The ruling ideology of modernity is materialist consumerism, and so deep is this, that pre-modern thought of alternatives to affluent hedonism, do not seriously get considered. Yet, apart from the philosophy and theology, there is the real politics issue of what happens if a nuclear war begins, and goes through to the end. There are numerous sources, both Western and Russian, seeing the world as sliding into nuclear war, but little thought, especially from conservatives, about what happens then, and if the consumer society continues, of is it Mad Max? Here is one exception from a leading US conservative thinker from the Reagan era, Paul Craig Roberts; my one point od disagreement is noted at the end.
“Expert Steven Starr Explains Why Nuclear War Is Planetary Death
The end of humanity awaits a false nuclear alarm
Paul Craig Roberts
For more than two decades US presidential administrations have been increasing the likelihood of nuclear war with Russia. It began with Bill Clinton violating the word of the US government not to move NATO to Russia’s border. Successive US presidents since have undone all the trust-building agreements achieved during the 20th century Cold War. The provocations of Russia since the US overthrow of the Ukrainian government in 2014 have completely destroyed Russia’s trust of Washington. The atomic scientists say it is 90 seconds before Midnight. I think it is one nano-second. We have reached the point where all it takes is one false alarm of incoming missiles.
You can see the triumph of evil in the deployment of weapons that if used will destroy life on Earth. The prospect of their use has risen dramatically in the 21st century. Democrat Hillary Clinton declared the President of Russia to be “the new Hitler.” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called for President Putin’s assassination. Instead of keeping to President Putin’s Minsk Agreement to maintain peace in Ukraine, Washington used it to deceive President Putin while building a Ukrainian army with which to attack the Donbass republics. Instead of working with President Putin to create a mutual security pact, Washington provoked and widened the conflict in Ukraine in order to further enlarge NATO by bringing in Finland and Sweden, thus multiplying NATO’s presence on Russia’s border. The US and NATO are now so heavily involved in the Ukraine conflict that the question is what does Washington do when the reinforced Russians overrun Ukraine’s defenses? Do US and NATO soldiers rush to Ukraine’s rescue?
Only incompetent, irresponsible, and totally stupid, indeed, totally evil, US and European governments would think their prestige in Ukraine justifies nuclear war. If the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, CIA, and US politicians had the least bit of intelligence they would understand that in today’s climate of preemptive nuclear strikes, nuclear weapons jeopardize America’s existence. They do not protect us.
The notion that Russia or China want to rule us is insane. It is the US that has the expansionist ideology and agenda of world hegemony. The Russian and Chinese governments have their own problems and do not want those of a morally bankrupt country like the US …
During the 20th century Cold War warning times were longer and the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction could be regarded as deterring nuclear attack. Today the hypersonic speeds of the Russian missiles and ability to unpredictably change trajectory in flight has changed the emphasis to preemptive strike. It only takes one false warning to initiate nuclear Armageddon as there is no time to determine if the warning is false.
Everyone needs to understand that once Washington followed by Russia changed their war doctrines from no first use of nuclear weapons to preemptive attack, nuclear weapons ceased to be a deterrent. The doctrine of preemptive attack guarantees their use if there is a single false alarm. The American war planners responsible for this change should be immediately arrested, tried for crimes against humanity, and the doctrine repudiated.
What we should be witnessing throughout the West is a campaign to destroy all nuclear weapons. The weapons do not protect us. They weapons endanger us. To have weapons deployed that can only achieve your own total destruction is insane.
During the Cold War there were those who thought “better Red than dead.” Today the expansionist Communist ideology is dead. It is the American neoconservatives who control US foreign policy who have the expansionist agenda of US hegemony. It is insanity for the neoconservatives to believe that the US can exercise hegemony over Russia and China.
If we want to survive, we must immediately stop being insane.
Steven Starr explains that nuclear war means planetary death:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn4STJEGP3Y
I disagree with the point that communist China is nor expansionist, which is an absurd claim. Add that into the mix though, and one has a truly explosive brew.