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considering how close to the edge of extermination we already have been brought, calling MAD successful leaves a real bad taste in my mouth.

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I had left it at "apparently MAD has worked thus far", not getting into the almost didn't. It still might end us.

Also, think of all the past plausible/likely bad scenarios that MAD averted, such as involving the Soviets.

I sometimes joke about a utopian future of humanity, all peace and love, for thousands of years... until we encounter malevolent space aliens. Humanity had lost the ability to even reason about such a conflict, unable to imagine many options. Fortunately, humanity had maintained the cryogenic suspension of Kissinger and other historical figures capable of cold-blooded ruthlessness. And there was a Thaw button. (In some versions of the story, as soon as the anti-dream team wakes up and starts talking, we decide they're even worse than the space aliens.)

Not quite the same but you have reminded me of Clarke's The City and The Stars.

This is the plot to Demolition Man :D

As a compromise, I propose that we get rid of Putin et al. but keep Paradox Interactive games.

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