[extropy-chat] urban sprawl as defense

Samantha Atkins samantha at objectent.com
Mon Aug 23 05:56:56 UTC 2004


On Aug 22, 2004, at 7:47 PM, Spike wrote:

>> Samantha Atkins
>> Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2004 2:12 PM
>
>> On Aug 18, 2004, at 10:07 PM, Spike wrote:
>>
>>> Most would agree that there is a growing threat to
>>> western civilization of an attack by some sort of
>>> weapons of mass destruction: bio, gas or nuke.
>>
>> Sure since the west...
>
> The west?

OK, restrict to US for now.

>
>> ...is insisting on throwing its weight behind
>> blatantly irrational...
>
> As blatantly irrational as murdering 3000 innocent
> internationals who did nothing more evil than to
> work in a really tall office building?
>

Yes, the war in Iraq is as blatantly irrational.    What about all the 
innocents we killed when we invaded?  What about all those that tied in 
between the two Iraq wars that we accepted large responsibility for?

>> ...and oppressive acts...
>
> As oppressive as the way the Taliban and Al Qaida
> treats its women and non-muslims?
>

You bet.  We even helped prop up the Taliban in earlier times.  Hell we 
helped Saddam come to power.  We won't even get into what evils we have 
supported in Israel.

>> Solves the wrong problem.  Being more peaceable and civilized with
>> others would reduce the risk a lot faster...
>
> So why not do both?  Estimate the probability that the
> west will change its behavior.  Estimate the probability
> that civilization will soon realize that technology now
> allows us to spread out.  Cities have outlived most of
> their usefulness, but not their desireability as terrorist
> targets.  spike
>

Doing both sounds good.  I don't agree cities have outlived their 
usefulness though.  At least I still enjoy a good metropolis now and 
again.

- samantha




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