In the societal level, it leads to a world where almost no attention is paid to existential risks like EMP attacks.
How is an EMP attack an existential risk? EMPs, even large ones, are largely limited by line-of-sight. You can’t EMP more than a continent in the most extreme circumstance. Large scale methods of making EMPs are either nukes or flux compression generators. The first provides more direct risk from targeting population centers. The second has a really cool name but isn’t very practical and can’t produce EMPs as large as a nuke. What am I missing?
How is an EMP attack an existential risk? EMPs, even large ones, are largely limited by line-of-sight. You can’t EMP more than a continent in the most extreme circumstance. Large scale methods of making EMPs are either nukes or flux compression generators. The first provides more direct risk from targeting population centers. The second has a really cool name but isn’t very practical and can’t produce EMPs as large as a nuke. What am I missing?
I was thinking nuclear EMPs which are very dangerous, but you’re right to say they aren’t of themselves existential risks; merely catastrophic ones.
Edited post to reflect your criticism.