So I spent an hour or two listening to Shostakovich, and I cannot escape the idea that what we need to eliminate is not nuclear weapons–and all the other things that could destroy us, like weaponized AI, and germ warfare–but the IDEA of all of these.
Everyone at some level wants peace. All nations–the people of all nations–want peace.
What we need to figure out is who wants war. There are many people in positions of power who want war. Who need war, despite the cost. At any cost.
Nations who do not want war still prepare for war, because so many people in this world are still insane.
My sense is that we need to eliminate those who cannot be negotiated with, and negotiate with the rest.
Why can’t we all want a world where we are all free to live and die as we see fit?