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> The UK is a prime candidate for this. If such an aggressor were to aim to go for retribution based on perceived sleights (for instance: the economy tanking be

by svara 7y ago

> The UK is a prime candidate for this. If such an aggressor were to aim to go for retribution based on perceived sleights (for instance: the economy tanking because of 'them') then you just might have to defend yourself from that. > Which would not cause you to have to fight in a neighboring country, it might cause you to fight in your own. I see what you're saying, but I didn't say "fight in a neighboring country", but "fight a neighboring country". The idea that the world is a game of Civilization and that there is anything to be gained by invading some other country is largely seen as absurd here, as far as my personal experience goes. That's the point I was making. You would first need to raise a whole generation of people who see that differently, which frankly sounds about as realistic as raising a generation of people who will challenge their rival to a pistol duel because they slept with their girlfriend. And I really can't see the scenario where it truly becomes a question of self defense, and some continental european country needs to defend itself against the pillaging and raping british. Is there any indication in the UK that anybody would be interest in that type of activity? Regarding your point about the eastern border of the EU, and Russia's activities there - that one I'll grant you. But still, from there to intra-european strife still seems like a long way.

thaumasiotes 7y ago
> which frankly sounds about as realistic as raising a generation of people who will challenge their rival to a pistol duel because they slept with their girlfriend. I don't see any obstacle to this in terms of the attitudes of the people involved. It'd be really, really easy to raise a generation of men who thought this was a reasonable thing to do. It's not happening now because of external controls, not because so many people are shocked at the very idea.
- svara 7y ago
  Nah man - Getting angry or even violent in response to infidelity, sure. But a life-or-death duel is something else. It's a ritualized way of obtaining satisfaction relative to some mortal insult to your honor. That custom existed in Europe in a world that was completely different from today's, amongst a narrow and very specific stratum of society.
jacquesm 7y ago
My point was that the neighboring country might just decide to fight you. As for raising a whole generation: all it would take is for the current civil unrest to go up a couple of notches before it will spill over. I've seen it before and the signs are all there, whether for good or for bad once there is a certain amount of energy in the system it tends to work its way out in a violent way, rarely in a non-violent way. For that you need different people at the helm. > Is there any indication in the UK that anybody would be interest in that type of activity? Give it a few years post Brexit and economic hardship and you'll have them lining up in droves. Scapegoating is a tried and true pastime.
- svara 7y ago
  > Give it a few years post Brexit and economic hardship and you'll have them lining up in droves. Scapegoating is a tried and true pastime. I could see that in theory, but what kind of economic hardship are we talking about? In the world that led to the World Wars, everyday life for poor people was closer in comfort to the life in the trenches of the front than to everyday life for your average western European of today. And lots of people were poor. By contrast, even an unexpectedly sharp post-Brexit downturn would probably just mean slightly more unemployment, some missed promotions. It's hard to imagine the UK would fall back behind, say, eastern European countries like Poland where people on average aren't rich, but can live an alright life.
  - jacquesm 7y ago
    Let's wait and see, and hope for the best. The worst is something I'd rather not contemplate but the fact that > 50% of Britain is now probably going to vote for a policy of isolationism does not look good.

by svara 7y ago

thaumasiotes 7y ago

> which frankly sounds about as realistic as raising a generation of people who will challenge their rival to a pistol duel because they slept with their girlfriend. I don't see any obstacle to this in terms of the attitudes of the people involved. It'd be really, really easy to raise a generation of men who thought this was a reasonable thing to do. It's not happening now because of external controls, not because so many people are shocked at the very idea.

svara 7y ago
Nah man - Getting angry or even violent in response to infidelity, sure. But a life-or-death duel is something else. It's a ritualized way of obtaining satisfaction relative to some mortal insult to your honor. That custom existed in Europe in a world that was completely different from today's, amongst a narrow and very specific stratum of society.

jacquesm 7y ago

My point was that the neighboring country might just decide to fight you. As for raising a whole generation: all it would take is for the current civil unrest to go up a couple of notches before it will spill over. I've seen it before and the signs are all there, whether for good or for bad once there is a certain amount of energy in the system it tends to work its way out in a violent way, rarely in a non-violent way. For that you need different people at the helm. > Is there any indication in the UK that anybody would be interest in that type of activity? Give it a few years post Brexit and economic hardship and you'll have them lining up in droves. Scapegoating is a tried and true pastime.

svara 7y ago
> Give it a few years post Brexit and economic hardship and you'll have them lining up in droves. Scapegoating is a tried and true pastime. I could see that in theory, but what kind of economic hardship are we talking about? In the world that led to the World Wars, everyday life for poor people was closer in comfort to the life in the trenches of the front than to everyday life for your average western European of today. And lots of people were poor. By contrast, even an unexpectedly sharp post-Brexit downturn would probably just mean slightly more unemployment, some missed promotions. It's hard to imagine the UK would fall back behind, say, eastern European countries like Poland where people on average aren't rich, but can live an alright life.
- jacquesm 7y ago
  Let's wait and see, and hope for the best. The worst is something I'd rather not contemplate but the fact that > 50% of Britain is now probably going to vote for a policy of isolationism does not look good.