What Kind of society would you like to live in?

[Peron]

If you had a choice what sort of society would you live in?

 

It can be any society you want.

[CharonY]

Iron-fisted dictatorship, provided the fist is mine.

[Phi for All]

I like capitalism, but I would limit government subsidization and lobbying. I don't think a little socialism would hurt, especially on the basics like health care (just because I think we're worth it). Our voting system sucks, so I'd like to tweak that a bit.

[ydoaPs]

ultra-conservative Christian theocratic dictatorship

[Phi for All]

ultra-conservative Christian theocratic dictatorship

You miss Indiana, dontcha?

[Syntho-sis]

Check out this list.

 

I thought about maybe writing a novel where a supercomputer makes all the complicated political decisions for mankind. haha

 

So maybe... Artificial Intelligence dictatorship?

[ydoaPs]

Check out this list.

 

I thought about maybe writing a novel where a supercomputer makes all the complicated political decisions for mankind. haha

 

So maybe... Artificial Intelligence dictatorship?

 

I can't let you do that, Dave.

[ajb]

One in which the needs of the many out weight the needs of the few, or the one.

[Phi for All]

One in which the needs of the many out weight the needs of the few, or the one.

Despockracy?

[ajb]

Despockracy?

 

Indeed. I also thought that ydoaPs would also appreciate this philosophy.

[Phi for All]

Indeed. I also thought that ydoaPs would also appreciate this philosophy.

Let's make ydoaPs president then. His campaign slogan can be, "Live long and prosper".

[Mr Skeptic]

A constitutional libertarian democracy with a sane voting system, such as range voting. The constitution should have a completely unalterable portion, as well as parts that are simply very difficult to change. There should be a minimum of laws, with government's role being largely taxation, production and maintenance of public goods, national defense, making laws and at least a portion of the law enforcement, and providing information. Rather than forbidding things, or requiring things, the government should provide information, and account for externalities (behavior or products that affect others in a positive or negative way that is not part of the cost to the parties who do it) by providing tariffs to discourage things with negative externalities and subsidies to encourage things with positive externalities.

[iNow]

If you had a choice what sort of society would you live in?

 

It can be any society you want.

 

My thoughts keep returning to something like they had in Star Trek TNG. People have access to food, resources, and healthcare without cost or limitations based on status/social hierarchy, they have occupations which are based on their own interests, aptitudes, and merits, and it's all centered around a passion for exploration, learning new things, and connecting with others.

[Moontanman]

Check out this list.

 

I thought about maybe writing a novel where a supercomputer makes all the complicated political decisions for mankind. haha

 

So maybe... Artificial Intelligence dictatorship?

 

This is the voice of World Control. I bring you peace. It may be the Peace of Plenty and Content or the Peace of Unvaried Death.

 

Colossus

[padren]

My thoughts keep returning to something like they had in Star Trek TNG. People have access to food, resources, and healthcare without cost or limitations based on status/social hierarchy, they have occupations which are based on their own interests, aptitudes, and merits, and it's all centered around a passion for exploration, learning new things, and connecting with others.

 

Those are my thoughts. I like to think the main obstacle is scarcity - humans are never more despotic than on a sinking ship with one lifeboat, and never more compassionate than when suffering of others can be alleviated without fear of rationing the limited means we have to survive ourselves.

 

Resistance to needed social assistance, health care, and foreign aid always seems to boil down to how "the parasites will pull us all down" mentality of too little to go around. I think technology can help overcome this, but at the same time as technology grows so do we and we always seem to live on the edge of "just enough to get by ourselves."

 

 

I'd like to live in a society with exceptional means and a remarkable ability to live within them without stunting itself.

[Mr Skeptic]

My thoughts keep returning to something like they had in Star Trek TNG. People have access to food, resources, and healthcare without cost or limitations based on status/social hierarchy, they have occupations which are based on their own interests, aptitudes, and merits, and it's all centered around a passion for exploration, learning new things, and connecting with others.

 

With unlimited resources and no need for menial labor of any kind, that could easily be accomplished. I've got to wonder, though, how many in such a society would instead spend their entire life goofing off rather than working? Eg playing computer games, watching TV, playing sports, or going on adventures.

[Moontanman]

With unlimited resources and no need for menial labor of any kind, that could easily be accomplished. I've got to wonder, though, how many in such a society would instead spend their entire life goofing off rather than working? Eg playing computer games, watching TV, playing sports, or going on adventures.

 

I honestly wonder if given the chance people would eventually tire of such things and pursue the serious. i am sure there are people who would never grow out of childhood but I am just a sure that most would. As things are now most people are forced to grow up by outside imposed time tables but given the chance i think most people have internal time tables that would eventually kick in.

 

Did anyone get my reference to Colossus?

[DJBruce]

I would like to live in a society where there was no injustice, where there is no death or diseases, where there is only peace, and where I can play in the gum drop forest.

 

A side from the completely impossible perfect utopia that many dream of I am fairly content with the current form of the American Government. I would prefer to return to a slightly more limited federal republic, which was not is involved. I would also like to see a reduction in the governmental deficit. Overall I like the shape of the federal republic laid out by The Framers of The Constitution.

[npts2020]

Whatever one wishes to call it, I would like to live in a society where governmental decisions are made based on the best scientific evidence available and the goal is improvement of the condition of the greatest number of citizens possible.

 

 

P.S. I think the concerns about people not wanting to do any work are unjustified. If they were true, why would anyone in the current "wealthy class" ever work? I don't know what the actual statistics are but the few people I know who would be considered ultra-rich (top 1/2% economically) all work.

[Mr Skeptic]

Whatever one wishes to call it, I would like to live in a society where governmental decisions are made based on the best scientific evidence available and the goal is improvement of the condition of the greatest number of citizens possible.

 

Who decides what's good for them? Or do you have a formula for that?

[SH3RL0CK]

Whatever one wishes to call it, I would like to live in a society where governmental decisions are made based on the best scientific evidence available and the goal is improvement of the condition of the greatest number of citizens possible.

 

To second Mr. Skeptic, sometimes it is desirable to do things which results in a decline of your condition and the condition of the greatest number of citizens. There are principles that many people would even die for. Usually (but not always) this is a sacrifice of the short-term for a potential long-term gain. For example, see the US revolutionary war, the US civil war, etc.

 

Which leads to my question, how would anyone scientifically decide, for others, when to take such decisions?

[Peron]

Who decides what's good for them? Or do you have a formula for that?

 

I would say that humans decide what is good, based on scientific evidence. What humans needs most, is access to healthcare, food, shelter, water, sanitation, etc.

You can build the entire society on technology, trying to reach sustainability and the only way to reach sustainability is to remove case poverty and insular poverty. To do that we must share resources, equally.

[ajb]

I would say that humans decide what is good, based on scientific evidence.

 

Is that really what we see around us today?

[npts2020]

IMO whoever gets to decide things is important but not nearly as important as doing so in a logical, consistent, and universal manner. Also, government should have specific goals for which to aim upon its formation. For example, it ought to be a goal of any non-despotic government to make itself obsolete, perhaps a Quixotian exercise at this stage of human affairs, but a definable goal to pursue nonetheless. What we see around us today does not mean that is the way things will always be, history is a chronicle of how individuals and societies have changed over time. I was assuming the original question was about some theoretical future and not where on earth I would prefer to live now.

[insane_alien]

i'd probably like living in a more socialistic society.(cue cries of outrage from FOX viewers).

 

obviously not pure socialistic because any society that aspires to a 'pure' ideal tends to be unstable. add in a heap of communism,capitalism and anarchism and you'll probably be somewhere close.

 

oh and a heavy slant towards meritocracy. with lots of encouragement and incentives to increase the intelligence of the general populace.