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Consider the alternative: Social/political climates and the "cancel culture" always has something to target. If you look, at any given time, this is something

by nyxtom 6y ago

Consider the alternative: Social/political climates and the "cancel culture" always has something to target. If you look, at any given time, this is something that has been going on since we could communicate in a public sphere. There has always been and always will be a tension in the public conversation. I wouldn't say "cusp of actual war" though. There are many people however who are hoping and actively counting on you thinking that though. I would argue, however, that all of this has been severely amplified due to social media and the current crisis of the news industries. We have to at least consider who is literally banking on your getting your attention - hijacking the fight-or-flight part of your brain is part of that equation.

screye 6y ago
> cusp of actual war Yeah But, India and China are quite seriously considering war right now. No joke.
- nl 6y ago
  I'm sure you are aware, but India and China have been had continual skirmishes along the Line of Actual Control[1] since the 1960s. It's the worst it's been for a while, but there have been pretty major incidents[2] even within the last decade. It's a serious situation, but not unprecedented. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_Actual_Control https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_Actual_Control [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Daulat_Beg_Oldi_incident https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Daulat_Beg_Oldi_incident
- thewhitetulip 6y ago
  The situation is unprecedented, yes, but war is not going to happen. Physical war, unless you are in crisis states which are fighting among themselves, is very rare. War among nuclear powered nations will also be difficult to ignite. Despite the bravado of 'an eye for an eye' every politician cares about their future. Modi won't start a war with China and China won't with Modi. China is already on a backfoot about the Corona situation and Modi is on a backfoot about a LOT of things but the media is bailing him out. I don't think war will be a right thing for both the nations.
  - stepbeek 6y ago
    I don't know if it's unprecedented, they were at war less than 60 years ago: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War
    - thewhitetulip 6y ago
      60yrs ago, Nehru was still the Prime Minister. That war was done because of Nehru's disasterous forward policy where he single handedly asled Indian Army to capture Chinese posts because of bad advice from his generals/advisors. China then waites until US & Russia were busy in Cuban Missile Crisis. JFK was still alive 60yrs ago!! JFK had such close a relations with India that Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had askes his brother "when will a Kennedy become a President once again". JFK wanted to help India but he was busy in Cuban Missile Crisis. But after that, UK and US started dropping military supplies. And China ended the war single handedly and went back to the status quo. Things that have changed: 1. We are a highly interconnected economy 2. China is at a backfoot 3. Modi is at a backfoot. (Note that Nehru was facing no such pressures 60yrs ago about corona, self inflicted short sightedness on Economy etc) 4. Nehru and the Congress at that time was not based on total and pointless bravado. The current regime in India is just busy in bravado. China has encroached since May probably and PM Modi spoke a few weeks ago and then, too, he denied any incursion and that lead to China hailing him 5. Neither India nor China will afford a war, leaders will gain from a skirmish. Chinese subservient media will hail it as a Chinese victory, same as Indian media which is super subservient will hail PM as someone who defeated China. They won't be able to peddle lies if there is a war, for the war will be entirely up in Ladakh. And Russia and US will intervene because both Trump & Putin will need that tag at home of avoiding a war.
- Der_Einzige 6y ago
  They are? That's geopolitical insanity for China. Talk about playing into the interests of your adversary. The USA is ready to eat pop-corn while our adversary (China) kills themselves over an obscure border region with India.
pjc50 6y ago
I would love to agree with you, except the present situation has been the one "media event" of my lifetime where having early warning through social media was materially useful: I stockpiled food before the two weeks or so of supply disruption and empty shelves at the start of the crisis. I've found twitter to be both an extremely valuable lockdown coping mechanism with friends and replacement events, and an anxiety amplifier. Materially I'm fine. I'm still getting paid and spending very little. All my travel plans for the year are cancelled and in unknown limbo and I don't know when I can dare to make plans again.

by nyxtom 6y ago

screye 6y ago

> cusp of actual war Yeah But, India and China are quite seriously considering war right now. No joke.

nl 6y ago
I'm sure you are aware, but India and China have been had continual skirmishes along the Line of Actual Control[1] since the 1960s. It's the worst it's been for a while, but there have been pretty major incidents[2] even within the last decade. It's a serious situation, but not unprecedented. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_Actual_Control https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_Actual_Control [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Daulat_Beg_Oldi_incident https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Daulat_Beg_Oldi_incident
thewhitetulip 6y ago
The situation is unprecedented, yes, but war is not going to happen. Physical war, unless you are in crisis states which are fighting among themselves, is very rare. War among nuclear powered nations will also be difficult to ignite. Despite the bravado of 'an eye for an eye' every politician cares about their future. Modi won't start a war with China and China won't with Modi. China is already on a backfoot about the Corona situation and Modi is on a backfoot about a LOT of things but the media is bailing him out. I don't think war will be a right thing for both the nations.
- stepbeek 6y ago
  I don't know if it's unprecedented, they were at war less than 60 years ago: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Indian_War
  - thewhitetulip 6y ago
    60yrs ago, Nehru was still the Prime Minister. That war was done because of Nehru's disasterous forward policy where he single handedly asled Indian Army to capture Chinese posts because of bad advice from his generals/advisors. China then waites until US & Russia were busy in Cuban Missile Crisis. JFK was still alive 60yrs ago!! JFK had such close a relations with India that Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had askes his brother "when will a Kennedy become a President once again". JFK wanted to help India but he was busy in Cuban Missile Crisis. But after that, UK and US started dropping military supplies. And China ended the war single handedly and went back to the status quo. Things that have changed: 1. We are a highly interconnected economy 2. China is at a backfoot 3. Modi is at a backfoot. (Note that Nehru was facing no such pressures 60yrs ago about corona, self inflicted short sightedness on Economy etc) 4. Nehru and the Congress at that time was not based on total and pointless bravado. The current regime in India is just busy in bravado. China has encroached since May probably and PM Modi spoke a few weeks ago and then, too, he denied any incursion and that lead to China hailing him 5. Neither India nor China will afford a war, leaders will gain from a skirmish. Chinese subservient media will hail it as a Chinese victory, same as Indian media which is super subservient will hail PM as someone who defeated China. They won't be able to peddle lies if there is a war, for the war will be entirely up in Ladakh. And Russia and US will intervene because both Trump & Putin will need that tag at home of avoiding a war.
Der_Einzige 6y ago
They are? That's geopolitical insanity for China. Talk about playing into the interests of your adversary. The USA is ready to eat pop-corn while our adversary (China) kills themselves over an obscure border region with India.

pjc50 6y ago

I would love to agree with you, except the present situation has been the one "media event" of my lifetime where having early warning through social media was materially useful: I stockpiled food before the two weeks or so of supply disruption and empty shelves at the start of the crisis. I've found twitter to be both an extremely valuable lockdown coping mechanism with friends and replacement events, and an anxiety amplifier. Materially I'm fine. I'm still getting paid and spending very little. All my travel plans for the year are cancelled and in unknown limbo and I don't know when I can dare to make plans again.