[foxyv]

Oh boy, here we go with the scare journalism again. Nuclear disarmament would be a great thing, but this garbage where we make entire generations live in fear of annihilation to sell (Checks Time ads) Flextra Solar panels... No thank you Time.

[haswell]

This piece doesn't even mention disarmament, and the stated purpose amounts to: when more people understand the consequences of MAD, it's less likely to happen.

As time goes on, the current generation will become more and more removed from the original conditions that resulted in the nuclear arms race, and more disconnected from the potential realities that nuclear war could introduce.

At a time when Russia continues to talk about the use of nuclear weapons, it seems appropriate to continue reminding folks about what this actually entails. I suspect the average "let them try" commenter on Facebook/Twitter has very little concept of what this actually means.

If there's one category that warrants scary writing, nuclear war would be that category. It's pretty much impossible to explore the topic without touching on some rather terrifying implications.

[aeternum]

The problem with MAD is that its not MAD anymore. Given missile defense systems and hypersonic missiles it has actually become unclear whether the destruction will be mutual. Each side may believe that their tech can both penetrate the enemy and successfully defend.

Game theory shows us that war should only occur because of these unknowns (each side believes they will win). Thus given this new tech and the uncertainty on both sides, MAD is arguably weaker than ever before.

[foxyv]

I suspect that most of the "Let them try" commenters are plain idiots or trolls. Anyone with half a brain knows what nuclear war means. These articles aren't educational. They are FUD.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty,_and_doubt

[lilboiluvr69]

I don't understand your comment. FUD for what?

[foxyv]

Selling... checks Time Ads... A Honda Tool set and maybe a subscription.

[BagelGuy]

Humanity built a suicidal doomsday machine that can be set off by accident.

It's not scare journalism to remind people of this.

[foxyv]

It IS scare journalism to remind people of this. We use fear, uncertainty, and doubt to sell people magazines and Solar panels. It's part of why we spend $800 billion on military spending in the US. It's part of why these weapons exist in the first place.

No thank you!

[1letterunixname]

Hand-waving conflation and mischaracterization. MAD kept you safe from total war and it cannot be setoff by accident. Permission link is required in the US implementation. It is terrible but it is a white elephant: it cannot be given away but it also is undesirable to keep but still necessary.

[1letterunixname]

MAD prevents total conventional wars. Without unconventional weapons, China and Russia would invade far more countries without a second thought.