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That's not correct framing. This isn't muskets and cutlasses against drones and cruise missiles. The better analogy is that almost every country abides by the G

That's not correct framing. This isn't muskets and cutlasses against drones and cruise missiles. The better analogy is that almost every country abides by the Geneva conventions and adhere to treaties like CTBT. Why do we do that? The US could win almost any conflict within several minutes with strategic nuclear strikes that kill nearly every noncombatant man, woman, and child in the opposing country. This option is obvious, but not acted upon. So why not do that, there has to be a reason that it's an inferior strategy? Further, you have dehumanize the attacker. They have agency and don't have to attack in the first place. Even then, your analogy fails because you can disengage from the "attacking force" (quit or not accept an offer) without surrendering in the theater of operations of the professional world.

bulatb 4y ago
I'm not suggesting it's okay to be an asshole just because you see some other person somewhere being an asshole. If their behavior happens in their bubble and you live in your own, disconnected, then you're free to do whatever you want. I try to be good. I'd like that from others. But when your bubbles intersect and you're in the same game, competing directly, other people's ethics absolutely do constrain the ethics you can choose for yourself while remaining effective. I'm not saying you should sacrifice your principles; I'm saying you should mind the difference between sticking to your principles and winning, accept they aren't the same, and not insist they always are or would be "if everyone just." Because everyone won't just. Your principles may make you better as a person in some way (they really might!) but that doesn't mean they'll make you win. Not admitting this will make you less effective at defending them. Maybe I'm getting away from the point of the thread, I don't know. I guess in my analogy the war has come to the army of swords, like it or not. Team Machine Gun could have chosen to be nice. They didn't, so what now? The answer cannot be, "Well, then they're bad." It doesn't matter if they're good or bad: they're here. They don't care what you think. So what do you do?
dllthomas 4y ago
> Why do we do that? https://acoup.blog/2020/03/20/collections-why-dont-we-use-chemical-weapons-anymore/ https://acoup.blog/2020/03/20/collections-why-dont-we-use-ch... https://acoup.blog/2022/03/11/collections-nuclear-deterrence-101/ https://acoup.blog/2022/03/11/collections-nuclear-deterrence...
deleted 4y ago
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Adrox 4y ago
You should really read about the USA relation with court who is supposed to patrole the Geneva convention: den hague And the American Service-Members' Protection Act…
- Adrox 4y ago
  American Service-Members' Protection Act AKA "The Hague Invasion Act"

bulatb 4y ago

I'm not suggesting it's okay to be an asshole just because you see some other person somewhere being an asshole. If their behavior happens in their bubble and you live in your own, disconnected, then you're free to do whatever you want. I try to be good. I'd like that from others. But when your bubbles intersect and you're in the same game, competing directly, other people's ethics absolutely do constrain the ethics you can choose for yourself while remaining effective. I'm not saying you should sacrifice your principles; I'm saying you should mind the difference between sticking to your principles and winning, accept they aren't the same, and not insist they always are or would be "if everyone just." Because everyone won't just. Your principles may make you better as a person in some way (they really might!) but that doesn't mean they'll make you win. Not admitting this will make you less effective at defending them. Maybe I'm getting away from the point of the thread, I don't know. I guess in my analogy the war has come to the army of swords, like it or not. Team Machine Gun could have chosen to be nice. They didn't, so what now? The answer cannot be, "Well, then they're bad." It doesn't matter if they're good or bad: they're here. They don't care what you think. So what do you do?

dllthomas 4y ago

> Why do we do that? https://acoup.blog/2020/03/20/collections-why-dont-we-use-chemical-weapons-anymore/ https://acoup.blog/2020/03/20/collections-why-dont-we-use-ch... https://acoup.blog/2022/03/11/collections-nuclear-deterrence-101/ https://acoup.blog/2022/03/11/collections-nuclear-deterrence...

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

Adrox 4y ago

You should really read about the USA relation with court who is supposed to patrole the Geneva convention: den hague And the American Service-Members' Protection Act…

Adrox 4y ago
American Service-Members' Protection Act AKA "The Hague Invasion Act"