LOL! Absolutely! I was in the same boat for Poli-sci studies - read an awful lot of those philosophers with a heaping helping of political essayists, as well! You are so right - that might be the TRUE explanation for Ben rocking chair friend. LOL!
Let me ask you your opinion on this: Ben states to Locke at the end of the show (speaking of the Dharma In. people in the pit),"These are my people, The Dharma Initiative....They came here seeking harmony, but couldn't even co-exist with the island's original inhabitants." Is Ben a product of his environment (Skinner box), since those are his people (who he is) and the only way he could see out of the violence against the Island people was to act violently against the violent people; or is it Monty Python's Holy Grail quote, "Now we see the violence inherent in the system?" [and the Ben-Others cry out, "Help! Help! we're bein' oppressed!" ] LOL!

Really I just think Lost is a Post-Modern kind of show. It's all relative.

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