The Doomsday Machine: A Conversation with Carl Robichaud (Episode

Sam Harris speaks with Carl Robichaud about the ongoing threat of nuclear war. They discuss the film "Oppenheimer," the ethics of dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the false lessons of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the history and future of nuclear proliferation, the logic of deterrence, cyber vulnerabilities, the history of de-escalation, the war in Ukraine, war games, the nuclear taboo, growing tensions between the U.S. and China, artificial intelligence, getting to nuclear zero, the role for private citizens in mitigating nuclear risk, the Longview Nuclear Risk Policy Fund (www.longview.org/fund/nuclear..., and other topics.
Carl Robichaud co-leads Longview’s program on nuclear weapons policy. For more than a decade, Carl led grantmaking in nuclear security at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, a philanthropic fund which grants over $30 million annually to strengthen international peace and security. Previously, Carl worked with The Century Foundation and the Global Security Institute, where his research spanned arms control, international security policy, and nonproliferation. Robichaud holds an MPA in public policy and international affairs from Princeton University and a BA from Wesleyan University. He is a 1999 Thomas J. Watson fellow and a 2003 Harold W. Rosenthal fellow for international affairs and security at the Stimson Center and the Council on Foreign Relations. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Elsie Kagan, a painter.
Website: www.longview.org/fund/nuclear...
Twitter: @carlrobichaud
August 16, 2023
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[@xxxxxx7469]

Hi! Im a Mphil student at University of Oslo, writing my thesis on extended detterence and nuclear weapons. Thank you for highlighting the topic Sam, and especiallythe researchers. Really appreachiate it.

[@radosawmakowski2636]

Thank you Sam for bringing this complex and important topics into meaningful and insightful discussion . Cheers from Warsaw /Poland - city that has been many times mentioned by Russia and Belarus dictators as being the target for potential nuclear weapon during conflict in Ukraine.

[@christophorfaust2457]

As a nuclear engineer and someone who has played, “Let’s blow up the planet today”, over a hundred times, I’m sensitive to radiation’s secondary effect 6:45 , and the implications of bilateral nuclear war! That said, we need to realize that nuclear weapons are not going away, and the last thing we need to do is create unwarranted fear in a semiliterate society and planet. Most people don’t understand how nuclear weapons work, and the intricacies of secondary radiation effects are simply hazards to be avoided at all costs! This mindset is being used to extort military and political concessions by Putin today! He won’t be the last!!! My point here is that we (America) opened the nuclear option box, and our scientists, specifically Oppenheimer, gave the plans to Russia. We have the responsibility to ensure that global nuclear war is never a reality, and that comes from a strong nuclear deterrent and a resolve that says, “any place, anytime”!!! These “avoidance of reality”policy positions of our civil and illiterate polite society is the greatest threat we face as a nation, not external adversaries! Remember the job is to convince Russian, Chinese, Iranian generals that regardless of what he’s been told, if he pushes the button, he dies, his family dies, everyone they know dies too. It’s not about sanity, it’s about insanity and convincing the other side that we’re ready to go, anywhere, at any time! For what it’s worth?

[@jessieadair]

Thank you for sharing that -- it was an interesting thought provoking read.

[@Jules-Was-an-AnCap]

It's somehow become my job to defend Sam in so many ways, on so many channels.

[@someguy3429]

I was a fan of him for so long, and still want to be, but he seems to operate in bad faith when it comes to covid. He fails to correctly represent the arguments from the other side and won't engage in conversation with them either. It's very unlike the Sam I initially became a fan of. His take on Trump is pretty extreme as well. I am not a Trump fan but man people are not exaggerating when they say Sam has TDS.

[@Jules-Was-an-AnCap]

@@someguy3429 What you're saying actually makes sense to me, maybe Bret was irresponsible in some ways, but I'm not against Bret just because I'm a fan of Sam. I can see where you're coming from with Trump too, but still I'm a little more with Sam on this one, the push to abolish term limits is pretty much a bright line imo.

[@leonagnew895]

From what I've understood about his views on COVID, its that taking the vaccine when it was first introduced was rational. And those criticising the vaccine had no grounds to do so, unless they were experts in virology.

[@aaronpannell6401]

​@@someguy3429I haven't heard Sam say anything about Trump that was exaggerated or not true.

[@Thisisahandle701]

​@@someguy3429"TDS" is a fake medical sounding term to describe critics of Trump. It isn't real.

[@hilakummins3104]

What an amazing guy you are! Thank you for such a variety of topics & guests, I really learn a lot!

[@AcerbusCastus]

As a non-US listener I am baffled by the negative comments without critical, constructive commentary on the actual content 🤔

[@hamcheeselettucemayosandwich]

Most alt media podcasters are homogenising their opinions. Sam isn’t and the Rogan lover audience doesn’t respect that.

[@blakereneehope]

Most alternative vegan community podcasters have inflicted their opinion, who hail from the Equatorial regions. These various "thinkers" of the post pandemic theory marginalize Hollywood and regurgitate already known sequences. They build straw men out of the alt right, conquer and divide, and such films are important but nearly irrelevant in rational cultural discourse.

[@marcbelisle5685]

Have you ever been in the US? Mindless criticism is our main form of communication.

[@someguy3429]

​@@hamcheeselettucemayosandwichwhat we don't respect is his unwillingness to represent the other side's arguments correctly, and his refusal to engage in any actual discussion or debate about it. Sam used to be somebody to look up to when it came to navigating difficult conversations, regardless of whether we agree or not, but now he is straight up operating in bad faith. I think Sam's newer fans just don't get it.

[@abstractdaddy1384]

Welcome to the Internet

[@fredbloggs8369]

Hi Sam - a brilliant and incisive discussion. As an MA graduate in IR and also Strategic Studies (two degrees) I am so impressed with this discussion. I cannot emphasise enough the existential threat these weapons pose. I am not a 'bleeding heart' liberal either - I'm actually what they call a realist in IR, considered a right wing doctrine (though I prefer to refer to myself as 'pragmatic'). As a WMD specialist, however, I do sometimes despair at the lack of attention this subject can garner, so well done as always!

[@DanielJVoth]

Amazing Grace and Chuck is a movie in my opinion everyone should watch. Imagine the concept of this film happening for real in our social media age. Children and celebrities could become more powerful then any special interest group or government. “Maybe one day this story will be true”

[@ManicMindTrick]

Another must-see movie is By Dawn's Early Light from 1990 which is available to watch on KZbin for free. To me the scenario of how nuclear war happened felt so realistic and logical in every detail. It scared me.

[@captainzappbrannagan]

Thanks for the work you are doing! The world needs to hear these conversations and more importantly take them to heart. Wish there was an easy solution to this monster.

[@ottofrank3445]

Very good questions and explanations Sam! well done.

[@One_In_Training]

Hi Sam. Is there a way to get a list of all the books referenced in this, as well as other episodes of the podcast ?

[@lievenyperman9363]

Hi, I can help you with a list of the books referenced in this episode. I just started listening to it and will keep track of the mentioned books and share them with you afterwards.

[@lievenyperman9363]

Hi again Here is the list of books that were mentioned or refered to: - American Prometheus (Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin) - Hiroshima (John Richard Hersey) - Command and control (Eric Schlosser) - Dark territory (Fred Kaplan) When discussing China the work of Peter Zeihan was mentioned but no specific publication of his was refered to Another notable mention was the work of Bruce Gentry Blair on nuclear security but no specific publication was mentioned. Hopefully this is useful to you.

[@michaelgrant1165]

@@lievenyperman9363thankyou

[@Brianbeesandbikes]

@@lievenyperman9363 THANKS!

[@tevildo45]

Thanks lad. That’s very decent of you

[@1patula]

Thank you.

[@PMKehoe]

Much appreciated info and discussion; nice that the pre-Trump Dr. Harris can still make an appearance… I miss him!

[@jdclarke47]

My grandfather a captain in the Navy was a part of the Nuce program, died a horrible death from cancer at 63. His brother 97, and sister 101. We are a very sick society WORLD WIDE.

[@OctavioRichetta]

Interesting to see that perhaps the gratest contribution of president Kennedy to the country and humanity was avoiding nuclear war. As it was said, all advisors were against negotiating with Khrushchev because we had greater nuclear power. But still Kennedy decided to go against their advice and made the deal.

[@Jules-Was-an-AnCap]

Only Matthew Broderick can save us by playing tic tac toe.

[@abstractdaddy1384]

I felt like Sam was almost about to reference that movie when he said it seems like the best strategy is to not play at all.

[@chrissscottt]

I'll go see Oppenheimer upon your recommendation. Interesting interview, the guest seems measured and intelligent as far as I can see.

[@hamcheeselettucemayosandwich]

Just don’t pay extra for imax, not worth it

[@billj4525]

@@hamcheeselettucemayosandwich I saw it in IMAX, and while it was better, I think the difference was exaggerated. I loved the movie though, it was fantastic in my opinion.

[@billj4525]

Loved the movie, go see it.

[@scotchbarrel4429]

Saw it yesterday, the audio is in your face and distracting at times, so being focused helps alot. Also i didn't realize how promiscuous alot of these scientists are 😂

[@petershelton7367]

I couldn’t sit through the ending of Oppenheimer “ the shame of his treatment & I’m not even American

[@mad_cat_1st]

34:40 - Read Tom Clancy's "The Sum of All Fears." The climax of the story will have you throwing the book across the room in disgust because of how plausible the whole scenario really is. Jack Ryan actually has a communication link with the Soviet leader who is trying to negotiate with the President of the United States in order to avert the catastrophe. As it gets closer and closer to happening, with Jack Ryan trying to get the two leaders to talk with one another (the American Prez is being foolishly selfish), Ryan actually throws up in a waste can out of anxiety and stress. I know it's fiction, but Clancy writes it so well that he consults with the Pentagon on occasion.

[@drlangattx3dotnet]

Christopher Nolan said, "nuclear weapons are dangerous things to have laying around the house."

[@sethrenville798]

Actually, they're one of the safest weapons to leave laying around your house, assuming the weapon is properly shielded to protect you from the hideously mutagenic, ionizing gamma radiation.

[@andsowot]

A quote the man in the street could come up with 😴

[@jerrysmith5782]

I disagree with Carl's calling the nuclear bombings and the firebombing of Dresden and Tokyo "atrocities". "Atrocities" are generally referring to unjustified acts. Without knowing what would have happened without these "atrocities", how can he know that they were unjustified? To NOT do those bombings may have been an atrocity, resulting in even greater harm...we will never know for certain.

[@aussj4link214]

By that logic we can't know what if any event is ever justified.

[@johndonovan7897]

Based on the title I thought this was going to be about Daniel Ellsberg's 2017 book of the same title. But the topics are essentially the same. It's sort of amazing that there hasn't been an accidental nuclear exchange so far. Luck I guess.

[@tonywilson4713]

Yes its a shame Sam never got to interview Daniel Ellsberg as there's a massive mistake in this interview. at 28 minutes The Americans *DID NOT* depth charged the Russian submarines during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In an interview with theAnalysisNews (which is available here on YT) Daniel Ellsberg *who was actually there* at the time related what happened. The American's were actually trying to *SIGNAL* the Russian submarines by throwing hand grenades into the water. That wasn't working because they'd blow up before they went deep enough. So they started wrapping the hand grenades in toilet paper. They'd throw the hand grenades into the water which would then sink before the toilet paper fell away. What the American's didn't know was that this freaked out the Russian because at depth the hand grenades had a concussive effect that made the Russians feel like they were being attacked. What saved the world was the oddity that Vasily Arkhipov was on the particular submarine that thought it was under attack. Normally it only takes 2 people (the commander & political officer) to use a nuclear weapon. The submarine Arkhipov was on (the B-59) was one of 4 Foxtrot submarines sent to Cuba by the Russians. He was NOT the commander of that submarine he was the Commander the flotilla of 4 Foxtrots. On the B-59 the actual commander Valentin Savitsky. Savitsky and his political officer DID PREPARE to launch their T-5 nuclear torpedo, *BUT* because Arkhipov was on that submarine it also required him to agree and he didn't. He worked out the Americans were only trying to signal them. *THAT'S HOW CLOSE IT WAS.* Had Arkhipov been on one of the other Foxtrot submarines then Savitsky would have launched the B-59s nuclear torpedo *which the Americans didn't even know they had.* The Americans didn't find out for many years just how close it came. As a side note of trivia the character played by Liam Nesson (Mikhail "Misha" Polenin, E) in the film _K19: The Widomaker_ is based on Arkhipov.

[@IvanTokmenin]

Thank you Sam and the team for your hard work!

[@ahmetdogan5685]

Thank you for nuking the Paywall! Do that again, Sam.😅

[@GratefulToday]

Nuking? 😀

[@firefly9838]

Sam does have nukes😌

[@Thomas...191]

Do it again? Then, I suppose: we'll always have Harris.

[@winback500]

Keep up the good work. great stuff Sam 🙂

[@1971spots]

This was a good one.

[@Moncrieff_]

Someone please time stamp this!

[@sandiegojoey1]

Rather than a subscription, I wish Sam gave us PPV options

[@MentalHealthMMA]

Keep your head up Sam ❤

[@TennesseeJed]

I live 15 miles from Oak Ridge Y12 and X10

[@devalapar7878]

Unfortunately Russia didn't destroy its tactical nuclear weapons as the US did.

[@ricgondo]

What do you make of Oppenheimer not being release in Japan? Ah, I live in Japan. Take care!

[@RS-uh7rz]

Interesting discussion, but I think I disagree with the conclusion. Heightened public awareness would justifiably lead to heightened public anxiety, but I don't see pressure from a frightened public leading to better policy.

[@indigo1417]

Interesting thought

[@Jules-Was-an-AnCap]

Referenced Peter Zeihan, pls bring back on the pod.

[@waltman11]

Can anyone give any context to the massive increase in trolls in all of Sam’s videos? What have I missed?

[@scotchbarrel4429]

Orange cult supporters, and Twit chief zombies 😂

[@Sam-tx1tn]

Trump loving trolls for the most part.

[@stephencrook6998]

​@@Sam-tx1tnso he's doing something well/impactful, if they pause their treasoning long enough to troll.

[@jiuonis]

​@@stephencrook6998yeah sure, embaracing himself deeper and deeper in regards to covid/vaccines/masks etc.

[@aaronpannell6401]

​@jiuonis So its mainly Republicans and anti vaxxers that have a problem with him.

[@greghuntington9277]

We really want to hear what influence Nietzsche had on your current world view Are you a critic, Sceptic, or Philosopher?

[@robertburke2246]

Paradoxically, Nukes have saved many lives over the years.

[@michaelcrain3360]

Regarding AI with regard “to pushing the button” or not in response to an incoming threat; war games simulations can significantly reduce the AI unknowns. I think it’s more important to get right the “exact” nature of the imminent threat such that the optimal war-game response scenario can be executed.

[@john1425]

I don't have the solution here but I think its terrifying that this guest represents a group of people that are the MOST careful and cautious about this issue but he still endorses walking the tightrope of nuclear escalation by engaging with Russia in this war, and also entering into a full-blown war with Russia in response to them using nuclear weapons. I think its extremely important for us to acknowledge the very plausible situations where using a nuclear weapon would be a logical choice for Russia instead of lying to ourselves.

[@YuraK25]

keep supporting russia pretending to care about humanity.

[@abstractdaddy1384]

By your logic Russia could conquer the entire world while everyone just stands by and watches because standing up to them might provoke nuclear war.

[@JhgffjPoubelle]

Dear Sam... (i've heard that line before, with a ring) i am sorry no to give you money, i am from France, i have already many subscriptions (real newspapers, some printed, some online only) but once i'll find a few bucks / € i'll send them to you or some charities in your country, if it is possible (red cross, médecins sans frontières...) No offense meant. I have the chance to be barely fluent in english. And i almost most agree with some of your thoughts (from europe, you could be from either far left to just the hard right (not far right) I listen (leasson ? Hear ? haaaaa) your casts on a regular basis. Thank you very much for making this one full and available. France says hello. We all nee to learn about each other. On the topic, we in Europe (as a whole) see you as a doomsday impossible people to be told "You shoud maybe consume less" I. Am. So. Sorry. i'd be glad if you, and some of our thinkers could meet (even from far away) USA thinks of USA as USA all the time.

[@exoxy]

What?

[@JhgffjPoubelle]

@@exoxyTo summarize : We cannot trust the USA to the "lead the world" on climate related topics. Nothing good will come from a pure consumerism, car centered nation.

[@libraryofcod6098]

thank you sam

[@MarcoEmeryLinden]

One correction. The Cuban Missile Crisis was NOT the closest post-1945 the world got to nuclear war. The world got closer in 1973 in the Yom Kippur War, when Golda Meir took out thirteen nuclear weapons and was prepared to fire them.

[@tonywilson4713]

Sorry you are wrong and there's actually a huge mistake made by Paul Robichaud at 28 minutes. Before he died Daniel Ellsberg who was their during the Cuban Missile Crisis gave an interview to theAnalysisNews -which is available here on YT. The American's NEVER depth charged the Russians but were actually trying to *SIGNAL* the Russian submarines by throwing hand grenades into the water. That wasn't working because they'd blow up before they went deep enough. So they started wrapping the hand grenades in toilet paper. They'd throw the hand grenades into the water which would then sink before the toilet paper fell away. What the American's didn't know was that this freaked out the Russian because at depth the hand grenades had a concussive effect that made the Russians feel like they were being attacked. What saved the world was the oddity that Vasily Arkhipov was on the particular submarine that thought it was under attack. Normally it only takes 2 people (the commander & political officer) to use a nuclear weapon. The submarine Arkhipov was on (the B-59) was one of 4 Foxtrot submarines sent to Cuba by the Russians. He was NOT the commander of the B-59 he was the overall Commander of the flotilla of 4 Foxtrots. On the B-59 the actual commander Valentin Savitsky and his political officer DID PREPARE to launch their T-5 nuclear torpedo, *BUT* because Arkhipov was on that submarine it also required him to agree and he didn't. He worked out the Americans were only trying to signal them. *THAT'S HOW CLOSE IT WAS.* Had Arkhipov been on one of the other Foxtrot submarines then Savitsky would have launched the B-59s nuclear torpedo *which the Americans didn't even know they had.* The Americans didn't find out for many years just how close it came. As a side note of trivia the character played by Liam Nesson (Mikhail "Misha" Polenin, E) in the film _K19: The Widomaker_ is based on Arkhipov.

[@tonywilson4713]

There's actually a _"List of nuclear close calls"_ and despite what happened in 1973 being way too close there's a couple of others that got closer. There's also one close call that's NOT on that list and that's the one where a software engineer loaded up a simulation into the BACK-UP system (I think on Friday) and didn't tell people that it was ready to go. While that software engineer wasn't present the main system faulted and the back-up system kicked in and started running the simulation AND NOBODY KNEW it was a simulation. They apparently got within seconds of pushing the button when someone realised that it was running the simulation that they were planning to run in future.

[@victorvispetto2367]

Public service announcement, awareness is paramount... Thanks for Sam $ expert guest to expose what's needed...

[@jamesobrien1863]

A non-nuclear war with the USSR and/or China was very likely, eventually if nuclear weapons had not been invented. Economic growth and fossil fuel use by the 1960 would have fuelled a war involving 70-100m tonnes of chemical ordinance being produced. Such a war would have been horrendous, much much more destructive than WW2. Of course that point is moot to those who endured non-nuclear modern warfare in various "proxy" in Vietnam and Afghanistan and many other places. So nuclear weapons are good as long as the vengeance doctrine MAD works. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were not part of MAD but, simply put, were war crimes.

[@Holmefjord93]

The movie was Great. Just as Sam Harris Usually is 👍🙂

[@Ryanandboys]

You said his last name correctly! (It's also my last name and not super common so most people butcher it haha)

[@lhurst9550]

My fear would be some of these groups would work against nuclear power, a totally different scenario that easily gets confused.

[@hercules09able1]

The Bisantain empire, against Trace (Bulgaria). They made the whole army blind, one lefth untouched as leader of the group to walk back home.

[@DrRussPhd]

The opening music does suggest "doomsday".

[@jamesdonop445]

What amazes me is Hiroshima and Nagasaki both have growing population counts since the end of the war. I expected radioactive wastelands

[@noahway13]

I almost think we should have a nuclear test just to remind people what could happen.

[@VaughanMcCue]

The nuke era, where the power we have unleashed has outstripped our wisdom. Oct 15 '23

[@carlhitchon1009]

I wonder how many people were incinerated in the firebombing of Tokyo. Here we have a lot of second guessers. But at least dropping the fucking thing demonstrated how devastating it was. Wonder how else we would have learned.

[@andywilliams8540]

no bomb then no anime was well worth

[@hollywooda111]

How America can ever take the moral high ground in any conflict after what they did to those civilians in Japan with their A bombs. They should of been tried for war crimes absolutely disgraceful.

[@abstractdaddy1384]

You should do some basic research on civilian deaths caused by countries during world war 2. The suffering caused by the atomic bombs was unfortunately a drop in the bucket compared to everything else that happened.

[@anewman]

anyone who comments in the first 10 minutes is pretty much a low life troll who misses being able to attack Sam on twitter

[@kevinchrist1658]

Anyone who comments in the first 15 minutes is a shill.

[@Mac-ku3xu]

Yeah, those were the days.

[@TheSymphonyOfScience]

Don't be a lying cuck...maybe we used to love sam, but he's gone off the rails lately

[@anewman]

@@kevinchrist1658 anyone who comments in the first 20 minutes on another person's comment is likely trying to pick a fight because they hate themselves

[@radscorpion8]

once again demonstrating the need for moderation...honestly I will have to email Sam myself lol

[@titusmagnuseinuniversumaus6354]

Lord of War 2 will jump right on that topic, i would guess...

[@MrSameerkhan51]

Very engaging, thank you, small change goes long way ❤

[@Brand00d]

It’s lit

[@russellmania3000]

Brought to you paywall-free by Universal Pictures

[@cosmocoatl]

Favorite movie of the year and of Nolans

[@OddityDK]

Does Russia actually have nukes? I read a post on Quora, by a guy who claimed to have studied the subject of nuclear proliferation for decades, in which he among other things talked about how expensive and time consuming it is to maintain such weapons. For example, the explosives in the warheads have to be inspected and replaced with regular intervals. Considering the state of the Russian forces, anyone see the video where soldiers were told that they themselves had to purchase body armor, medical supplies and basically everything apart from a uniform and weapon, one wonders how many of their nuclear weapons are actually operational.

[@noahway13]

What is crazy, is there is not a single person in the west who thinks we would do a first strike, but the paranoia on the other side is what could trigger the end.

[@worrierqueen5695]

And I can hear someone 'on the other side' parroting exactly the same thing.

[@zonedoyestander]

I never bought the idea that the decision to drop the bombs without warning was so certain to be the best option that the more humane alternatives weren't to be tried first. As Sam said, the justification was given afterwards, which seems like pandering to me. I'll admit that I don't know more than your average person about the level of fanaticism that the Japanese had at that time, but it would have to be very extreme to justify skipping every less destructive tactic. What is the price of a nuke compared to the lives of tens of thousands of mostly innocent civilians?

[@MrJonnyl123]

More people would have a died in a land invasion of Japan tbf

[@nooneofconsequence1251]

Imperial Japan was just as evil as Nazi Germany... but I still think the use of the atom bombs was unjustifiable.

[@gooddaysahead1]

I think a broad view of abominable Japanese behavior toward the people Japan attacked has to be part of the context. The viciousness and torture suffered by peoples all over the Pacific and Far East at the hands of Japanese soldiers was horrific. The complete disregard for humanity still resonates with Korea and China, and other countries of the Far East. I believe this kind of inhumanity had to be part of the decision to do such destruction to Japan.

[@peterthegreat996]

Don’t forget all the other down winders, from all the bombs tested.

[@aaronpannell6401]

36:00 this is negated because of nuclear subs. If all the nukes on Americas mainland is deystroyed their is still nuclear subs to attack the provoking country. Every nuclear power aside from north Korea has agreed not to use nukes until its 100%verrified nukes have already been used. Treaties of course can be broken, but its not as bad as Sam thinks it to be here according to Stephen.

[@juanReflex37]

Excelente Sam Harris

[@rickschroeder9012]

With the current condition of the Russian military. How do we know what the condition of the Russian nuclear weapons state? If it is bad as the rest of their military the missiles could be rotting in their silos. That’s scary.

[@kelseystrate2035]

As smart as we are, it is not easy to surmount our ape ancestry of intergroup competition and conflictt.

[@swiitchy511]

Signal BOOST

[@devalapar7878]

It started like a conversation between teenagers but it got better later. Some points I want to mention are: 1. The nuclear attack never depends on a single person. At least not in a democracy. 2. Personal is trained to act in stress situations. They are trained to recognize false radar data. 3. The mutual destruction is a deterrence. Otherwise, your enemies would just nuke you away. 4. We had far more wars before nuclear weapons. So nukes as nonsensical as it sounds have caused more peace. 5. In all their criticism they assume that the other side acts moral. You don't know that. 6. The only reason why other countries don't develop nukes is because they are under the protection of US nuclear umbrella.

[@kingsman3087]

yeah nuclear weapons don't seem to be used very frequently these days

[@aaronpannell6401]

​@@kingsman3087they have only ever been used twice in history. Not counting the tests.

[@MichalKaczorowski]

Ad 4. It is caused not by nuclear bombs but but the incalculable loss of life during World War II. Large countries have not fought with each other since then. They even strengthened cooperation never seen in history (e.g. the European Union)

[@aaronpannell6401]

@@MichalKaczorowski it can be both. The US weren't trading with the USSR during the cold War and we never went head to head probably because of the mutually assured self destruction. But yea trade and cooperation makes countries far richer and prosperous than war does.

[@kingsman3087]

@@aaronpannell6401 we've been on the 'brink' for 75 years

[@vijjreddy]

Does it matter what Oppenheimer felt or what movie shows he felt, what matter is years later with more knowledge about the weapon, idiots like Ronald Reagon asked his war advisors whether small tactical nuclear weapons are possible, how they can be used in war..

[@hankhill7827]

I can't believe Sam gave Barbie a 7 smh.

[@meistereckhart9188]

Next year probably: a conversation with AI

[@ramonpuello2357]

If we are still here.

[@devalapar7878]

I mean it is obvious why they didn't use strategic nuclear weapons. They would just destroy their own country and soldiers. Ukraine is too close. But it could use tactical nuclear weapons.

[@liamf5311]

This is insanity

[@frankspike4062]

Da bomb.

[@longlakeshore]

Let's keep this in perspective. The US firebombed 69 Japanese cites killing over a million civilians before dropping Little Boy on Hiroshima. Did firebombing make Japan's military government quit? No. Did they care about their civilians? No. Under the Bushido (Samurai) code everyone was expected to die for the Emperor. Two atom bombs DID make Japan quit. BTW the firebombing raids continued over the three days of the atomic raids ending with a total of 72. More perspective? Japan killed 20 million civilians in China, 2 million in SE Asia (French Indochina & Burma), 2 million in the Philippines and at least million in Indonesia (then DEI). This ranks with the German invasion of the USSR which killed 25 million. It's a terrible arithmetic but the dead at Hiroshima & Nagasaki saved millions more civilians than soldiers had the status quo war continued. The US estimated that 2 million Japanese civilians would die in the full scale invasion set for Nov 1945 and March 1946. It reminds me of what Lincoln said of Grant: "This man understands the arithmetic." Truman knew the bomb was well used and halted any further automatic military use after Nagasaki.

[@aaronpannell6401]

But to drop 2 atomic bombs 3 days apart isn't ethical imo. At least give them time to understand what just happened and what we have.

[@longlakeshore]

@@aaronpannell6401 Oh they understood. The 3 military ministers of the Japanese government didn't want to quit after two atom bombs! The 3 civilian ministers did want to quit. The emperor had to break the tie. Even then there was an attempted coup by lower level army officers which took four days to quell before the emperor's surrender message could be broadcast to the nation.

[@aaronpannell6401]

@@longlakeshore but we will never know if that also would have happened after just dropping 1 atomic weapon.

[@longlakeshore]

@@aaronpannell6401True but we do know that two atomic bombs did make them stop when 69 firebombing raids didn't AND that the military didn't want to quit even after two atomic attacks.

[@Andrea-zm1nl]

I'm intrigued by the concept of ethics in this context. I thought we, the human race, had come to the conclusion that the existence of nuclear weapons is, infact, unethical. The creation of these weapons was immoral and unethical all the way around. The usage of bombs, of any kind, on cities full of innocent civilians is and was unethical, no matter how many soldiers it might have saved. There is absolutely nothing that can be said that excuses or justifies the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Ethics and morals don't even belong in the same paragraph as nuclear weapons. I really was hopeful that we had figured out that just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should. And AI is exactly the same.. so I guess not.. sad and disappointing.

[@reinforcedpenisstem]

The nuclear situation is like a meta 2nd Amendment. Don't see how we can be annoyed with only one of these situations.

[@randyrapaport2806]

Yeah Sam, if events were different than you said, then you’d be right.

[@foxyheart517]

Maybe Jeff bezos ex-wife, McKenzie Scott would be interested in this issue

[@michaelhawk1826]

Maybe if more kids die you will be forced to take the jab 😢

[@MiracleTemplePenticostal]

Praise the Lord 🙏

[@skepular]

I can't afford to buy full episodes so I asked for free access, as you offered- It was not allowed!

[@ArcadianGenesis]

Damn. What did they say?

[@Alex-yv4vr]

That’s not been my experience. Me and a friend both got access for free, without any questions asked

[@davidduarte2887]

Not my experience either.

[@wallpaper5300]

I'd rather see the other perspective, who cares about oppenheimmers perspective, the little guy is always left out, no matter what.

[@lsmlsm2115]

Thats Hollywood for ya

[@justmejustme4444]

You want a film about a mediocre Japanese fisherman who after a mediocre day of fishing comes home to a mediocre house, wife and family. Then a nuclear bomb atomises him. The end?

[@wallpaper5300]

@justmejustme4444 Some of those Japanese don't fish. They work in office buildings, work in hospitals, and attend school. Maybe the horror of these people skin melting from their bodies and little babies' eyeballs popping out, you know, like a true horror movie like Hollywood likes to make only, this would be based on facts. Oh wait Japs as you probably would call them don't deserve this type of exposure.

[@lucaslovesyouiii]

Bet Taiwan wouldn’t mind having at least a couple nukes now

[@toad1er]

Well this ruins my weekend

[@jestermoon]

Take A Moment Proffeser Sir. You paint pictures with your words Thank you and your colleagues for the universe examples provided I am Jester Moon The Wizard of Silly Funny yet still standing on the shoulders of giant's. Stay Silly Stay Safe and Stay Free ❤ Peace and love etc

[@what2118]

You kind of lost me on the remark about dead children in hunter Biden's laptop comment. I guess we are all in denial in some way or other?

[@richardlegrand4697]

Lol.. ya' ll still mad for sam calling out rogan and bret

[@someguy3429]

Sam is literally wrong about everything covid and he's too much of a coward to discuss with anybody directly. Dude became a disingenuous bitch. And I was a fan of his long before you were, I'm sure.

[@acebigaloo7991]

You mean for being wrong? So brave m. Get boosted

[@richardlegrand4697]

@@acebigaloo7991 Damn what did I do to you?

[@aaronpannell6401]

​@@acebigaloo7991The stats prove otherwise.

[@bardoface]

The co promoting of the film with Barbie was bizarre and looks like blatant nihilism or mockery. Embarrassing. I’m not watching either film. I’ve seen enough.

[@1R0QU012]

Yes, but have you imagined that everything was different? And if the were different you’d have been right?

[@DocDanTheGuitarMan]

“Seemed warranted to respond to something In Pakistan” spoken like a true American

[@NoMastersNoMistress]

Threads is still the most important nuke movie, sorry.

[@mimetype]

Half a million followers, 53 comments... That's one comment per 11320 people.

[@Hjkkgg6788]

Just go away

[@mimetype]

@@Hjkkgg6788 You first.

[@Jules-Was-an-AnCap]

Thank you, Captain Autism!

[@ramonpuello2357]

Don't believe the hype.

[@DocDanTheGuitarMan]

Has Biden checked where Taiwan is on the map?

[@mikestain5963]

If anyone wants a background story for sam harris... i would check out what jimmy dore has to say about

[@devalapar7878]

I hate people who are technically illiterate. Old tech is less hackable than new tech. Old tech is easier to repair and maintain. There is a reason why military uses mostly old software. On a 286 or a commodore I knew every byte of the operating system. Today's software is huge. Nobody knows every part of it.

[@karasira2696]

Facts 👌

[@devalapar7878]

@@spooky_action I have no idea what you mean. Why would I hate myself?

[@devalapar7878]

@@spooky_action You mean me? Do you even know who I am?

[@devalapar7878]

@@spooky_action How does that counter anything? I wish people would stop writing meaningless statements. You don't say anything. Nobody knows what you mean. Do you realize that? People need an explanation! If you write statements like that, you just out yourself as an idiot.

[@user-kl9sr4ry6s]

b00m