Thanks, Ralph 3
Via UD, a nice list of typical crazy "scientific" "thinking". One item in the list caught my attention.

From a forum on math and logic, "Many wars are due to not understanding another culture’s logic."

Obviously silly. But it made me realize that I've been holding an equally silly idea about war, also related to "logic". I've been distinguishing between "logical" wars fought to gain real territory and resources, versus "illogical" wars fought solely to enrich the Pentagon and the contractors.

In fact "logical" wars aren't logical at all, because territory and resources gained by war don't pay back the cost and damage of acquiring them. This isn't 100% true, but it's a strong rule. Territory gained by war usually gets snatched back before the aggressor can even start to use it. Even when it remains part of the aggressor it doesn't provide the hoped-for benefits. The people cause more trouble than the resources are worth.

Territory gained by purchase, or by adverse possession, has a much better chance of sticking around and providing net benefits. (Adverse possession = nobody was living there, or the residents were nomads who didn't 'own' the land.)


This is precisely parallel to plain old crime. Bank robbery looks attractive. Present a gun and a note, get lots of money, spend it on drugs. What can go wrong? Aside from the obvious risk of getting shot by the guards or caught by the cops, you won't really be able to spend the money because it will either turn pink or its serial numbers will be known.

Nevertheless, professional criminal types and drugged-up youngsters still rob banks.

What do robbers have in common? First, they're young and "invulnerable". Second, they are short-term thinkers, innately or cocainely, who don't consider the possibility that the banks have taken precautions against robbery. I can do anything! I'm on a roll! Everything I do is golden! Nobody ever tried this before! Wheeeee!

What do aggressive nations have in common? The same. Japan and Germany were young as nation-states in 1914, and were drugged up and spoiled. Nobody had stopped their early thefts, so they were on a roll until somebody finally shot them. Israel is very young and thoroughly spoiled. USA STRONG is older than those examples, but has a much more powerful addiction to spoiled entitlement. WE'RE EXCEPTIONAL!

Labels: Emersonian justice, STRONG!

  ¶ 2:24 AM