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Basically, which current regimes creep you out the most? Pick up to three.

Done!

China, China and China

There is a plethora of choices there ..... this is going to be difficult  :hmm:

China is kind of terrifying because they are showing how modern technology can be used to make authoritarian states of the future better at managing every aspect of your life.

how am I the first person to vote for Russia?

The easy three to choose were Russia, North Korea and China.

The next level would be Turkey, Hungary, Venezuela and Poland - but I didn't see Poland.

Quote from: crazy canuck on June 21, 2019, 12:57:03 PM
The easy three to choose were Russia, North Korea and China.

The next level would be Turkey, Hungary, Venezuela and Poland - but I didn't see Poland.

Yeah, Poland should have been there, and Syria instead of Iraq.

Quote from: crazy canuck on June 21, 2019, 12:57:03 PM
The easy three to choose were Russia, North Korea and China.

The next level would be Turkey, Hungary, Venezuela and Poland - but I didn't see Poland.

Saudi Arabia out-creeps Russia by a fair bit.

Quote from: celedhring on June 21, 2019, 01:06:03 PM

Saudi Arabia out-creeps Russia by a fair bit.

Definitely, that was my first pick.

Quote from: celedhring on June 21, 2019, 01:06:03 PM

Quote from: crazy canuck on June 21, 2019, 12:57:03 PM
The easy three to choose were Russia, North Korea and China.

The next level would be Turkey, Hungary, Venezuela and Poland - but I didn't see Poland.

Saudi Arabia out-creeps Russia by a fair bit.

Interesting.  Russia was by far my first choice .  They invaded the Ukraine, they are actively attempting (and succeeding) to undermine democratic institutions and elections around the world.  And they are a kleptocracy with nuclear weapons.   What makes Saudi Arabia more significant for you?

I see Canada got a vote!  :D

No wonder, what with our PM admitting he's currently committing genocide and all ...  ;)

Quote from: Malthus on June 21, 2019, 01:33:18 PM
I see Canada got a vote!  :D

No wonder, what with our PM admitting he's currently committing genocide and all ...  ;)

No one suspects the quiet guy in the corner :ph34r:

I read creepy and reprehensible as two different things: some reprehensible regimes have been familiar for a while now: North Korea is certainly creepy but it's also a kind of familiar Stalinist regime. China is more creepy precisely because its imperial project, and its ambitions of control brings a whole new level to the challenges to democracy, and democratic principles. I also find China creepy because its soft diplomacy has done wonders for many years. While Saudi Arabia is familiar, I find it creepy because it epitomizes the corruption of aristocracy / ploutocracy. And while Hungary is not, by far, on the same level as both of these regimes, I find it creepy because it's offering itself as a roadmap to the future of liberalism.

Quote from: Maladict on June 21, 2019, 12:18:07 PM
Basically, which current regimes creep you out the most? Pick up to three.

Venezuela, USA, Hungary.

Venezuela, because even in its dysfunctional state, it is fucking up politics in South America and inspiring other regimes: they achieved power, so can we!  It's been giving wings to all kinds of communist offshoots everywhere.

USA, because the Donald Trump regime is not centered around Donald Trump, it is a newish current in US politics that many people really like.  For all their aversion to facism, they do love a dysfunctional state run by an ego-maniac.

Hungary, because such a racist regime on the fringe of Europe is akin to Venezuela in South America: it inspires others of its kinds in a "so can we too" way.

They are what they are.  We need to adapt to their existence and stop being creeped out.  It is all part of reality and part of life. 

Quote from: Monoriu on June 21, 2019, 02:19:40 PM
They are what they are.  We need to adapt to their existence and stop being creeped out.  It is all part of reality and part of life. 

Being creeped out is how I adapt to their existence. I don't see the pressing need to not be creeped out by things. There are many things in life and reality that cause people to be creeped out, there must be a good and natural reason for that. Why do you reject nature, Mono?

Quote from: crazy canuck on June 21, 2019, 01:32:25 PM

Quote from: celedhring on June 21, 2019, 01:06:03 PM

Quote from: crazy canuck on June 21, 2019, 12:57:03 PM
The easy three to choose were Russia, North Korea and China.

The next level would be Turkey, Hungary, Venezuela and Poland - but I didn't see Poland.

Saudi Arabia out-creeps Russia by a fair bit.

Interesting.  Russia was by far my first choice .  They invaded the Ukraine, they are actively attempting (and succeeding) to undermine democratic institutions and elections around the world.  And they are a kleptocracy with nuclear weapons.   What makes Saudi Arabia more significant for you?

I'd rather be a subject of the Russian regime than Saudi Arabia's, by far. That was my metric.

Not that I'd cherish either prospect.

Quote from: Valmy on June 21, 2019, 02:27:46 PM

Quote from: Monoriu on June 21, 2019, 02:19:40 PM
They are what they are.  We need to adapt to their existence and stop being creeped out.  It is all part of reality and part of life. 

Being creeped out is how I adapt to their existence. I don't see the pressing need to not be creeped out by things. There are many things in life and reality that cause people to be creeped out, there must be a good and natural reason for that. Why do you reject nature, Mono?

I don't think being creeped out is a particularly pleasant experience.  I am only creeped out by things that I consider abnormal.  Whether something is normal or not largely exists in my mind, so it is something I can control.  If I consider something to be normal, then I stop being creeped out, and that's a good thing. 

I could live in either Saudi Arabia or Russia and not see another person for months. So both of those countries at least have that going for them.

Creepiest regime is not the same as most dangerous or most reprehensible, in my mind.  Creepy to me is more about arbitrariness and random acts of violence or oppression.

Saudi Arabia has to be one of the creepiest.  Not just murdering guests in its embassies and dismembering the corpses so the pieces could be smuggled out, but random executions of people for apostasy when their neighbors just dislike them, and a generally morally corrupt political and judicial system.  Gotta acknowledge the power of the Palantir to corrupt.

North Korea is the post child for creepy.  Any list it doesn't top should be ignored.

I selected the Philippines for my third, though there were some other strong candidates.  It's another place where murder is condoned, so long as the perp claims the victim is a drug dealer or an addict.  No proof needed.  Also condoned in advance rape by his soldiers of Muslim women.

Quote from: viper37 on June 21, 2019, 01:59:50 PM

USA, because the Donald Trump regime is not centered around Donald Trump, it is a newish current in US politics that many people really like.  For all their aversion to facism, they do love a dysfunctional state run by an ego-maniac.

I thought you would be more sympathetic to your fellow Nationalists.

I gotta agree completely with the grumbler.

Russia/China have terrible regimes...but the word "creepy" just doesn't really fit.

"So can we" replaces "Yes we can"

In addition to what grumbler wrote, I'd also define "creepy" as a regime that peddles a bizarre or ludicrously false ideology.

I only voted for North Korea, but did consider a couple other choices.

Russia and China's regimes OTOH don't qualify because they seem more like natural manifestations of historical cultures, and thus not particularly odd or creepy within local logic.

Most of the candidates are relatively vanilla flavors of evil, and can't exert that much influence abroad.

I voted Chine due to its use of technology to control their citizens. I voted the US due to the rising populism and the gradual erosion of freedom (civil forfeiture, cop murders, electronic surveillance).

Saudis hands down, but Pakistan should definitely be in the running.  LOTS of messed up things there.

Quote from: The Minsky Moment on June 21, 2019, 05:39:52 PM
Saudis hands down, but Pakistan should definitely be in the running.  LOTS of messed up things there.

Yeah, Pakistan was #4 on my list.  Another place where the rule of law is deliberately ignored by officials.

I agree wholeheartedly on Saudi Arabia.  The biggest reason being their longtime support of Wahhabism.

Nukes still pose the greatest threat, but they're currently like a long-dormant super volcano (ala the Yellowstone caldera).  Wahhabism and its affect on a major world religion (as the Inquisition was in its day) is a constant, ongoing misery against humanity now and will be well into the future.

"Creep out" is a lot different from a number of other negative things about something. The Vatican got on my voting list because I find a state based on pedophilia creepy af, but I don't think The Vatican is particularly dangerous compared to many others on the list.

I decided to go by selfish criterion, and vote based on the chance of such regime having an impact on my life now or in the future.  Voted Russia/China/US.  The former two for their ability to project power onto the US, and the latter as the result of such power projection.

The opposition seems to be winning the Istanbul election rerun. Maybe there's some hope for Turkey.

voted: North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and other.  My other vote is for Swaziland. :sleep:

Islamic triad

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan (Taliban-occupied Afghanistan should be there too). Turkey a close fourth, but they don't have the atomic bomb and are a valuable USA ally.  :P

True socialist triad

North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba (less so truth be said)

Missing Eritrea too, as creepy and isolationist regime.

The Vatican theocracy is far behind, and besides has not too many divisions. :D

Quote from: Duque de Bragança on June 24, 2019, 06:10:39 AM
Islamic triad

Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan (Taliban-occupied Afghanistan should be there too). Turkey a close fourth, but they don't have the atomic bomb and are a valuable USA ally.  :P

True socialist triad

North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba (less so truth be said)

Missing Eritrea too, as creepy and isolationist regime.

The Vatican theocracy is far behind, and besides has not too many divisions. :D

:D

Also, good choices.

Also...Brunei.

Saudi, Hungary and China.