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I think people overstate the case about the “constant forever wars”, quite honestly. And I say that as someone who is a harsh critic of US foreign policy. The reality is that the period starting at the end of World War II, all the way up to today, has been the most peaceful time in most of the history of civilization.

Civilization itself, going all the way back to the Roman Empire has been a forever war. We have existed in an era of the Long Peace. Sometimes called the Pax Americana.

The number of people dying in wars has been in precipitous decline. So when people act like this so-called “American Global Empire” has been an unmitigated war machine that has made the world a far more violent place, I actually don’t know WHAT THE FUCK they’re talking about.

Here’s a chart of the last hundred years of people on this planet who have died in wars.

Zach⚡️ 2y ago

It’s systemic risk Mike. I think your timeframe is incredibly misleading - liberal democracy has been established since the 18th century. I don’t disagree that we’ve had a relatively peaceful period of history, especially in the Western world, since WWII. But I think it’s undeniable that the structure of the system is cycling back towards chaos and destruction, as you seemed to agree with.

Here’s a chart of the bank failures since 2008. Looks oddly similar to your battle deaths chart. From a structural, foundational perspective, the current monetary and governmental system is designed in a way which creates great death, destruction, and poverty when there shouldn’t be any. I would rather have consistently more localized and individual crimes with slow increases in prosperity over time than massive top down controls causing booms and busts, both in prosperity and in safety.

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Discussion

Mike Brock 2y ago

I agree the risk of chaos is alarming. What actually makes me angry is people who think we should just let our institutions fail and prepare for what's next, cross our fingers and hope we survive the chaos.

Zach⚡️ 2y ago

We agree on that.

I’ll ask you the same thing I asked nostr:npub12rze589jx0gg6kslkjfl2gxxkhtlw73t5shyve5qrglrv6c2qflqejj7ns though.

If you don’t like people claiming Bitcoin is a solution to these systemic flaws in our system of money and government, what do you think we should do?

Crossing our fingers and hoping is something we both agree is useless - so what other action would you recommend people take to save our institutions and prevent violent collapse? Would Bitcoin not be one of the best paths in achieving that goal?

Sikto 2y ago

Of course, I believe bitcoin to be one of the tools. Our lack of trust in our institution is the major risk that I am concerned with,and that is what I think we are talking about here. The idea that bitcoin will lead us to Eden, wherein our institutions are dissolved and the US no longer provides stability and a counterweight to chaos, is where I get off the hopium train.

Zach⚡️ 2y ago

Maybe we’ve both been arguing based on false pretenses then. I don’t think that Bitcoin can dissolve all institutions, nor do I think it would be desirable, at least not for many decades.

I just think that it will make institutions better and more accountable to the people. If government were actually just a system of rule of law and management of utilities which suffer from the tragedy of the commons, I would be a huge supporter. Some form of social structures are necessary and beneficial.

I’d argue that things like mining pools, lightning service providers, and Bitcoin banks are forms of new institutions. That’s not a bad thing, because people actually demand them for the things that they are doing.

I think the “hopium” train can take you very far, quite far from the established way of doing things. You obviously understand that, because you’re communicating on Nostr and talking about Bitcoin. I personally would rather be extremely hopeful of the change that we can accomplish with freedom technologies and advocate for them, than worry people are getting too hopeful and detached from our current, much more grim reality.

Zach⚡️ 2y ago

Here’s the chart updated to include March of this year:

Do you see my point and my concern?