[Frieren]

We are told that we are in a state of preparing for war. When we will start restricting luxury items, unnecessary private jet travel, energy waste in crypto-currencies, etc.?

Because it seems that for being so obsessed to be prepared for war the only ones affected are the working class. The rich are just wasting resources away like if there was no tomorrow.

I just see austerity 2.0 to cut citizens rights, cut services to the working class and transfer as much wealth and power to the super-rich as possible.

I am all for Europe being prepared for war. That is a necessity. So, I am all for better health care, better education, less dependency on foreign gas and oil, better funding for goverment programs ... real measures to be prepare for the worst and less bending over to rich foreign interests.

[gadders]

>> Because it seems that for being so obsessed to be prepared for war the only ones affected are the working class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWijx_AgPiA

[jiaosdjf]

The only thing we can do is refuse to participate.

Europe no longer needs its people, our governments have demonstrated clearly that the average person is irrelevant and replaceable. Our industries have been sold off and outsourced, we no longer make anything except spreadsheets to enable globalists and asset stripping private equity parasites. Our history and diversity has been deemed non-sacrosanct, if some other country in the world can provide infinite cheaper labour then they are invited to replace us.

In a decade there will be no jobs even for the Uber imported class - we will all just be a burden on the super-rich who want to enjoy the European land in peace without so many people. Do not let them have this. Refuse to fight.

[illiac786]

I fully understand not standing behind politicians and the likes. But I don’t get this stance. If the Russians come, you would hand over the country to them? And then what, emigrate?

I mean, fighting to protect the people of a country is also a thing, it doesn’t have to be for the politicians.

[usrusr]

> Refuse to fight.

How would that change any of the stuff you lament?

Even the worst imaginable invasion would change little for the elites but a lot more for everybody else.

[spwa4]

Invasions have historically destroyed elites that haven't or can't flee.

Which means business/scientific/... elites that see things coming far enough out are fine, or get out with a large loss. And yes, I'm sure there's the occasional one that's really smart that gets out with a small profit, but I'm sure a large loss is the more normal experience.

Political elites, which is the large majority: people who are rich because they have a role in government, directly or indirectly are fucked.

[UqWBcuFx6NV4r]

Private jet travel? Cryptocurrencies? You’re just naming things that you don’t like. The reality is that these are not large contributors.

[thrance]

Don't know about cryptocurrencies, but private jets are a powerful symbol, and them not being the first thing paused when in an oil shortage sends a strong message to the rest of the population.

[sam_lowry_]

What would you say?

[illiac786]

If that’s obsession you really need to read some history books. Germany is barely lifting a finger.

[pjmlp]

Look at any other war in human history, when was this any different for the upper classes?

[0x000xca0xfe]

> I am all for Europe being prepared for war. That is a necessity.

Why? Name one scenario where EU needs a bigger army and masses of barely-trained conscripts.

If you say "Ukraine loses", why not spend all effort on helping Ukraine instead?

> So, I am all for better health care, better education, less dependency on foreign gas and oil, better funding for goverment programs ...

You do realize that preparing for war is insanely expensive and can only be funded by cutting all those other nice things? Also, what do we need education for if we actually expect many people to die in World War style ground warfare?

How about: Let's build some nukes, spend the rest of the money on Ukraine support, and forget about ground war conscription lunacy?

[spwa4]

> If you say "Ukraine loses", why not spend all the effort into helping Ukraine instead?

It can't be allowed to cost any real amount of money. In case you're about to say that's a contradiction with Ukraine support: 96% of all EU support to Ukraine is a loan that has to be repaid (and the "90 billion" package will be that, as well). If Ukraine wins, the current tally is that 15% of all Ukrainian tax will go to, well, effectively Germany. Still better than living under Putin, I get it, but ...

As for Germany's own wars: the German state sees Germans as both expendable and cheap. As you point out, these wars are pretty much planned in at the moment.

Oh and making these weapons, whether that means nukes or the other weapon that has worked really well in Ukraine (killbots), is going to be massively unpopular. (What are these killbots? Think the terminator T-1-8, except with realistic tires that will actually work and only one gun [1], or in the air [2]) Especially once AI is built into them.

Why? Every soldier, every person, that sees those drones is going to realize exactly what the German state wants of them: the areal ones are suicide drones: the German military will use the Zap Brannigan technique. After all, 1 German corpse = 1 disabled drone. Or get shredded to pieces by an AI machine gun that never misses in hopes that your corpse ties up it's tires afterwards. Odds are not good, so there will need to be a lot of you doing that.

I'm sure they'll give you a gun and be very happy if you disable a drone with a shot instead of your corpse, but the only guns that kind of work are shotgun net-launchers, which we all know right now: the military will never approve.

Don't worry, I'm sure the higher ups will get medals. Not for actually going on the frontlines.

Oh and the news from the frontline: those drones themselves are pretty good against bullets. Even hitting them does not often disable them. And hitting them is very hard to begin with.

Oh and, of course, it's not "the state" demanding this, it's the current German population not wanting to give up, well anything, to improve the future. By the way: the only thing worth discussing to be (partially) given up, really, is social security (41% of expenditures). The next 4 biggest costs are healthcare (16%), government jobs (17%), transportation (12%) and (least important) education (9%).

So it boils down to the same thing it always boils down to: the population must work more. In the sense that a decent chunk of Germans who either don't work, or work in government, must get themselves private sector jobs.

Alternatives? Well ... I have someone here: Wait! Comrade! Just say No! We'll just eat the rich instead! As for your question which party put Putin in power ... we don't talk about that. How rich is Putin? We don't talk about that either. Aren't most of the German rich "clients" of the state even now? And won't state control make that worse? I said: We DO NOT talk about that! Eat the rich! And don't build defenses at all! That's the solution.

[1] https://gdb.rferl.org/01000000-0aff-0242-3688-08dc5fafb30c_w...

[2] https://www.twz.com/news-features/inside-ukraines-fiber-opti...

[0x000xca0xfe]

> 96% of all EU support to Ukraine is a loan that has to be repaid (and the "90 billion" package will be that, as well). If Ukraine wins, the current tally is that 15% of all Ukrainian tax will go to, well, effectively Germany.

EU expects to use Russia's frozen assets as collateral/reparations for repayment when Russia gives up/Ukraine wins. Everybody knows that Ukraine cannot repay themselves.

> whether that means nukes or the other weapon that has worked really well in Ukraine (killbots), is going to be massively unpopular.

This thinking dominates the current discourse and it is shockingly stupid. Making nukes and drones is bad and unpopular, alright.

So instead we "prepare for war" and "get ready for hard times" because it sounds so brave, so heroic and abstract. Politicians are suddenly allowed to spend staggering amounts of money on defense companies - people love it - and nobody wants to ask what exactly is the scenario we are preparing for.

[bflatminor]

> 96% of all EU support to Ukraine is a loan

Most EU support is not repaid

> the German state sees Germans as both expendable and cheap

Germany hasn't lost a soldier in combat in over 10 years

> terminator

The rest is not even wrong

[guzfip]

> Because it seems that for being so obsessed to be prepared for war the only ones affected are the working class. The rich are just wasting resources away like if there was no tomorrow

In the US it was very fascinating to see the reaction to the Iran conflict. A bunch of geriatric pedowood actors and actual Epstein associates were seething that young men in general across the political spectrum who do not want to die in a pointless war of nothing in some god forsaken desert again.

[user32489318]

Ok Garry. Reference: (near-end) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IBsau5GlYcU&ra=m