From: Seth Oestreicher <setho@westnet.com>
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 06:56:25 +0800
To: ichudov@algebra.com (Igor Chudov)
Subject: Re: Game Theory and its Relevance to Cypherpunks
Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19960721201853.008c533c@westnet.com>
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>Similarly, I do not uderstand why futurists paint so rosy pictures of
>the 21st century. I think that it will be at least just as full of shit
>as this one.

I find it ironic that the greatest peace movement in history is recorded
after World War I.  Nobody wanted to fight any more.  Yet, less than 40
years later entered World War II, a more damaging and far reaching war.
People thought the League of Nations, and later the United Nations would
solve the worlds problems.  But things don't change.  Jews and Arabs have
fought their ENTIRE history.  Americans are arogent enough to believe that
*we* can help resolve a conflict 100 times older than our nation.  Serbians
and Croations have *ALWAYS* fought.  Why should we expect otherwise today?
Because we're ENLIGHTENED?  Are we still not people?

Things today are probably better than they have EVER been.  (At least in the
terms of war.)  Mutually Assured Destruction has kept us out of many wars,
and will probably continue to do so.  So things may get better, not because
we are enlightened.  Things will get better due to the massive destructive
power of the United States.  Unfortunatly, political pressure will keep
America from using that force, and terrorist activity will continue to escalate.

Seth