From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Sat Apr 19 2003 - 10:44:08 MDT
Rafal Smigrodzki wrote,
> ### 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.
Unfortunately, this only works if you have a single dictatorial power with
all the weapons. If you have multiple superpowers of similar strength, the
high technology doesn't help.
> 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
I like to believe this, but I am not sure that this is necessarily true. It
may turn out that it takes less resources to invent a big lie of niceness.
For example, an eternal blissful afterlife instead of benefits in the real
life. This could be perceived as nicer with less real costs today. It also
may be more efficient to steal technology as it is invented by others rather
than having to expend resources to actually invent the stuff. And,
unfortunately, it may also turn out that it is easier to sabotage those who
pull ahead rather than expending resources to catch up and surpass them. I
can envision many "bad guy" scenarios that seem more attractive than the
"good guy" scenario. It may just be a position of faith on our parts that
the good guys always win and the bad guys always lose. (But I hope not.)
-- Harvey Newstrom, CISSP, IAM, GSEC <www.HarveyNewstrom.com>
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