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Not op but will take a stab. The comment was in response to:

“This is hyperbole at best. Facebook does not have an army”

Op was pointing out that power != war with guns

“Facebook is the most powerful private entity on the earth right now”

The comment was how power could be achieved via other methods of warfare-including the ability to shape conversations.

Another word for this would be competition. He has a point.




Negative, Spock.

The ability to shape conversations or to compete is not the same as making war (or you are relying on an idiosyncratic definition of "war").


It seems we are splitting hairs here on the definition of "war" and missing the actual message. Since you brought it up again.

War (Noun) " - a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism

  - a struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end 

  - a struggle to achieve a goal: 
"

War (Verb): " - to be in active or vigorous conflict

- to carry on active hostility or contention

"

The point still stands. War is an isomorphism for competition, conflict and tension between parties. One could probably use something like category theory and prove it.

References:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/war

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/war




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