Wednesday, August 29, 2007

The Military Industrial Complex

Technology & Warfare: they're like peanut butter & chocolate, eh?

I was watching the documentary "Why We Fight". It focuses on Eisenhower's use of the term military industrial complex in his farewell address:
A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction...

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.
We're a long way from World War II, though. We've got misplaced power all over the place...

What we've got today is a Frankenstein monster. Way too big. Way too powerful. Far more than what we need. We've got some Big Daddies patrolling the earth.

But if you want to play a game, BIOSHOCK is fucking insane. Been a while since I've been this into a videogame... it's absolutely incredible. Forget the future, America. Let's play some motherfucking XBOX!

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home