Summary: The author reflects on the calmness of Taiwanese people despite the looming threat of war, suggesting they should be more urgent about their future. He argues that the desire for conquest, seen in powers like China, overlooks the destruction and suffering that war brings. Ultimately, he questions the motivations behind imperial ambitions and highlights the dangers of complacency in the face of potential conflict.
Humanity’s curse is that we can peer into the future. We see a pandemic begin to spread, and we know that in a few weeks it will probably be everywhere. We see banks begin to fail, and we know that in a few months a lot of people will probably be out of a job. (View Highlight)
The ability to see into the future is a curse, but it’s also a blessing, as it allows humans to act to be ready for the terrible things ahead. Anxiety is the price of preparedness. (View Highlight)
War is never completely gone from the human experience, but when the big boys come out to play — or when they collapse — things get kicked up to another level entirely. (View Highlight)