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Being the top dog militarily has been working pretty well for the U.S. so far. Define "U.S.", because you surely aren't talking about the population.

rayiner 14y ago
I surely am. The U.S. had an incredible run of prosperity from post-WWII to around 2000. That prosperity was enabled by American military hegemony. For most of that period, Americans consumed more than pretty much anyone else on earth--you think taking such a disproportionate share of the earth's resources happens without also having a disproportionate share of the earth's weapons? We also incidentally live in the most peaceful time in history, largely as a result of American military superiority. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pax_Americana http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pax_Americana.
- PavlovsCat 14y ago
  For most of that period, Americans consumed more than pretty much anyone else on earth I guess we have vastly differing definitions of well-being. I see a whole lot of addicts that will be very hard to re-integrate into a sustainable society. you think taking such a disproportionate share of the earth's resources happens without also having a disproportionate share of the earth's weapons? And of course, once you have the weapons you need to find things to do with them; like putting more of your own population in prisons than the whole rest of the world combined. But sure, war has done a great job of distracting the population from being fucked, and it pays off nicely for those fucking them; this much I'll grant. And then there's the widgets and gadgets.
  - rayiner 14y ago
    Your connection between military superiority and putting lots of people in prison is wholly contrived. The reason we put lots of people in prison is racial animosity. After segregation was declared illegal, all the middle class folks fled the cities, leaving urban cores ghettoized. Crime, naturally, went up as a result. Then we introduced the drug war, which got liberals ("just say no!" moms) and virulent racists (looking for a way to get blacks out of mainstream society now that segregation was over) on the same platform. Of course it was wildly popular, and the mainstream didn't care because the media portrayal was black people being put in jail for doing "black drugs" (crack cocaine). Then the police and prison unions got involved, and well now we have the situation we have today. It's really horrible and atrocious, but it has zilch to do with the military.

rayiner 14y ago

I surely am. The U.S. had an incredible run of prosperity from post-WWII to around 2000. That prosperity was enabled by American military hegemony. For most of that period, Americans consumed more than pretty much anyone else on earth--you think taking such a disproportionate share of the earth's resources happens without also having a disproportionate share of the earth's weapons? We also incidentally live in the most peaceful time in history, largely as a result of American military superiority. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pax_Americana http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pax_Americana.

PavlovsCat 14y ago
For most of that period, Americans consumed more than pretty much anyone else on earth I guess we have vastly differing definitions of well-being. I see a whole lot of addicts that will be very hard to re-integrate into a sustainable society. you think taking such a disproportionate share of the earth's resources happens without also having a disproportionate share of the earth's weapons? And of course, once you have the weapons you need to find things to do with them; like putting more of your own population in prisons than the whole rest of the world combined. But sure, war has done a great job of distracting the population from being fucked, and it pays off nicely for those fucking them; this much I'll grant. And then there's the widgets and gadgets.
- rayiner 14y ago
  Your connection between military superiority and putting lots of people in prison is wholly contrived. The reason we put lots of people in prison is racial animosity. After segregation was declared illegal, all the middle class folks fled the cities, leaving urban cores ghettoized. Crime, naturally, went up as a result. Then we introduced the drug war, which got liberals ("just say no!" moms) and virulent racists (looking for a way to get blacks out of mainstream society now that segregation was over) on the same platform. Of course it was wildly popular, and the mainstream didn't care because the media portrayal was black people being put in jail for doing "black drugs" (crack cocaine). Then the police and prison unions got involved, and well now we have the situation we have today. It's really horrible and atrocious, but it has zilch to do with the military.