Who said 16?

Who said the licensing requirements would be the same?

All the best to you and your imagination. (Though Walt Disney is very much not anti-gun or war.)

everyone: talking about restricting access to guns
you: make comparisons to cars
I: point out cars are restricted use
you: “great logic homie”

Commodity Driven Modernity is absolutely non-sustainable, I agree.

As a country Iceland comes close, and possibly could be sustainable with minor changes you’re right. The others, I know less about the situation of.

I didn’t realise anyone could legally use a car without training and license.

A gun does considerably more damage more easily than simply being strong.

You don’t even need to get close. You don’t even need to keep meaning to hurt or kill, a single moment’s pull of the trigger can do it.

Your point isn’t that the PRC is good for the environment?

China is pretty capitalist and incredibly environmentally destructive.

Huge amounts of waste incineration for the huge amounts of waste. . Restaurants will serve you in disposable plastic tubs with one use chopsticks, wrapped in plastic, because:

1. It powers the economy, and gotta chase those GDP numbers.
2. It’s convenient, and is the PRC loves convenience over life more than an ironic stage persona of Jello Biafra.

I agree with your view for how they’re seen in universe, but “anti-hero” is a Doylian status rather than Watsonian.

Holden follows heroic, regarded as heroic by our 21st century Anglo-European society morality. Alex, while the heart of the gang is more of an anti-hero due to his commitment phobia and run of failed relationships.

They’re all (except Amos (except he kinda is in his own way)) admirable characters, and worthy of emulation.

Clarissa, like Fred Johnson, and to a lesser extent Avasarala (although more so in the books) started off in antagonist roles, and thus tend to be more anti-hero /accepting of less moral choices because of that. Good arcs and development with all of them. But Johnson is more supporting cast, so doesn’t quite get to anti-hero for me on that count, but made difficult choices to make up for past crimes.

Really? Holden damn close to the platonic ideal of a reluctant hero, with a strong moral compass.

He wobbles a bit later with all the PTSD, but generally always tries to do the right thing the best way he can.

Naomi and Bobbi too, Naomi did bad stuff in her back story, but she’s much surer of herself and her sense of right and wrong due to that. Bobbi possibly a very mild anti-hero as she can lean a little blood knight, but not quite anti-hero in my view.

Drummer and Fred Johnson are much more morally grey, and start out as more antagonists than they end up being.

Avasarala is similar, but she’s also a magnificent foul mouthed mother. She can get anti-hero status for sure.

Amos I think is more of a villain protagonist (dueteragonist?) than anti-hero.

Miller is anti-hero in the Shinji Ikari type.

Yes, the “pax” Americana has not been good for vast swathes of the Earth.

I have a soft spot for it, especially the eponymous track - but it’s not their best work, but the title song is a great one the way it crests up.

Honestly, it’s really mainly historical clout.

Failing to conquer Taiwan was seen as the one thing Mao failed to do, and a strong leader managing it could make a claim to have surpassed Mao as great leaders of China.

The PRC is a massive fan of historical determinism and narrative might. Reunification would be a massive win for the pride and honour of the leader who did it. It’s also a big thing for the average PRC citizen, they don’t want war - but have had a lifetime of propaganda about it and are (somewhat rightly) worried about US aggression.

Technically correct, but the DPP would like to change that but the PRC doesn’t allow the RoC to change that and relinquish the change as breaking the 95 consensus is seen as being an official declaration of independence, so the DPP has to stick to the “we’re already de facto independent” line.

Likewise the PRC is a security risk to Taiwan. It’s understandable why the RoC would like to be close to the US.

I wish that a peaceful not US involved solution could be found.

Also in part as the PRC won’t let the RoC change it’s name as it sees that as a declaration of independence.

Alas, the DDP can’t even change the name of the RoC’s national airline without risking a war.

While I agree with you overall I would like to make clear that Taiwan was not part of China before 1683 when the Qîng Dynasty conquered the Ming rump which fled there (and kicked out the Dutch).

It’s not “far longer” than the US existed, but is far longer than Hawaii has been controlled by the US Empire.

I’ve only been to Saskatoon in Canada, so assumed all Canadians did that…

Just go back to needing futures to actually be fulfilled in kind.

And maybe limit/outlaw complex financial products.

These would be a solid start to fixing the issue of the unsustainable, and irrational, not to mention unconstructive economic growth of the last 60 years.

Establishes procedure, and there are different rules on what can be done with it (the government doesn’t really care, as Snowdon and Manning showed us, but if it can be brought to court and maybe historically it can be shown to be a difference).

Also, there’s the convenience for those implementing it. If it’s more of a faff for them, it’s more likely to fail.

But convenience is always a powerful compulsion, which is why it’s leaned on and used a lot.

I’ve met Israelis who have fled from serving, if you’re outside the country between 18 and 30, iirc, you skip it.

Also there are conscientious objectors who choose state sanction over serving.

I also think in Israel you can choose to do service in social service and community service roles over combat ones.

我的汉语越来越好，写，说，简单的没问题，但是比较复杂还要多的练习。其实说最近练习地不周到。