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Humans are optimistic because the world hasn't ended yet and they have made it this far. That run, while falling short of proof, is nevertheless strong enough to support a conjecture that we are meant for something, which BTW, the virus has yet to refute.

theatlantic.com/health/archive…
Indeed one of the striking things about this pandemic is how little of our survival we owe to politicians. If we were dependent on them we should have died out long ago. Rather we'll survive this pandemic due to some deep antifragility in nature.
Optimism is just the realization that our survival doesn't depend on the people on TV. If it did we would label it 'despair'. What survival actually depends on is something of a mystery.
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wretchardthecat
@wretchardthecat
Yes. Yes. But why did the FBI do it? Because they could? Because a bunch of people spontaneously had the same idea? Because this is how they routinely do things? Or is there some other place this is going?
Playing devil's advocate: suppose they - whoever they are - believed Trump was national security risk who had to be brought down at all costs, then the end would justify the means, etc.
And even if they now think they were wrong, that they can't admit it for the good of the service.
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wretchardthecat
@wretchardthecat
From 2012. "Unless China’s leaders check their own ambitions, a host of countries, which are already forming tacit military coalitions, will start to impose economic restrictions as well."

amazon.com/Rise-China-vs-…
"the universal logic of strategy allows only military or economic growth. But China is pursuing both goals simultaneously ... have already stirred up resistance among its neighbors, just three of whom—India, Japan, and Vietnam—together exceed China in population and wealth."
For a long time businessmen, politicians and voting publics could ignore and restrain geopolitical conflicts in the afterglow of consumer prosperity. Now with travel gone, trade down and actual starvation rearing its head the restraints are gone.
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wretchardthecat
@wretchardthecat
It's striking how unsuccessful the politicians were at predicting the future yet immediately exude confidence their new plans will fix the new future.

Acknowledging their lack of clairvoyance the US in WW2 had a backup program for the B-29, the B-32. Possible failure is an ever present possibility. You have to allow for it.
"Think of what it would mean if we had a real president, not just somebody who plays one on TV," is a counterfactual argument. The only real way to compare is vs factual presidents in other countries or factual mayors in other cities.
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