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> For many years we thought the aggressive Soviet behavior during the war was a ploy to undercut American influence, or gain access to oil or warm-water ports.

> For many years we thought the aggressive Soviet behavior during the war was a ploy to undercut American influence, or gain access to oil or warm-water ports. The new evidence suggests it was simply a case of bad crisis management. Never attribute to malice what you attribute to incompetence....

philipov 8y ago
Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.
- verelo 8y ago
  When two parties cannot effectively communicate, that’s true. Most of the time when a real conversation can be had these issues quickly dissolve, but having a conversation like that in a political environment or large corporate environment can be super tough to make happen. It’s sad we struggle to find common ground with others and resort to war and second guessing our “competition”.
- kbenson 8y ago
  I love everything about this sentence. It also feels very relevant to current events.
  - barrow-rider 8y ago
    > It also feels very relevant to current events. What events are you referring to? Having a heart-to-heart honest communication isn't going to solve shit if the parties are greedy as fuck, or out-and-out Nazis.
    - kbenson 8y ago
      > What events are you referring to? A lot of events, all over, but mostly politically and with offenders on both sides. Neither is interested in even trying to understand the underlying emotions and reasons for the actions of the other. They're both so bad at understanding each other that at this point all they see is malice. > the parties are greedy as fuck, or out-and-out Nazis. Case in point.
ocschwar 8y ago
I should light a candle for St. Stanislav PEtrov.
- TeMPOraL 8y ago
  Remember to light one for Vasili Arkhipov and another for John Bordne, on 27th and 28th of this month, respectively. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10452983#10455951 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10452983#10455951
kkotak 8y ago
Don't forget; Henry Kissinger was involved.
- cies 8y ago
  Oh shit.

philipov 8y ago

Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.

verelo 8y ago
When two parties cannot effectively communicate, that’s true. Most of the time when a real conversation can be had these issues quickly dissolve, but having a conversation like that in a political environment or large corporate environment can be super tough to make happen. It’s sad we struggle to find common ground with others and resort to war and second guessing our “competition”.
kbenson 8y ago
I love everything about this sentence. It also feels very relevant to current events.
- barrow-rider 8y ago
  > It also feels very relevant to current events. What events are you referring to? Having a heart-to-heart honest communication isn't going to solve shit if the parties are greedy as fuck, or out-and-out Nazis.
  - kbenson 8y ago
    > What events are you referring to? A lot of events, all over, but mostly politically and with offenders on both sides. Neither is interested in even trying to understand the underlying emotions and reasons for the actions of the other. They're both so bad at understanding each other that at this point all they see is malice. > the parties are greedy as fuck, or out-and-out Nazis. Case in point.

ocschwar 8y ago

I should light a candle for St. Stanislav PEtrov.

TeMPOraL 8y ago
Remember to light one for Vasili Arkhipov and another for John Bordne, on 27th and 28th of this month, respectively. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10452983#10455951 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10452983#10455951

kkotak 8y ago

Don't forget; Henry Kissinger was involved.

cies 8y ago
Oh shit.