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This gets toward one of our differences: I don't share your technological optimism, particularly when it comes to the economics. This idea that once something is technologically possible, it will become broadly affordable within some reasonably short timeframe (due to ongoing "progress")… well, when is the inevitable progress of ever-cheaper technology going to make supersonic passenger flight economical?
Sure, but one can extrapolate from the evidence, and, more importantly, it's not the "influential liberals" (to the extent there even are any left) that we need to worry about, it's the much more influential illiberal left that's the issue.
This is a perennial frustration of mine, interacting with people online, this idea that criticism of a proposed plan of action is inherently invalid unless the critic can present a fully-fleshed superior alternative. Like, an architect has a proposal for a new, record-setting suspension bridge to be built across some span of water. He's got blueprints, and cost estimates, and everything. Except, you look at it, and it's all missing the cables from which the road bed is meant to be suspended. If you point this out to him, and that his bridge is going to collapse without them, and he responds "well, where's your proposed bridge? Where are your blueprints, your budgets? You don't have any? Well, then your criticism is therefore invalid, and my bridge will hold up just fine!" What do you say to that?
Your proposed course of action is, if I understand it, is to buttress liberalism against the illiberal "woke" left long enough for these technologies to become broadly available and obviate the political issues, right? Except, your means for doing so is, what, voting Republican? That's the part I primarily object to, and where I keep pushing the "and if that don't work?" questions your way.
I'm not discussing most other plans at this time.
In the meantime, the mainblog will soon be shutting down for a six-month hiatus.
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