Nuclear Weapons, Space Exploration etc.

[Cyclezee]

This may be a very simplistic idea, but that is the way my brain works.

Would the money we spend on nuclear weapons not be better spent on more useful things like space exploration, medical research, ending climate change or feeding the hungry.

Does anyone disagree with this idea and if so why, because I fail to see how spending billions on something that will either never be used...or if the unthinkable happens all life will be destroyed with the exception of the cockroach?

 

[soundwave]

and when we are out in space and find et and **** them all off what we use to fight them?

http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/461687407/kickstarter-open-source-death-star/

$850,000,000,000,000,000.

 

[flecc]

This may be a very simplistic idea, but that is the way my brain works.

Would the money we spend on nuclear weapons not be better spent on more useful things like space exploration, medical research, ending climate change or feeding the hungry.

Does anyone disagree with this idea and if so why, because I fail to see how spending billions on something that will either never be used...or if the unthinkable happens all life will be destroyed with the exception of the cockroach?

Almost, but I'd leave out space exploration. That's a luxury we don't deserve before attending to your other items.

I'd also prefer to amend your "feeding the hungry" into greater world-wide equality, in other words giving it greater scope.
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[Cyclezee]

and when we are out in space and find et and **** them all off what we use to fight them?

http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/461687407/kickstarter-open-source-death-star/

$850,000,000,000,000,000.

Flower Power, make love not war dude

 

[danielrlee]

I've always felt that a 'nuclear deterrent' is a busted flush.

If you press the button first, it's not a deterrent. If you press the button second, it's not worked as a deterrent.

 

[flecc]

And the nuclear deterrent greatly increases our risks anyway.

Having the nuclear weapons to attack a much larger enemy would prompt them to make a first strike anyway to incapacitate us first.

Not having the weapons ensures they wouldn't waste capacity to attack us.

The great majority of the world's nations have no nucear weapons and in consequence have no fear whatsoever of a nuclear attack.
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[trex]

Nuclear weapons, space exploration, airport runways, carbon tax.. all smoke screens to facilitate political donations.

 

[tillson]

Nuclear weapons seem to be at a stalemate. Nations which posses them will never use them because the consequence of doing so is a nuclear retaliation which will be equally devastating. I wonder if this has kept a kind of peace? If nuclear weapons had not existed, would more conventional war have broken out leading to greater loss of life? Is it the fear of nuclear escalation which has prevented the "super powers" from attacking each other? It's a bit like the bully in the school playground. He / she will only attack the weaker kids and leave the ones capable of giving him a thrashing alone. It's just human nature, and I think this principle can be extrapolated to nations and armourment.

I think space exploration is a good investment as it could yield the next generation of weapons to render nuclear redundant. In time it may be possible to neutralise a nuclear weapon delivery system seconds after it is activated. A long way off, but it may happen.

All of this is academic of course because a child born today is likely to die in a food riot as the world runs out due to over population. This is the something which is a mathematical certainty unless we address it. Our leaders sweep this issue under the carpet because they will be dead by the time it happens, and who wants to tell a young couple that they can't have any children for the sake of the planet. Merry Christmas.

 

[anotherkiwi]

All of this is academic of course because a child born today is likely to die in a food riot as the world runs out due to over population. This is the something which is a mathematical certainty unless we address it.

Don't worry they are addressing it, their solution is called "climate change" and all the poor will die leaving much more room for the rich...

 

[tillson]

Don't worry they are addressing it, their solution is called "climate change" and all the poor will die leaving much more room for the rich...

Phew! What a relief. Good old expendable poor people. They make all our cheap ** for us, that we don't really need l, and then due to save food.