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The United States withdraws from UNESCO

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301–310 of 989 posts

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#301
post #40

And it’s wild to think that more than 1/3 of the devs I’ve met in my life support this admin. These are seemingly smart people. The past 10 years or so made me realize I don’t know anything about human nature or intellect. Edit: I am in no way saying conservatism is bad and liberalism is good. I have my values in both.

> These are seemingly smart people. They _are_ smart people. There's more to the differences in perspective than "lib smart, maga stupid".

At this point there really isn't. The only political philosophy that meshes with Trumpism is anarcho-capitalism. If Trumpists were generally espousing anarcho-capitalism, I could respect that they were coming from a different fleshed-out perspective and we could debate the merits of it. But they are not! Rather Trumpists appeal to widely varying political ideals, but then when you try to apply a specific one to different actions of the regime it's either just crickets or a Gish gallop. So the straightforward conclusion is there is a glaring lack of any sort of coherent analysis.

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#302
post #40

And it’s wild to think that more than 1/3 of the devs I’ve met in my life support this admin. These are seemingly smart people. The past 10 years or so made me realize I don’t know anything about human nature or intellect. Edit: I am in no way saying conservatism is bad and liberalism is good. I have my values in both.

The online space (Reddit, HN, others) is so deeply embedded with groupthink that people have lost the ability to see other points of view or debate topics of interest. To me it's very clear why the government is leaving UNESCO (and over time the UN at large). The UN is dysfunctional and does not work. It used to be a source of soft power for the States, but hasn't been so for the better part of this century. Meanwhil…

Can you define “dysfunctional and does not work”

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#303

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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It's different perspectives, I've come to learn. The people I know who support this regime do so because they feel completely left out (they're low income so I'm not sure that applies to software developers). When there's nothing for you why wouldn't you want to just burn it all down? Then you can build a more "fair" system. Please note that I do not agree with literally anything current admin does, this is just the…

[flagged]

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#304
I know a lot of people here are looking to leave the US for Europe.

If you’re a founder in that situation and want to bring your startup with you, send me an email, especially if you’re looking to have a startup in defence/cybersecurity/ai. I made it a mission to help people in this situation to move. Contact on my profile.

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You took out the comment about people howling about change. Why? That seemed the central thesis of your statement. I would argue that it's not practical to burn the current system down without a plan at all for the next system (like the ACA a few years ago. . .) My concern isn't change. My concern is the complete lack of concern for consequences. Like it or not, the US is and has been on the decline in terms of world…

> Leaving a power vacuum, like dismantling the UN, will just open the door for places like China to step in. You think that country has any amount of give a crap about humanity as a whole? Not even a little, I would argue. If China wants to foot the bill, let them. As I pointed out, the US hasn't been getting anything in return for the last 25 years of footing the bill, basically since 9/11. China cares about its peo…

China especially cares about its Uyghur people, providing them with paternal supervision, excellent vocational camps, and even providing guests to live with families.

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#306

For sure this guy is going to, already is, ruining the peace and prosperity the world has enjoyed since WW2. I suspect he will make a major war, and invoke military rule or whatever, before the next election, in order to continue in power.

There is no doubt, given the status quo. ie Trump has no medical issues.

There will be a national emergency declared unsurprisingly to push back the election. Some states will perform some form of election to the best of their ability. Then SCOTUS declares that the unitary executive has the power to do this and we're in for a rough ride.

That being said, this UNESCO departure is a nothingburger that has more to do with Israel solidarity than anything else.

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#307
post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have to sign a document saying you won't boycott Israel, academic journals cancel editions which talk about Palestine, you can't be part of UNESCO for Israel. You can't write a college article critical of Israel or we'll kidnap you off the streets into an unmarked van. You can't be a business and not give a contract to Israel or your employee will tip off the Anti Boycott Office against you. Your Congressmen wear…

What happened on April third 2021?

Something of significance? I can’t find anything germane here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events/2021_A...

What happened?

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#308
post #40

And it’s wild to think that more than 1/3 of the devs I’ve met in my life support this admin. These are seemingly smart people. The past 10 years or so made me realize I don’t know anything about human nature or intellect. Edit: I am in no way saying conservatism is bad and liberalism is good. I have my values in both.

> These are seemingly smart people. They _are_ smart people. There's more to the differences in perspective than "lib smart, maga stupid".

If your intelligent in your work, but completely retarded when it comes to society , information gathering and independent thinking rather than regurgiate whatever your oranged tanned cheeto says, then no, your not smart. You just have been able to condition your brain to do something over and over again. Intelligence and smartness isnt about doing one thing well.

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#309
post #40

And it’s wild to think that more than 1/3 of the devs I’ve met in my life support this admin. These are seemingly smart people. The past 10 years or so made me realize I don’t know anything about human nature or intellect. Edit: I am in no way saying conservatism is bad and liberalism is good. I have my values in both.

I think(lol) that assuming the other side stupid is one of the big failures of current political environment. Honestly, I'm baffled that is "ok" to say something like "the other side is stupid" without being called out harshly for it. Using weasel words expressions like "seemingly smart people" doesn't make it better, it makes it worse.

Re: The United States withdraws from UNESCO

#310

> UNESCO’s decision to admit the “State of Palestine” as a Member State is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization. I asked this when the administration decided to attack funding for research at Harvard University over wild claims, and I ask again, why are we willing to shoot ourselves in the knees for Israel?

Because it’s not actually about Israel.

As a Jewish American my experience has lately been that about 25% of the Jews in my circle have always been Republicans and are all-in on this administration, believing that Jewish people and the State of Israel have no better friend than Donald Trump, and that all previous (Democratic) administrations have been anti-Israel. The other 75% are moderate Democrats who roll their eyes at the idea that Trump, his admin, or the vast majority of his voters care one iota about Jews or Israel, that they've found a convenient pretext for clamping down on private institutions and free speech, and see only minor differences in their actual foreign policy vis-a-vis the Middle East and Israel.

I consider myself a moderate's moderate and I do see where everyone's coming from, but if you held a gun to my head I'd probably agree with you: it's not actually about Israel.

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