INTEL 825

Postcard from Budapest: Reflections on Cold War Mathematics

Greetings from Budapest,

I’m writing to you from a place of calm in the middle of global turmoil—the former Soviet Union’s Counter-Terrorism Building, overlooking the majestic Danube and the Castle. As the world spirals into chaos, this land of Gypsy, Jewish, and Hungarian heritage in the Carpathian Basin stands as a symbol of resilience, love, and centuries of enlightenment and freedom revolutions.

Reflecting on the Cold War, it wasn’t just diplomatic or economic skirmishes that shaped its course—it was the mathematicians who played a pivotal role. For decades, Americans and Soviets spoke only through the rigid frameworks of liberalism and communism. Fascism seemed like a bizarre alternative, but it was the mathematicians—perhaps the least dogmatic of them all—who made breakthroughs.

Gathering in secret, the mathematicians on both sides realized that they were more alike than different. The playful realization that they were, at heart, humans with shared humor and intellect, made them “traitors” to their own ideologies. Faced with the mounting pressures of an unwinnable war, both sides gave these brilliant minds an ultimatum: find a solution or perish.

The “cute” mathematicians—the ones driven by empathy and cooperation—devised a game theory model that allowed both sides to claim victory, leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union by 1991 and Hungary’s freedom in 1989. However, the darker minds—the “evil” mathematicians—harbored their own sinister plans, plotting the rise of a super race of genius to wipe out millions on both sides.

Though the Cold War ended in many ways, their legacy of destruction carried on, culminating in tragedies like the billions lost in marginalized communities, particularly among people of color. In an eerie retaliation, Chinese scientists unleashed waves of devastation—first through COVID-19, then fentanyl—claiming hundreds of millions of lives.

Yet, amidst all this escalation—in Russia, Ukraine, the Middle East—Hungary remains a calm eye in the storm. This is a land that has seen 300 years of moral hegemony, mixing ethnicities, philosophies, and revolutions.

But let’s not forget the mathematicians and their preferences! They are not all sinister—some just need a good meal to keep their genius alive. Keep an eye out for the ones with “evil Ashberger” tendencies; you’ll know them by their calculating gaze and obsession with numbers. Feed them well—perhaps a hearty goulash or something to spark their creativity. After all, they’ve been doing “the computer thing” long before we even knew what it was.

Sending evil laughs and mischievous grins from Budapest,
H.

P.S. Don’t worry, not all mathematicians are out to destroy the world… just the ones with really bad taste in food. 😉