it reveals a subplot pertaining to Kusanagi's distrust of the developing autonomy of the Tachikomas as a whole. However, that is a story for another article. More importantly, the ability to dive into a movie, or a game, and just let go of reality is not a foreign concept. And in many ways, it's something of a dangerous one.

I don't want to point fingers or list names, but the entertainment industry is pretty notorious for creating media which you will want to keep interacting with. It is its own form of addiction. You will find stories in the real world of individuals marathoning this media in all forms, and then eventually collapsing from neglect of health. Those who don't take it that far may still neglect their jobs, their families, and so forth.

Throwing virtual realities into the mix only adds gasoline to an already roaring fire. How long until the game plays you?

My post on gaming society explored this with gambling. It served to demonstrate that moderation in all things is the key. Same rules apply.

GITS: SAC - "Portraitz" - On Health and Welfare

In the eleventh episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Togusa is tasked with investigating a facility for patients with Closed Shell Syndrome, as it was the origin of a major cyberattack on the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. It turns out that the hacker, a young boy named Aoi, is one of the forms taken by the Laughing Man. The Laughing Man then attacks the Section 9 databanks before vanishing without a trace.

From the onset, the facility seems eerily strange. For one, its purpose is very similar to that of a mental hospital, whose purpose is to re-adjust individuals to return to society. But there is far more to it than meets the eye. During "work hours," patients are housed in steel chambers with computers built-in, the sole objective being to program barrier mazes. Additionally, since these patients have a sort of addiction to the neural network, there really is no incentive for them to be re-adjusted; therefore there is no intent for them to be freed. These individuals become, essentially, living computers.

Ghost in the Shell ARISE - "Ghost Pain" - On Altered Memories

In the first episode of Ghost in the Shell: ARISE, the primary focus is the investigation of a murder of Lt. Colonel Mamuro. Apparently he hasn't led a blameless life in the military, having been accused of taking bribes. This soldier also happens to be the ex-CO of Major Motoko Kusanagi, a name you may be familiar with, currently assigned to Unit 501.

There's also the mystery of Kusanagi having been seen doing things she can't remember, and appearing in the country a full four days before she claims to have actually arrived. What has actually transpired that both Mamuro and Kusanagi have been infected by a virus that implants false memories in cyberbrains, and can affect cyberbody senses in real-time.

GITS: SAC - "Jungle Cruise" - On Geographic Information Systems

In the tenth episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, a deranged ex-soldier (Marco Amoretti) from the American Empire is massacring Japanese civilians by skinning them alive. Section 9 agent Batou recognizes the MO of the suspect; it is a tactic formerly used during one of the world wars, one that Batou is very familiar with. Thus the race is on to capture the culprit before the heinous crimes can continue further.

An integral clue in solving the mystery of Amoretti's whereabouts involves maps of Newport City's underground waterways and sewers. Additionally, the members of Section 9 were given access to the city's network of video cameras, accessible through a map-interface, in order to get a bird's eye view of a crime scene. This is not the first time where visual information in the form of a map has been crucial to the success of an operation, and it demonstrates the true power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
These days, before you can have a map, you need to have a geodatabase. Cartography programs such as ESRI's ArcGIS rely on specific package files containing vector data (points, lines, polygons) or raster data (pixels bearing a specific value). This data is organized in a series of tables.

GITS: SAC - "Chat!" - On Virtual Interfaces

The ninth episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex continues the Laughing Man investigation. Major Kusanagi enters a live chat which discusses the Laughing Man case. This chat takes place in a digital realm where a handful of commentators debates the circumstances behind the case. A virtual audience sits in the background, and interacts with the commentators individually through holographic text feeds each commentator has access to.

Virtual interfaces such as these are becoming increasingly popular with the Y generation. In November 2009, Microsoft released "1 vs 100" on the Xbox 360. One hundred and one players were connected simultaneously to compete in a trivia game show, which hundreds of others could spectate and participate in as members of "the crowd." The game lasted for several months and at its peak involved more than one hundred thousand people.

One of the facets which allowed the game to succeed so well was the brilliance and flexibility provided by the game's interface. The thematic elements mirrored that of the show it was based on; giant virtual auditoriums with hundreds of avatars representing the players themselves. Gameplay relied solely on three buttons coded to be used to answer the trivia questions of the game quickly and easily. This fast-paced gameplay combined with the proximity of other contestants allowed for deep immersion and fueled popularity.

GITS: SAC - "Missing Hearts" - On EIS Architecture

The eighth episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex involves a group of medical students who are illegally acquiring human organs and selling them on the black market. When Section 9 discovers this, the students lead them on a high-speed chase through the city.

One of the tools Major Kusanagi has at her disposal is an Emergency Information System broadcaster, which is outfitted to her private vehicle. She uses this to launch a probe virus through the long-range radio wave systems of other cars on the expressway. This virus temporarily disables all vehicles in the area except the target, allowing Kusanagi to catch up to and gather information on the vehicle and its occupants.

While the system used in the anime is highly advanced, basic systems are already functional and used in cars today. For example, did you know that the OnStar system equipped to several General Motors vehicles has the ability not only to track the location of a vehicle, but to shut down its engine remotely?

This was subject to major criticism by political pundits such as Glenn Beck, who argued that it could be used by law-enforcement agencies to remote-shutdown vehicles in a manner that violates constitutional rights. Knowing that the ability to shut down not one, but multiple vehicles at once could be possible only furthers the cause for concern.

GITS: SAC - "Idolater" - On Romanticism

In the seventh episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, the Section 9 team is tasked with tailing a revolutionary leader named Marcelo Jarti, who has survived multiple assassination attempts. They observe that the man has been returning to Japan several times and suspect that he is using look-alikes to deceive the general public. In any case, they must pursue because the individual is suspected of drug trafficking and ties to crime syndicates.
What they discover is that these "look-alikes" are actually clones, and that the real Jarti has been dead for an extended period. However, the team decides not to reveal this information to the public, nor do they arrest the clones. They allow the clones of Marcelo Jarti to continue to exist in order to continue to carry out revolutions in other nations.

GITS: SAC - "Meme" - On Mob Mentality

The sixth episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex continues the story of the Laughing Man incident. In this episode, a modulated delayed-action virus is used on police in order to trigger an attack on Superintendent General. However, even after the virus is neutralized, attacks on the Superintendent General continue to occur with alarming frequency over the period of one hour.

The episode is deeply rooted in mob mentality and Anonymous behavior. When the initial attack failed, the subsequent attacks were launched with the sole intent of carrying through the act itself. Speculations as to why these individuals chose to ensure the action vary widely:

• For some, there may have been a subconscious desire for the Superintendent General to be removed from power. This may stem from hatred of the man or hatred of his ethics. These people put themselves in the vicinity in order to ensure the action was successful, and to provide support in the event of failure. 
• For others, there may have been skepticism over how well the attempt would be carried out. These people believed wholeheartedly that the plan would fail, and that they could swoop in and complete the task themselves, going down in the history books as the real Laughing Man. Their motive was glory in infamy. 
• For most anyone else who participated in the act, there may have been no motive at all. Instead, these people saw a violent incident occurring and found themselves compelled to increase the violence, the same way a mob mentality would create wanton destruction.