100 %
Malcolm Armsteen wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2024 12:54 pm Woman's a cunt.She should certainly, given her specialist subject, know all about both ends being the same.
Abernathy wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2024 4:31 pm I do find the scenario outlined by Crabby rather appealing, though. We just need someone to realise it.This is, I hope, not too unlikely thought. Because if I can see it, well informed and well connected people in Russia can see it. And I’m sure Putin does have some sort of succession - but I’m equally sure whoever he has lined up (Medvedev, the very wettest of blankets would be my guess) isn’t actually that dangerous because otherwise he wouldn’t have them lined up anywhere other than in front of a firing squad. So that’s not who he has to watch out for - but thanks to his past actions whoever he does have to watch out for is probably keeping *very* quiet.
Crabcakes wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2024 9:19 pmThe thing to remember about Russia, is that we're rarely picked incoming premiers ahead of time.Abernathy wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2024 4:31 pm I do find the scenario outlined by Crabby rather appealing, though. We just need someone to realise it.This is, I hope, not too unlikely thought. Because if I can see it, well informed and well connected people in Russia can see it. And I’m sure Putin does have some sort of succession - but I’m equally sure whoever he has lined up (Medvedev, the very wettest of blankets would be my guess) isn’t actually that dangerous because otherwise he wouldn’t have them lined up anywhere other than in front of a firing squad. So that’s not who he has to watch out for - but thanks to his past actions whoever he does have to watch out for is probably keeping *very* quiet.
kreuzberger wrote: ↑Sun Dec 08, 2024 3:28 pm The BBC World Service has been at its absolute best today. The coverage has been from every conceivable angle, with a procession of proper experts and a tapestry of personal experiences.I get that the domestic broadcaster has a lot on its plate at the moment, but the BBC World Service is not letting go of this strand. The wider reports and personal interviews which they have been broadcasting today have been beyond harrowing and give so much detailed context to the standard (and also fine) Lyse Ducet top-level fare.
(All this has made me quite nostalgic.)
Youngian wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2024 8:01 amOnce you touch 80 you are on borrowed time, none of these people lived particularly priviledged lives early on bar the Murdoch's and who really knows how influential they will be.mattomac wrote: ↑Tue Dec 10, 2024 2:16 pm ModiLachlan Murdoch. Putin and Xi are still two decades younger than Rupert.
Trump
Putin
Xi Jinping
Are all quite old to be honest, I've said before its what comes after.
If aliens were to visit Earth 100 years from now and study the Russia-Ukraine war, along with the roles played by the EU, the U.S., and other global actors, they might see it through a detached, analytical lens—one that highlights recurring patterns in human history. Here’s how they might interpret it:
1. A Familiar Cycle of Human Conflict
Aliens might see this war as just another chapter in a long pattern of human warfare—where political ambitions, territorial disputes, and economic interests led to the destruction of countless lives, particularly young men who were sent to fight. From their perspective, Earth’s history would be riddled with similar conflicts, from World War I to Vietnam, making this war another example of how human societies sacrifice their youth for geopolitical goals.
2. A Failure of Diplomacy and Cooperation
Despite advances in communication, intelligence, and diplomacy, the war might be viewed as evidence that humans still struggled to resolve disputes peacefully. Aliens might question why the EU, the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine—entities capable of negotiation—failed to find a compromise before massive bloodshed occurred. They could compare it to past failures, like the breakdown of diplomacy before WWI or the Cold War’s proxy battles.
3. The Disposable Nature of Young Men in War
Aliens might be struck by the way societies continued to send young men to fight and die while political and economic elites remained relatively safe. They could see this as a tragic, repeating phenomenon where each generation sacrifices its youth while leaders justify the losses under the banners of nationalism, freedom, or defense. The same pattern played out in the trenches of WWI, the jungles of Vietnam, and now in the fields of Ukraine.
4. The Role of Media and Propaganda
Aliens might analyze how different factions framed the war. The way the West painted Zelensky as a heroic defender and Russia framed its invasion as a necessary operation could be seen as another example of how human societies use narratives to justify war. They might compare it to how past conflicts were sold to the public, from the “weapons of mass destruction” narrative in Iraq to the glorification of trench warfare in WWI.
5. The Absence of a Unified Human Response
From an extraterrestrial point of view, war on a single planet might seem illogical. Why, in an era of global challenges (climate change, pandemics, resource shortages), did humans choose to fight among themselves instead of uniting? They might see the conflict as proof that human civilization was still deeply fragmented, prioritizing short-term power struggles over long-term survival.
6. The Aftermath and Long-Term Consequences
A century later, the war’s consequences—economic shifts, border changes, population declines—might be analyzed as part of a broader pattern of empires rising and falling. Whether Ukraine remained independent, Russia grew weaker or stronger, or the U.S. and EU’s influence waned, aliens might simply see it as another transformation in human geopolitics, much like the dissolution of empires in the 20th century.
Final Thought
Aliens might ultimately conclude that humans, despite technological advancements, remained trapped in cycles of violence, unable to break free from age-old patterns of war, nationalism, and sacrifice. They might wonder: Will humanity ever evolve beyond this? Or will war always define them?
What do you think—are we doomed to repeat history, or could we learn from these mistakes in time?
Abernathy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 03, 2025 10:11 am I'm afraid I do not know the provenance of this, lifted from my FB feed, but it's food for thought.Makes u think.
If aliens were to visit Earth 100 years from now and study the Russia-Ukraine war, along with the roles played by the EU, the U.S., and other global actors, they might see it through a detached, analytical lens—one that highlights recurring patterns in human history. Here’s how they might interpret it:
1. A Familiar Cycle of Human Conflict
Aliens might see this war as just another chapter in a long pattern of human warfare—where political ambitions, territorial disputes, and economic interests led to the destruction of countless lives, particularly young men who were sent to fight. From their perspective, Earth’s history would be riddled with similar conflicts, from World War I to Vietnam, making this war another example of how human societies sacrifice their youth for geopolitical goals.
2. A Failure of Diplomacy and Cooperation
Despite advances in communication, intelligence, and diplomacy, the war might be viewed as evidence that humans still struggled to resolve disputes peacefully. Aliens might question why the EU, the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine—entities capable of negotiation—failed to find a compromise before massive bloodshed occurred. They could compare it to past failures, like the breakdown of diplomacy before WWI or the Cold War’s proxy battles.
3. The Disposable Nature of Young Men in War
Aliens might be struck by the way societies continued to send young men to fight and die while political and economic elites remained relatively safe. They could see this as a tragic, repeating phenomenon where each generation sacrifices its youth while leaders justify the losses under the banners of nationalism, freedom, or defense. The same pattern played out in the trenches of WWI, the jungles of Vietnam, and now in the fields of Ukraine.
4. The Role of Media and Propaganda
Aliens might analyze how different factions framed the war. The way the West painted Zelensky as a heroic defender and Russia framed its invasion as a necessary operation could be seen as another example of how human societies use narratives to justify war. They might compare it to how past conflicts were sold to the public, from the “weapons of mass destruction” narrative in Iraq to the glorification of trench warfare in WWI.
5. The Absence of a Unified Human Response
From an extraterrestrial point of view, war on a single planet might seem illogical. Why, in an era of global challenges (climate change, pandemics, resource shortages), did humans choose to fight among themselves instead of uniting? They might see the conflict as proof that human civilization was still deeply fragmented, prioritizing short-term power struggles over long-term survival.
6. The Aftermath and Long-Term Consequences
A century later, the war’s consequences—economic shifts, border changes, population declines—might be analyzed as part of a broader pattern of empires rising and falling. Whether Ukraine remained independent, Russia grew weaker or stronger, or the U.S. and EU’s influence waned, aliens might simply see it as another transformation in human geopolitics, much like the dissolution of empires in the 20th century.
Final Thought
Aliens might ultimately conclude that humans, despite technological advancements, remained trapped in cycles of violence, unable to break free from age-old patterns of war, nationalism, and sacrifice. They might wonder: Will humanity ever evolve beyond this? Or will war always define them?
What do you think—are we doomed to repeat history, or could we learn from these mistakes in time?
Abernathy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 03, 2025 12:10 pm Do you remember how one of the “arguments” deployed by Brexiters during the 2016 referendum against remaining in the EU was the dread prospect of a European army, in which “our boys” would be obliged to serve ?My 'Project Fear' in the EURef was the prospect of Putin admiring Trump elected POTUS shifting US balance of power away from Europe and leaving Britain in the shit.
Well, as European nations are coming together in solidarity with Ukraine in the face of abandonment by Trump’s USA, a European Army/defence force doesn’t seem like such a bad idea now*, Brexiters ? Does it ?
* I never thought it was a bad idea even at the time. It’s a very good idea.
- By Tubby Isaacs
- By Youngian