“Nuclear weapons have effects upon the ways we behave that we are not really aware of…” That statement from the excellent podcast, tells me one thing: nuclear weapons will be used irrationally and emotionally, the people doing so may not think that they are being irrational, but they will be. Just like the French and the Germans thought that they were being rational by fighting in Verdun. I would simplify things and simply say that Checkov’s famous quote told us how this will end… Some actor will eventually use them, and that’ll be the end of it.
In a world that Russia didn't have nukes, this would have ended similar to the Gulf War. I fear that Russia is showing the world that if you have nukes you can do whatever you want. I think this is the new lesson being taught to the world.
@rakadus That's the old lesson. The new lesson I'm referring to is hostile neighbors with nukes can get away with taking land. Granted, it remains to be seen if Russia ultimately succeeds, but it probably would have if it hadn't gotten greedy.
Fascinating. Great conversation. I think that anyone living under the umbrella of the US system partners and allies is very good at cooperating in that system obviously. They are so good at it that they have trouble being able to pear of of it and see how those who live outside that system think. Those people live in a system where no one trusts the other and the basic fact of life is a zero sum game. God forbid they could weapons of mass destruction.
“Nuclear weapons have effects upon the ways we behave that we are not really aware of…”
That statement from the excellent podcast, tells me one thing: nuclear weapons will be used irrationally and emotionally, the people doing so may not think that they are being irrational, but they will be. Just like the French and the Germans thought that they were being rational by fighting in Verdun.
I would simplify things and simply say that Checkov’s famous quote told us how this will end… Some actor will eventually use them, and that’ll be the end of it.
In a world that Russia didn't have nukes, this would have ended similar to the Gulf War. I fear that Russia is showing the world that if you have nukes you can do whatever you want. I think this is the new lesson being taught to the world.
Not "whatever you want". Protect oneself from a hostile neighbour.
@rakadus That's the old lesson. The new lesson I'm referring to is hostile neighbors with nukes can get away with taking land. Granted, it remains to be seen if Russia ultimately succeeds, but it probably would have if it hadn't gotten greedy.
Fascinating. Great conversation. I think that anyone living under the umbrella of the US system partners and allies is very good at cooperating in that system obviously. They are so good at it that they have trouble being able to pear of of it and see how those who live outside that system think. Those people live in a system where no one trusts the other and the basic fact of life is a zero sum game. God forbid they could weapons of mass destruction.