Thread

September 2026: The world today, as seen by one Polish guy

522 points · 391 comments · marjancek

jakozaur · 1790761035 · focus · HN ↗
I'm Polish, but this is such a pessimistic, overdramatic take. The visualisations are impressive, but you're living in Poland's golden age. See this Hacker News story with 1,000+ upvotes: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48062117">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48062117
The war in Ukraine is a tragedy, but it has proved that Russia is weak. The price shock will speed up the transition to renewables, and Iran is losing its grip on Hormuz. So many of the other issues are solvable.
It's easy to be a pessimist, but there's a bright future ahead of us.
1. tejohnso · 1790770682 · focus · HN ↗
  > it has proved that Russia is weak.
  How? Russia is successfully fighting the entirety of NATO on a front that it is continually pushing further west, with about 20% of Ukraine now lost. If anything NATO and the promise of US security is what has been shown to be weak. And I don't think the idea of US/Western superiority is ever going to come back to what it was given what has happened in the Ukraine and Iran theaters in recent past.
  1. intrasight · 1790771125 · focus · HN ↗
    Russia is strong like an ant is strong: strong but insignificant. It only has any significance economically because it has oil and gas.
    Bareja · 1790771621 · focus · HN ↗
    Russia employs modern ballistic and drone warfare to fight Ukraine. USA can't have its way with Strait of Hormuz and Iran because it can't fight against ballistic missiles and drones effectively. And Poland position is... USA will fight against Russia and their drones and their ballistic missiles while at the same time... USA hasn't been able to do it with much smaller and weaker Iran for 7 months now. Iran got control of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran still has the control of the Strait of Hormuz. For 7 months now USA can't do anything about it. How come you are so sure if they can't protect their allies in the Middle East to export oil through the Strait of Hormuz they will be so successful protecting say... Suwalki "Strait" from much stronger and nuclear strike ready opponent? Reality check? I think we will get one.
    close04 · 1790773516 · focus · HN ↗
    In all fairness, the US by itself is fighting someone else's war on the other side of the world, in a region that's generally not super friendly to them.
    Russia is fighting its own battle at its own border against an enemy which receives some support from NATO countries.
    US leadership fights to not lose face, Russian leadership loses a lot more than face if they back off.
    someonebaggy · 1790774984 · focus · HN ↗
    Ukraine probably wouldn't invade Russia if Russia stopped fighting tomorrow.
    close04 · 1790778603 · focus · HN ↗
    No, but the current leadership would show weakness for backing out and get shanked at the showers by the future leadership.
    intrasight · 1790775576 · focus · HN ↗
    Russia lost many years ago. They just don't know it yet.
    esarbe · 1790784716 · focus · HN ↗
    Russia is currently in the denial stage of losing a war.

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