Indeed, it is. There is nothing more depressing than what we are doing to ourselves and to our own world.

> I've read some HN comments before which for some reason suggest a large-scale nuclear "war" wouldn't be so bad

No mistake, it would be absolutely terrible, country- if not civilisation-ending. None of this is any good. It is just that nuclear weapons and our current way of life are on two opposite sides of a risk spectrum: nuclear apocalypse is a very improbable event with huge consequences; our industry is a fact of life that has been more or less silently killing indiscriminately, almost innocent because we don’t see its effects as huge, memorable events. A nuclear winter might kill hundreds of millions if it happens; we’ve already killed much more than that with non-nuclear means.

So yeah, nuclear weapons are terrible, and I completely disagree with the other poster who said everyone should have them. I just wish we would see the harm we do every day as clearly as the harm we could do in exceptional circumstances.

> You don't seem to have been downvoted in 5 hours.

I think the post has been downvoted. I don’t have all the detail but I think the score has fluctuated a bit. If it can be of comfort to you.