Dr. Strangelove

Dr. Strangelove is a satirical comedy about the Cold War fears of a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Although this film is fictitious, numerous of its laughing points are things that need to be addressed seriously in the world. The deadly power that nuclear weapons put in the hands of politicians and world leaders is a serious threat to the future of the Earth and humanity. By continuously increasing a deadly weapon arsenal, there is a closer approach to making a deadly mistake. 

As seen in the film, deadly weapons are not taken seriously. From having phone conversations that make light of the topic to discussing the possible underground mines, the value of human life is not seen by the characters. This is something that mirrors real life, although not as outwardly. As reflected in class, singular individuals have a tremendous amount of power in the possible destruction of the world. In the United States, we, wrongfully, often praise ourselves for our ability to avoid corruption due to our checks and balances. However, with one flick of a button, the President has the ability to end the world as we know it. Where are the checks and balances in this circumstance?  

This nuclear arms power also mirrors the power that citizens of the United States have. Domestically, the lack of gun control is frightening. Anyone has the power to kill a large number of people at a moment's notice. However, we justify this power by saying we need guns to defend ourselves from the "bad people with guns". This is the same argument with nuclear weapons. A quote from the reading details this, "If the U.S. nuclear arsenal exists solely to deter the use of enemy nuclear weapons, then it is time to say so."