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Comment by ghywertelling | Hacker News Reader

This is symptom of the misunderstanding among people that somehow more people being knowledgeable about politics will bring about a change. "Pen is mightier than sword" was probably written by a person who only wielded pen. It's a collective psyops inflicted by people on themselves, belonging to an era where it made sense. In today's world, it doesn't matter. Bring missles to a sword / knife fight. Only true power is respected.

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> "Pen is mightier than sword"

You completely misunderstood that. Take into account that you see the swords failing all around you whilst one nation effectively messed up the rest of the world through propaganda and maybe you'll begin to understand the true meaning of that sentence.

Information, used well or abused well, is more powerful than any other weapon of war.

"Information, used well or abused well, is more powerful than any other weapon of war."

Indeed, because people with the swords will decide on that information who to slain or who to defend. If you do it right, you don't need to fight the enemy soldiers, but they will fight for you.

Pen / writing represents bits. Sword represents atoms. We already know atoms > bits. Nation states by their monopoly on violence through judicial system have abused that power. You can do hairsplitting analysis all day long but real people suffer because powerful people want something else. Petrodollar is a perfect example of physical force enforcing rules that benefit the country who ensured that system comes into existence and has maintained that through intermediate violence.

First, conclusion is confounding respect and fear. No one is going to kill a person they respect while they slip or as soon as a window of doability occurs. Fear can bring surface level compliance to orders, but it doesn't provide much respect.

Playing by the book of fear uncertainty and doubt is going to foster hate, distrust and suspicion/paranoia.

> In today's world, it doesn't matter. Bring missles to a sword / knife fight. Only true power is respected.

How much did missiles and a trillion dollar military budget help against Russia in 2016?

In today’s world it’s “thousand internet trolls on a payroll mightier than missiles”.

This sort of ridiculous reductionism has never been true. Do you seriously think all the conflicts we experience have never been there before?

"Only true power is respected"—what’s this even supposed to mean? Right now, the American military is shooting with all its mighty glory on Iran, yet loosing the war, money, and yes, respect from the rest of the world. Well, except for Putin maybe, who is unilaterally benefiting from this disaster.

This little incel power fantasy of rule by force you guys are cooking up there is complete and utter bollocks.

Mearsheimer and Rand... between those two a lot of damage is being done to the psyche of impressionable people. They're all just looking for excuses to act out their inner toddler believing themselves to be in the possession of profound insights. Lesswrong probably also deserves a mention.

Cool man, can you please just pass the blunt.

Listen to Netanyahu speech where he said Evil can win over Good through sheer power.

Totally. After reading your poorly worded screed on geopolitical ethics, which itself was a random and inane response to a comment mocking that exact type of behavior. Too rich.

I will now go listen to the words of a bloodthirsty fascist. Thank you for the advice.

Why do think I support Netanyahu? The fact that he choose that example says more about his ideals and psyche. I am merely pointing out the fallacy that a better informed populace doesn't immediately translate to good policies.

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