zlacker

>>nnx+(OP)
> One problem with the lab leak theory is that it presumes the Chinese are lying or hiding facts, a position incompatible with a joint scientific effort.

LOLOLOLOL Excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor. Doesn’t the default assumption about an authoritarian government have to be that it is lying and hiding facts that would harm it?

>>djroge+ab1
This is not even limited to authoritarian governments.

>>lordna+7j1
I think it mostly is, we're just not always happy about which countries actually are in the "authoritarian" bucket

>>willia+Tk1
most modern governments did similar stuff in the past few decades. I 'm having trouble thinking of one that didn't.

You can call them all authoritarian, but then the word loses all meaning, you would just say "any strong modern government is authoritarian"