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I propose we dedicate our 'cool stuff' money to stuff that isn't made to kill with. Something useful would be a bonus.
by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Mon Oct 13th, 2008 at 04:02:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Ah, but we just said it shouldn't be useful stuff! ;)

Furthermore, fighter planes are not made to kill, not anymore than kitchen knives. Sure they can kill - but that's not what they're there for.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Mon Oct 13th, 2008 at 04:05:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
No, fighter planes are weapons: they're for killing with or at least threatening to kill with. Like a sword: no peaceful use.

A kitchen knife is for cooking with: it's a kitchen tool.

Your analogy is broken, unless you can't tell the difference between serving dinner and severing heads.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Mon Oct 13th, 2008 at 04:21:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
what if he's intending to cook the foreigners after they're killed? ;-)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Mon Oct 13th, 2008 at 04:40:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]
It's hard to imagine a more peaceful tool than a weapon, at least if you're a Swede. Weapons are used for deterrence, to reduce the risk of war, "Peace is our profession" etc.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Tue Oct 14th, 2008 at 11:07:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]
No, no. 'We' (you) said it should not be the 'necessities of life'. The two are different. I would consider what I work on (particle accelerators for high energy physics) to be 'somewhat useful', but definitely not a necessity of life. I.e. cool stuff that's not made to kill, and will add to our knowledge of the universe mostly to satisfy our curiosity.

Planes are weapons. They are made to serve a function in the kill machine, even if fighters are perhaps not the most direct instrument for mass murder.

by someone (s0me1smail(a)gmail(d)com) on Tue Oct 14th, 2008 at 03:46:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

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