united nations

[jonathankaplan]

I have been thinking some about the next century, and, feeling like the USA is going more socialist, I have had a few thoughts about the way the old frameworks are going to change for the new. The only rule in life (I think) is that everything changes

Comments

[selfishgene]

Nukes are not going away. Any nation with a few nukes cannot be coerced by the others. Leaders of smaller countries have seen very clearly that the US will not dare to mess with nations who have nukes. The current actions in Pakistan are not aimed at the national government. Nukes demand respect and there is every incentive to get some.
In the long run this means huge empires can't survive.
What is even more dangerous than nuclear bombs is biowar. The technology for this will improve dramatically. If a population can be isolated (by ethnicity or deliberate immunisation) then the rest of the world can be exterminated. The insanity of this doesn't mean it won't happen. A paranoid attempt to crush this kind of thing will actually just make it more likely. The solution is to allow more freedom and less reason to hate perceived oppressors. Clamping down on research will not stop destructive inventions, it will have a chilling effect on positive inventions. Politicians are professionally incapable of seeing freedom as an answer. Only actual demonstrations will convince them, which means many people will suffer.

[jonathankaplan]

"Allow more freedom"?
I don't see that happening. Either we take that freedom, or we won't have it. I know that is a semantic point, but you are right, politicians aren't going to let go willingly, as you say.
It will get ugly, just don't know how yet.
Thanks!