Bill, being an appeaser just doesn't work, when dealing with a power hungry bully, like the Communist Party of China. They will view your "enlightenment" as encouragement to engage in more and more covert and open aggression against the West, and our values such as democracy and civil liberty. It didn't work with Hitler, or the Soviets...<br><br>The people of Taiwan must not be abandoned, and if they were, it would send a message to all of our allies, that we were weak, and not to be trusted, in the face of an ever stronger China.<div><br></div><div>It's reassuring to think the hardline PRC hold on their people will lessen, but considering the current leader for life, and his moves to take things old school, but with cutting edge tech to control his citizens, and also to focus on building a military to rival ours, we are on track for an eventual war.</div><div><br></div><div>China feels they must conquer Taiwan, to finish a war of unification, but we must protect Taiwan, to maintain our reputation of strength, for a world growingly fearful of China's tyranny.<br><div> </div><div>I think even if Taiwan is peaceably absorbed by China (extremely unlikely), that we will still not avoid a cold war rivaling anything we had with the old Soviet Union. I can only hope that China will eventually mature, and not be an enemy to the West, but that could take a long time. <br><br>On Sunday, December 29, 2019, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">In a few decades China could change. Look at Hong Kong. Those people don't want war - they want freedom to trade and make money. Just what would happen if two countries that were as economically entangled as we two are,have a shooting war? Over what? Taiwan? I say let that one go. Not worth American deaths. Neither is trying to kick Russians out of Ukraine. Great trade between us two is a win-win situation. Any war is a win-lose. Or lose-lose. What did France and Britain get out of all those wars of lasting significance? Nothing. Lots of dead people. Honor? Territory? Nah. Let's vote for pacifists.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">bill w</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Dec 29, 2019 at 7:06 AM John Grigg via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org" target="_blank">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.<wbr>org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div>I have gotten rather fixated on the rise of tyrannical China, and I strongly suspect we will have an ugly war with them, as they attempt to conquer Taiwan, probably around 2040... My love for the future and transhumanism has been dampened, by this rivalry between America and China, in which I sadly suspect, America may not be the ultimate winner.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Dec 29, 2019 at 7:52 PM John Grigg <<a href="mailto:possiblepaths2050@gmail.com" target="_blank">possiblepaths2050@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div>If I had the money, I would love to have a transhumanist themed "Great Gatsby" style party, no expense spared! Lol If only...</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Dec 28, 2019 at 4:22 AM William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org" target="_blank">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.<wbr>org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I am reminded of Rupert Murdoch: a few years ago he was asked what was going to be the price of DVD units. He said - free. Because they want us to buy/rent movies, I suppose. Anyhow, I have this plasma,50" tv I was keeping my eye on years ago. It was $4000. I bought one when it was $600. Now I can get a TV that's smart, better picture, (incredible is a better word) for less than $500. (a TCL - what? - who?) Ain't competition great? </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">My plasma I have tried to give away - no takers yet. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Better, newer, and cheaper - that the mantra of the electronics industry it appears. When will it ever end?</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">I dunno, just like I dunno when I will end, but I am hoping to see most of the 20s. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:"comic sans ms",sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">bill w</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, Dec 27, 2019 at 12:47 PM Adrian Tymes via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org" target="_blank">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.<wbr>org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">On Fri, Dec 27, 2019 at 10:20 AM spike jones via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org" target="_blank">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.<wbr>org</a>> wrote:<br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div lang="EN-US"><div><p class="MsoNormal">The second decade of the 21<sup>st</sup> century has been great. I predict the third will be even better.</p></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Concurred - in net. There have been some serious downs as well, but in total outweighed by the number and quantity of the ups. </div></div></div>
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