So this is sort of born of, I think, wanting to look back into history at how we've sort of

positioned sort of the state, military technology and the social position of military elites,

so to speak, and how that has worked through time. A caveat up front, right, is that, you know, big, big sort of social change is often

multi-causal.

And, you know, you can, I'm not saying that, you know, the ways in which war fighting occurs

is like the ultimate end-all be-all, but it's an interesting lens through it to see the development of the state,

and I think gives us some interesting theories as to how we can understand it now.

I mean, paradox guys aside, what actually got me and Riley into this was reading about all

of the Western volunteers who have gone to fight in Ukraine, and really about them and like their generally horrible

experiences and thinking whether or not something has changed and like the way in which we

fight wars.

I have to say though, Riley, I feel as though you have the parody has slipped into your

brain and made itself real when it talks about your, the serious IR version of Trash Future because you've committed the parody has slipped into your brain and made itself real when it talks about

your, the serious IR version of Trash Future, because you've committed the Cardinal

sin of using the term war fighting ironically.

And don't think for a fucking second that I didn't hear that.

That word, I am fucking allergic to it because I remember when I was in the army and hearing people saying the warfighter, and I literally heard someone say, we have to, we were still in the war fight.

I'm like, you mean the war?

Like the warfighter, what is the warfighter fight?

Does he fight in a fight war?

That's right.

Major Riley has brought in this

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