Re: SCIENCE: Better Killing through Chemistry

From: David M. McLean (sd-musiclab@home.com)
Date: Tue Nov 06 2001 - 17:16:03 MST


<Pine.LNX.4.10.10111061212130.22641-100000@server.aeiveos.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Sender: owner-extropians@extropy.org
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: extropians@extropy.org

Robert said:
> Scientific American (boo, hiss...) is pointing out how
> easy it is to order the basic ingredients for chemical
> weapons.
>
> URL: http://www.sciam.com/explorations/2001/110501sarin/

Personally, I'm a bit surprised at the way security "experts" keep
framing both the problem(s) and the proposed solutions...which is
roughly the same way I fell about the lack of focus from the political
sphere.

In an age where even kids and detatched businessmen and bored housewives
who spend their time viewing the soaps & Oprah (none of whom have been
much exposed to "new age-ie stuff") have heard terms like "holistic" and
phrases like "treat the causes, not the symptoms", it seems that
"experts" would take a larger view of the problem - which enables a more
focused yet comprehensive road to success.

That said, I find this article to be just another diversion from looking
the real issues squarely in the face. The problem is not how easy it is
to kill people. That's easy enough to do for terrorists and criminals
and governments and nature and just about any thing/one else one would
care to mention.

A more productive question, to my way of thinking, is: How do you remove
one's motivation for killing? Specific to our current "war": How do you
de-activate the terrorist cells?

-- 
David M. McLean
Skinny Devil Music Lab
http://www.skinnydevil.com


This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sat Nov 02 2002 - 08:11:51 MST