Sadly, Dawkins should know better as he does have a rudimentary understanding of game theory — and yet… Listen, I get it, the “new cold war” is the next big thing, we will all be discussing it soon enough. Some of the facts on the ground are lost in the fog of war, so Dawkins can be forgiven for missing the mark there. Other facts require some background knowledge of recent Ukrainian history and/or the geopolitical situation between Russia and NATO. I can forgive Dawkins for getting those facts wrong as he’s been in an echo chamber for a long time now. But nuclear deterrence? This should be like playing tee-ball.
I or anyone else who had a few encounters with "tough guys" on dark streets, knows that it is beneficial to seem crazy and unpredictable in a situation where conflict can break out at any second.
It is a well known fact of nuclear strategy that appearing irrational and crazy may make the situation safer by making the other side avoid escalating.
I am pretty sure I avoided being beaten up or robbed a couple of times by acting contrary to the tough guys expectations, they just moved on to someone else.
What amazes me about the US is that, despite the massive suffering we have inflicted in our many military interventions for at least the last 20 years (I’m 39), we seem to think we are in a position of moral authority. Why? We did nothing to prevent this, and as far up as our VP openly antagonized Putin the day before the invasion.
I hate what Putin is doing, but I also hate people in the US cheering our government’s attempts to starve innocent Russians through sanctions and extra judicial property theft for not “rising up” against Putin. A couple hundred million adults allowed an entire generation of kids to be thrown in the garbage here for the last 2 years because of fear of social reprisal, which is less harmful than long jail sentences and death.
Last century 80 million people literally starved to death rather than “rise up” against tyrants like Stalin, Mao, Castro, Pol Pot, the list goes on. It doesn’t work, but our attempts might cause US dollar dominance to evaporate over the next couple of decades, and being 30 trillion in debt, it will be our kids starving.
Where do we get off cheering innocent human suffering then claiming “righteousness?” China and Russia didn’t starve and freeze us for blowing up Iraq over our made up “national security” misadventure. And we definitely didn’t give Iraq 25 years to negotiate…….
I am heartbroken by this war, but the data doesn’t match the narrative any better than it did with Covid so it’s also obvious there is lots of propaganda on all sides…….. My first instinct isn’t to make innocent humans “pay” because of the geography of their home.
Fantastic post Jestre. Your thoughts completely align with mine. The propaganda surrounding this convenient war on the world stage is breathtaking. Once again, just like covid or any other so called crisis I think we are being manipulated. And isn't it a wonderful time for all the failed leaders of the G20 to shine as they launch their victorious assault on the enemy they perceive to be the equivalent of the anti christ. If you think about it it is almost laughable. Imagine Justin Trudeau who invoked the emergency act to defend our democracy because his own citizens decided to rebel in numbers that seemed to go beyond the so called fringe that disagreed with him and now he is rushing out to defend Ukraine. And don't get me started on his bobble headed Finance Minister Freeland. What a complete and utter joke. Apparently during her recent protest to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people she was oblivious to the fact she was draped in a natzie symbol which after a few astute comments was removed and replaced with a more appropriate symbol. As far as I am concerned this so called war is a bullshit distraction from the devastating results of how these very same countries handled covid. How bloody convenient, especially because now the courts are compelling Pfizer to do data dumps thanks to some incredible legal firms in the United States. The first batch has been released. Having a war right now would be a perfect distraction from this world wide health disaster. And so it goes.
I need to brush up on my eschatology. Where in the Bible does God promise to reward that human responsible for bringing death and destruction to all others? I will have to ask Richard Dawkins, since I know that is his area of expertise.
I like predictability as much as the next person, especially when it comes to my opponents.
Empirically, nuclear deterrence works. The problem is what takes to disprove that statement: nuclear war.
Even sadder, empirically: nations with nuclear capability does not get invaded. Not even when they commit genocide, run organ farms, disappear foreign journalists or work children to death in slave labour camps.
In voice of Herr Doktor Merkwurdigliebe:
The Greta's of the world needs new climate friendly smartphone every quarter after all. And think of stock market - up up and away! Say it with me comrade: national capital and industry bad; global post-democratic corporativism good. Just not for you.
Putin bad boy, bad vozd upsetting apple cart, must get spanking.
Putin has nukes, oh sh*t. Forgot that. So spank gently, only rap knuckles with wiffle bat, hope ukrainians play ball and surrender, then we can forget and have business as ususal. I hear Iran is in the running as enemy of all mankind. No nukes, no friends, lots of young iranians wanting good big liberal democratic comrade capitalist come save them, yes?
Is problem with Madman-theory: when conflict over, you still madman.
I or anyone else who had a few encounters with "tough guys" on dark streets, knows that it is beneficial to seem crazy and unpredictable in a situation where conflict can break out at any second.
It is a well known fact of nuclear strategy that appearing irrational and crazy may make the situation safer by making the other side avoid escalating.
I am pretty sure I avoided being beaten up or robbed a couple of times by acting contrary to the tough guys expectations, they just moved on to someone else.
What amazes me about the US is that, despite the massive suffering we have inflicted in our many military interventions for at least the last 20 years (I’m 39), we seem to think we are in a position of moral authority. Why? We did nothing to prevent this, and as far up as our VP openly antagonized Putin the day before the invasion.
I hate what Putin is doing, but I also hate people in the US cheering our government’s attempts to starve innocent Russians through sanctions and extra judicial property theft for not “rising up” against Putin. A couple hundred million adults allowed an entire generation of kids to be thrown in the garbage here for the last 2 years because of fear of social reprisal, which is less harmful than long jail sentences and death.
Last century 80 million people literally starved to death rather than “rise up” against tyrants like Stalin, Mao, Castro, Pol Pot, the list goes on. It doesn’t work, but our attempts might cause US dollar dominance to evaporate over the next couple of decades, and being 30 trillion in debt, it will be our kids starving.
Where do we get off cheering innocent human suffering then claiming “righteousness?” China and Russia didn’t starve and freeze us for blowing up Iraq over our made up “national security” misadventure. And we definitely didn’t give Iraq 25 years to negotiate…….
I am heartbroken by this war, but the data doesn’t match the narrative any better than it did with Covid so it’s also obvious there is lots of propaganda on all sides…….. My first instinct isn’t to make innocent humans “pay” because of the geography of their home.
Fantastic post Jestre. Your thoughts completely align with mine. The propaganda surrounding this convenient war on the world stage is breathtaking. Once again, just like covid or any other so called crisis I think we are being manipulated. And isn't it a wonderful time for all the failed leaders of the G20 to shine as they launch their victorious assault on the enemy they perceive to be the equivalent of the anti christ. If you think about it it is almost laughable. Imagine Justin Trudeau who invoked the emergency act to defend our democracy because his own citizens decided to rebel in numbers that seemed to go beyond the so called fringe that disagreed with him and now he is rushing out to defend Ukraine. And don't get me started on his bobble headed Finance Minister Freeland. What a complete and utter joke. Apparently during her recent protest to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people she was oblivious to the fact she was draped in a natzie symbol which after a few astute comments was removed and replaced with a more appropriate symbol. As far as I am concerned this so called war is a bullshit distraction from the devastating results of how these very same countries handled covid. How bloody convenient, especially because now the courts are compelling Pfizer to do data dumps thanks to some incredible legal firms in the United States. The first batch has been released. Having a war right now would be a perfect distraction from this world wide health disaster. And so it goes.
I need to brush up on my eschatology. Where in the Bible does God promise to reward that human responsible for bringing death and destruction to all others? I will have to ask Richard Dawkins, since I know that is his area of expertise.
I like predictability as much as the next person, especially when it comes to my opponents.
Empirically, nuclear deterrence works. The problem is what takes to disprove that statement: nuclear war.
Even sadder, empirically: nations with nuclear capability does not get invaded. Not even when they commit genocide, run organ farms, disappear foreign journalists or work children to death in slave labour camps.
In voice of Herr Doktor Merkwurdigliebe:
The Greta's of the world needs new climate friendly smartphone every quarter after all. And think of stock market - up up and away! Say it with me comrade: national capital and industry bad; global post-democratic corporativism good. Just not for you.
Putin bad boy, bad vozd upsetting apple cart, must get spanking.
Putin has nukes, oh sh*t. Forgot that. So spank gently, only rap knuckles with wiffle bat, hope ukrainians play ball and surrender, then we can forget and have business as ususal. I hear Iran is in the running as enemy of all mankind. No nukes, no friends, lots of young iranians wanting good big liberal democratic comrade capitalist come save them, yes?
Is problem with Madman-theory: when conflict over, you still madman.