A Dim Synergistic View of Our Nuclear Age

By Rodney Schmidt Fall 1972
For Sociology 101
Washington State University

Idealistically any act that advantages one group or society should at the same time advance all societies. One group should not be allowed to advance at the expense of the rest of the universe. Using this synergistic approach, I shall comment on the American society’s nuclear policies to reason if they are justifiable or not.

The central focus of American defense is on nuclear power. Now, just what can this nuclear power do for America and for the other societies of the world? We can use our nuclear power as a threat of deterrent. This could provide a form of security for America, but only under one very important premise, namely that we never actually use our nuclear power. Our security would however be very much to the disadvantage of the rest of the world.

Any nuclear blast will add to the radiation level of the Earth. The less radiation around the world the better. The necessity to develop nuclear potential will increase the earth’s radiation level which is a disadvantage to all the world including America. The United States is reputed to have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the earth. That would be of no advantage to anybody, so we must assume this potential was developed with the exclusive intention that it would never be used. Even minor detonation would add to the radiation level.

One of the goals of our nuclear power was to give America a high level of security. This biggest goal is its biggest failure. Our generation is now the first to live under the threat of total annihilation. Any country with enough people to steal a bomb can now flout ace cards. This very real bomb threat puts security at an all time low for the whole world. What we have is a hazardous mechanism that depleted extensive resources to produce, polluted the world to develop, was designed in the hope that it would never be used, and in the end destroyed any concept of security.

Wake up, America. Security comes from having friends, not from intimidated subordinates.

There is one truly mutually advantageous nuclear development. Nuclear medicine displays true synergy for techniques like x-rays, radium surgery and the like have unquestionably not only benefitted America, but all humanity.