“If Russia is Defeated The World Wins” — That’s a Prediction, Not a Fact
Fantasies, hopes, wishes, and denial are no match for reality.
In the news, in our political discourse, and in social media, I often see people make claims that are predictions, not facts. A statement about the future of the war in Ukraine can often demonstrate wishful, magical thinking on a global scale. When cheerleaders of the Ukraine war effort tell me their opinions about the war in Ukraine, I ask myself the following question:
Are they stating a fact or making a prediction?
To paraphrase the cheerleaders for Ukraine, I’ve seen claims that look a lot like the following statements:
- Ukraine is fighting for our freedom.
- If Russia is defeated, we will have peace.
- All Russia has to do is leave Ukraine and the war will end.
- To have a permanent and lasting peace, we must beat the living shit out of Russia so as to remove from Russia its imperialist tendencies.
To know if Ukraine is really fighting for our freedoms, we would have to get inside their heads. We would have to analyze their statements. We would have to watch what they do to other people. We would have to see if their actions are congruent with…
