Liu Cixin’s the Three-Body Problem book trilogy is one of the world’s bestselling Chinese sci-fi series, being read and endorsed by figures such as George R.R. Martin and Barack Obama. In Chinese public debates, however, critics highlight the series’ social Darwinist, misogynistic, and totalitarian tendencies, raising concerns about how the trilogy has been used by […]
I don't really agree with this and totally fucking love these books. However, it is a fairly interesting essay.
My broader point is that blowing your load on the first civilization you encounter with no followup plan for the second, third, fourth, fifth civilization you encounter makes no sense. If we're talking about real life, PRC isn't going to empty its entire nuclear arsenal on the US because there's also Russia, the DPRK, India, Pakistan, Israel, the UK, and France who all have nukes as well as countries who can quickly procure nukes like Iran. Moving back to the dark forest metaphor, it makes no sense to just have a rule to always kill or always hide from any living thing.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that what you should do if you're stuck in some dark forest is also the most boring and uninteresting answer: you should studiously observe what's in front of you, give a threat assessment, and make your move based on past experiences that are similar to what you're facing right now. This is neither faux-realpolitiks "kill anything that moves" nor some naivete about how aliens of a sufficient tech level are communists who come in peace.
The most reasonable answer is also the most boring and most obvious answer.
You most certainly have not. I mean I appreciate you taking the time to type this up but to be frank it is total nonsense.
In response to your first point for example, it is certainly possible to strike without revealing your position.
Are you talking about the technology within the book's settings or are you talking about a general principle?
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My broader point is that blowing your load on the first civilization you encounter with no followup plan for the second, third, fourth, fifth civilization you encounter makes no sense. If we're talking about real life, PRC isn't going to empty its entire nuclear arsenal on the US because there's also Russia, the DPRK, India, Pakistan, Israel, the UK, and France who all have nukes as well as countries who can quickly procure nukes like Iran. Moving back to the dark forest metaphor, it makes no sense to just have a rule to always kill or always hide from any living thing.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that what you should do if you're stuck in some dark forest is also the most boring and uninteresting answer: you should studiously observe what's in front of you, give a threat assessment, and make your move based on past experiences that are similar to what you're facing right now. This is neither faux-realpolitiks "kill anything that moves" nor some naivete about how aliens of a sufficient tech level are communists who come in peace.
The most reasonable answer is also the most boring and most obvious answer.
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