I agree in essence but I disagree with certain pacifistic implications of this statement.

International law does not and should not codify a purist Westphalian world order, but natural law and democratic legitimacy. Diplomacy with dictators is no different from negotiations with hostage-takers.

Edumundo González is the legitimate President of Venezuela as recognized by the international community, and must return to his position.

This is not to say that data is useless. On the contrary, it is the best lens we have for actually viewing society today. I am saying that governments can't rely solely on data, because once they do that, those days points rapidly lose precision (Goodhart's Law) and many nuances end up being lost.

You cannot talk to them. It is impossible.

The only limit we have not self-imposed are the laws of physics. Short of that? Humanity is a demigod.

I long to see the day when we have but one state, the state of Humanity, proud and free, bearing no other titles or qualifiers. We are so close, it is within our grasp, yet so, so far...

For all intents and purposes, we, humanity, as a collective entity, are awfully close to becoming a deity.

Here, when we act, in coordination and with purpose, we are borderline omnipotent. Things may take time, but we rarely if ever fail due to factors that are not self-inflicted or artificial.

To be clear, it's being built with donations, not American taxpayer money. Doesn't make it much better - it's just legalized bribery - but this isn't "the President is building himself a ballroom instead of paying federal workers".