So the reality of a trump presidency is setting in and I’m starting to think of the historical transitions of “world powers”. As a hegemon, the US emerged as a world power as a victor in WW1, WW2, and the cold war, all of which were violent conflicts. Now, the US falters as China emerges as their respective philosophies on government play out.

Is there any way the US passes the baton to China in a peaceful manner?

What does that mean for us in the near future?

How’s your Saturday night?

  • duderium [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    8·
    2 days ago

    Sorry to be a doomer here but I’m convinced that the USA will attempt to at least launch some of its nukes. (Israel already may have used a tactical nuke in Syria; the USA already used nukes when only an insane person would have thought it was necessary.) The guys who work in the nuclear silos are complete lunatics who will launch the nukes without orders—if they sense that it’s over, basically. If the George Floyd protests had really started seizing territory and organizing a revolutionary government, the nukes might have been launched. All the minutemen do is listen to nazis, and all nazis talk about is how every last problem on Earth is China’s fault. We’ll only be safe when China figures out how to disable the nukes (and yes, I know this is extremely difficult but not impossible).

    Nukes + total obvious insanity are the difference. No other world empire had nukes when they collapsed and the Soviets were not insane (even though they had definitely lost the plot, let us say).

    • woodenghost [comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
      5·
      1 day ago

      Since we’re talking about doomerism: I think It’s fine to try to analyze risks in order to take appropriate steps, but pure Doomerism (not saying this was meant that way) is reactionary. Because it clings to a a liberal notion of safety that never existed, but is supposedly getting lost. And then it immediately transitions to defeatism. The truth is, as leftists, we’ll never be safe until capitalism ends. Wether it’s systemic indirect violence, a cops gun or a nuclear bomb that kills us, we’ll be just as dead. Our task to organize against all those things remains the same. Like the well known quote by Huey P Newton sais:

      The first lesson a revolutionary must learn is that he is a doomed man.

      My fear was not of death itself, but a death without meaning.

      Not everyone can be that fearless and not everyone has to be. It’s okay to be afraid and share that feeling and rely on others for strength. Doomerism only becomes a problem, if it discounts the worth of the struggles being fought out there (again, not saying anyone did, just talking in general).