People were starting to think that way at the "end of history" period between the Cold War and 9/11. At that time the major powers were not involved in wars, and it was believed that regional ones could be "solved" like Yugoslavia.

9/11 was a huge success for Bin Laden's goal of restarting a forever war, though.

> People were starting to think that way at the "end of history" period between the Cold War and 9/11.

And between WW1 and WW2. And just before WW1, during the Belle Époque. And probably before that, too.

Yes, I am. That requires a total reassesment of who the real enemy is, though (hint: psychopaths at power).

How do you reliably prevent a clever psychopath who's set their mind to it from gaining power?

That is the question worth focusing all the available energy and enthusiasm that is always somewhere else, but never at the humankind's worst problem.

I think the answer could arise from a widely growing understanding of

a) the methods of mass manipulation. Without manipulation, or outright mass hypnosis, no dictator is possible;

b) the whole structure of power, and the fact that there are numerous barriers to filter out all non-psychopaths along the way to the top, with multiple checkpoints where an ever increasing degree of corruption and depravity must be demonstrated to the controllers.

But even a) alone should be sufficient.

Where there are simians, there is war. The more primitive the society, the bloodier and more total the war is. I wish our problem were psychopaths in power, but the truth is we are a tribal and fearful species and war is in our genes. It's as certain as a sunrise as long as there are humans.

This is the goto excuse, or mantra if you will, deeply programmed into people by those who need cannon fodder to protect heaps of loot robbed from said fodder.

"We". "War is in our genes".

Start with "me". Do I need war? Do I want war?

Do I have something that differentiates me from a simian?

To bear a reasoning mind, and have a heart that is capable of love, and still to appeal to the animal foundation is a total betrayal of everything that makes you not just yet another animal.

I don't want or need war, but I won't deny to having felt tribal impulses before. I won't deny culture and groups are different from individuals. Idealism is fine until it starts interfering with reality.

> Idealism is fine until it starts interfering with reality.

Idealism has been carving into reality nonetheless.

Our current standards of living are straight out of platonic Eidos, compared to those of our cave-dwelling predecessors.

Computers are also a perfect example of materialized ideals. Airplanes, Internet, space exploration, you name it.

Why should that stop at war for any reason other than someone having a deep vested interest in it?