Before I left hex, I remember having a discussion that basically went:
Me: The Hyperloop is an amazing example of what happens when you allow the oligarchical nobility of capitalism to replace decent public service planning. One incredible thing that China absolutely has managed to do is build out an extensive high speed rail network in basically two decades, which now connects most of the country, whilst in the US, it take two decades for a city to construct a the skeleton of a half decent local light rail system, long distance rail commuter travel hasn’t really improved in my life time.
Others: Yeah lol US sucks but have you seen Chinese hyperloop? I’m sure they will actually figure out how to do the tech correctly.
Me: Well, fundamentally I doubt it. Tech already exists to do long range high speed rail, its called maglev. The incredible additional cost of putting that whole system in very long vacuum tubes provides nearly 0 benefits and a long, long list of operational, safety and maintenance problems, as well as most likely just being practically impossible from an engineering standpoint.
Others: Well I don’t know, I’m sure the PRC can figure it out, here look at this article with fantastic claims and a video that doesn’t show anything like that.
Me: (Wait, so the same bullshit impossible claims from flashy presentations that demonstrate nothing, which we all lambast Elon for, are now amazing and wonderful when it comes from China?)
… I really think that a lot of tankies are still rebelling against their childhood instilled right wing Christian need to worship God, and have just replaced God with some other kind of fantastical ideology which they will defend uncritically, never fully grasping that no, all people and concepts and systems are fallible and flawed, none of them deserve worship, all deserve an equally critical view.
Before I left hex, I remember having a discussion that basically went:
Me: The Hyperloop is an amazing example of what happens when you allow the oligarchical nobility of capitalism to replace decent public service planning. One incredible thing that China absolutely has managed to do is build out an extensive high speed rail network in basically two decades, which now connects most of the country, whilst in the US, it take two decades for a city to construct a the skeleton of a half decent local light rail system, long distance rail commuter travel hasn’t really improved in my life time.
Others: Yeah lol US sucks but have you seen Chinese hyperloop? I’m sure they will actually figure out how to do the tech correctly.
Me: Well, fundamentally I doubt it. Tech already exists to do long range high speed rail, its called maglev. The incredible additional cost of putting that whole system in very long vacuum tubes provides nearly 0 benefits and a long, long list of operational, safety and maintenance problems, as well as most likely just being practically impossible from an engineering standpoint.
Others: Well I don’t know, I’m sure the PRC can figure it out, here look at this article with fantastic claims and a video that doesn’t show anything like that.
Me: (Wait, so the same bullshit impossible claims from flashy presentations that demonstrate nothing, which we all lambast Elon for, are now amazing and wonderful when it comes from China?)
… I really think that a lot of tankies are still rebelling against their childhood instilled right wing Christian need to worship God, and have just replaced God with some other kind of fantastical ideology which they will defend uncritically, never fully grasping that no, all people and concepts and systems are fallible and flawed, none of them deserve worship, all deserve an equally critical view.
You should find this argument and post it if you can