Re: Tech Changes Battlefield

From: Rafal Smigrodzki (rafal@smigrodzki.org)
Date: Fri Apr 18 2003 - 23:11:12 MDT

  • Next message: spike66: "eve of construction"

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "spike66" <spike66@attbi.com>

     Enough of the Iraqis realized that fighting
    > with 30 years tech delta was hopeless and stupid, and
    > so the war really didn't amount to much. Compare
    > with WW1, with miles of guys in trenches attacking
    > simultaneously, with horrifying results, or the
    > massive bombings of WW2. Can we not extrapolate and
    > realize that all traditional warfare is hopeless and
    > stupid? Should not all political conflict take the
    > form of economic struggle, much like the way one large
    > corporation makes war on its competitors? Humanity
    > is truly on the eve of construction.
    >
    ### Yes, this is a very cool idea - technology progressing so fast that
    conflict is reduced to demonstrations of one's technological prowess, after
    which everybody else gives up. Since only the good guys can keep up the
    innovation cycle humming (or so we hope), the bad guys have no choice but to
    become technologically proficient (which necessitates becoming nice to their
    engineers, technicians, their families, the merchants selling them stuff,
    the families of the merchants, the restaurant owners where the merchants
    meet...., the scientists' dogs....everybody), or else shut up and cower
    before the latest laser.

    If indeed there is a correlation between niceness in the liberal democratic
    sense, and technological progress, this indeed could be a part of the
    future.

    Rafal



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