One thing I've noticed in this recent Ukraine\Russia conflict, is it seems that as a culture, we have lost the fear or even respect for the possibility of nuclear warfare.
I was a kid in the 80's, and in those days, and there was endless propaganda of the horrors of nuclear warfare. There were movies, mini-series on it all the time. My guess is in 1985, the average kid knew how many times over USA and Soviet Union could blow the world up with their current arsenals. We all knew how many miles a blast would be, and how far the radiation would be. Most boys had post nuclear life plans in the back of his head in those days.
The 1960's was before my time, but it sounds as if the fear then may have been greater. If you talk to some older citizens, they will talk about the Cuban missile crisis as if it was the most horrifying event of their lives. (this was a short stand off between USA and Soviet Union regarding USA blocking Soviet missiles being transported to Cuba.). The people of that time were absolutely TERRIFIED of the idea of engaging in a war with another nuclear power, because they this very easily could lead to the deaths of millions, if not the end of mankind. (prove them wrong?)
At the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviet Union had 500 warheads while USA had 7000. Today Russia has 6000 nuclear warheads while USA has about 5500. Yet, we act like the previous fear was just the imagination of previous generations.
We are doing everything in our power to provoke Russia. NATO or allies have most certainly sabotaged Russia's valuable pipeline. If this had happened back in the 1960's, the President would most likely have been impeached, for even giving the impression it was possible we were responsible.
Now it seems nobody fears or even respects the possibility of nuclear war. The Ukraine flag people are all celebrating and keep screaming "but the regions of Ukraine!!" "We have to do something!"
Are we sleepwalking into armageddon?
I think they have used this in their arsenal of fear for so long that we are desensitized to that particular threat by now.
And there it is.
Rather die glowing than live as a slave.
I wouldn’t say desensitized as much as many are so disillusioned to the power/class struggle of the world they don’t give a flying fuck and see nukes going off meaning either “good, some kind of actual change even though via destruction” and/or “good, at least it will be over quick for me or anyone getting bombed”
Inb4 “u don’t undurrrstands nukes aren’t instant death for everyone” or some shit as if I’m not aware of that … just explaining the thought the way I see it from having many friends on left and right who don’t give a fuck about nukes in a sense.
I think I'm at the point where I unironically would prefer living in the Fallout universe to being trapped in a never-ending clown world.
Mostly city dwellers would be wiped out ("progressives").
Nukes hit everywhere in the Fallout universe. Not just cities. Everywhere.
Clown world is pretty entertaining, but nuclear winter could be interesting, too. 🤔
I really enjoyed Half-Life.
Yep. 100% can feel that vibe. At least then you have a better idea of who is good/bad and a chance to rebuild/build your own world.
Yeah and I have no respect for fear, so...
I think people just don’t think they’ll do it. Either that or they don’t have any control over it anyways so why give a fuck?
Yes! Exactly! Plus some are still under the impression that politicians are basically good people, smarter than themselves. So they trust they must know what they are doing.
I agree with you. I used to make fun of the anti-government types and now I have become one myself. When I boil down the basic differentiator between the side people have chosen, they are:
Those that believe the government is benevolent, those that believe the government is malevolent and those that don’t give a shit (and there are a lot that are in this last group)
This is exactly it. People are desensitized to the threat, and believe it's nothing more than saber rattling now.
They'll buy into fears when media tells them to, but also goad the countries they're afraid of being nuclear threats when media tells them to.