** Fear**

Ok - I'll give it a try...

For instance, I think that the people/government (they are one in the same, so don't want to say government) of Cuba are wasting an incredible resource - the island they live on. A different people living their - without the mindset of communism (very general word to apply to the dictatorship - sorry) would make it a completely different place.

So - with that said - the island is a constant and the people/government are using it poorly.

So you have geological plus brought down by populace negative = net out to a major loss in this case.

So, in my opinion the geological plus did nothing to make the "overall" experience a good one.

I do not see a exact cause-and-effect relationship between power and where you are. It's more of a symtomatic affect.

You make a good point, however . . .

I am arguing that America could not be in it's current position without it's geographic wealth.

The Iceland argument supports this.

I don't accept your Cuba argument as I don't believe that Cuba has resource pool anywhere near the levels of the USA.

I suppose you could say the same about american indians, if they got their act together they should be the superpower

Take my last post and substitute the USSR (Russia) for evey place I put Cuba...

Same exact point - the incredible resources of Russia (huge land mass - probably more oil and resource of that type than the USA) are worth nothing to the people who have wasted them for over 100 years.

Had that country followed the same path of democracy - empowering the individual - and capatilism - rewarding the individual - they would not be in the place they are today.

Same follows for China - incredible resources - power has not risen to meet that level. People are wasted because they are not rewarded.

I've heard opinions that the US is the only superpower remaining - I don't even like the word superpower - it makes the "whole" appear to have a personality when it's the individuals that make us who we are.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by szlamany

Take my last post and substitute the USSR (Russia) for evey place I put Cuba...

Same exact point - the incredible resources of Russia (huge land mass - probably more oil and resource of that type than the USA) are worth nothing to the people who have wasted them for over 100 years.

Had that country followed the same path of democracy - empowering the individual - and capatilism - rewarding the individual - they would not be in the place they are today.

Same follows for China - incredible resources - power has not risen to meet that level. People are wasted because they are not rewarded.

I've heard opinions that the US is the only superpower remaining - I don't even like the word superpower - it makes the "whole" appear to have a personality when it's the individuals that make us who we are.

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So . . . .

If you have a large geogrpahic resource then you can become a superpower. I believe that the world was scared of Russian nukes for a decade or so - I remember Russia actually BEING a superpower to rival the USA.

If you embrace the dissemination of knowledge you will carry on being a superpower. Russia did not so it collapsed.

It think that if you reread my posts you will find that this is exactly what I've been saying.

America was the same; the difference being that America supported the dissemination of knowledge and demcracy.

. . . I wouldn't denigrate China, if I were you: I reckon they will be the source of next great world empire . . .

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Originally Posted by yrwyddfa

. . . I wouldn't denigrate China, if I were you: I reckon they will be the source of next great world empire . . .

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I would never denigrate China - the people are wonderful and should be allowed to follow the dreams they choose.

And if they become the next great world empire that will be more "good" in the world - right?

If somehow that becomes more "bad" in the world then superpower is too vague a word to use - maybe bully would make more sense.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yrwyddfa

So . . . .

If you have a large geogrpahic resource then you can become a superpower. I believe that the world was scared of Russian nukes for a decade or so - I remember Russia actually BEING a superpower to rival the USA.

If you embrace the dissemination of knowledge you will carry on being a superpower. Russia did not so it collapsed.

It think that if you reread my posts you will find that this is exactly what I've been saying.

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I do think that Russia believe they were a superpower - but I personally - and this is just my opinion - believe that was all fluff - puff out the chest big enough so that others will be scared. I believe they actually could never have pulled anything off.

Embracing the dissemination of knowledge is just a "sub-part" of respecting and rewarding the individual.

Unfortunately re-reading this thread would be too much work - I've only replied to points that I felt needed another point of view. The thread in general has been all over the place - but it surely started about "fear" that was not based in reality...

And starting with post #38 (by you) I feel that you have too many generalized views that aren't the realities that we have here (at least the ones we tell ourselves!).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by szlamany

I do think that Russia believe they were a superpower - but I personally - and this is just my opinion - believe that was all fluff - puff out the chest big enough so that others will be scared. I believe they actually could never have pulled anything off.

Embracing the dissemination of knowledge is just a "sub-part" of respecting and rewarding the individual.

Unfortunately re-reading this thread would be too much work - I've only replied to points that I felt needed another point of view. The thread in general has been all over the place - but it surely started about "fear" that was not based in reality...

And starting with post #38 (by you) I feel that you have too many generalized views that aren't the realities that we have here (at least the ones we tell ourselves!).

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I started off by saying 'As a generalisation' I realise that, and I accept that. But by observation [looks around in case kedaman is here] I think that I've made a good generalisation in that it makes sense.

I think that the road to getting to a position where a govt is prepared to disseminate knowledge involves all that you say. You would have to respect the individual in order to do this . . .