Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site unmvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!dcdwest!ittvax!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!cmcl2!lanl!unmvax!cliff From: cliff@unmvax.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: Re: GOALS - Planning for a future Message-ID: <656@unmvax.UUCP> Date: Sat, 9-Feb-85 04:12:10 EST Article-I.D.: unmvax.656 Posted: Sat Feb 9 04:12:10 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 11-Feb-85 05:11:34 EST References: <8118@brl-tgr.ARPA> Distribution: net Organization: Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque Lines: 66 > I posted a response (over on net.politics), in which I outlined the > kind of world I want. To summarize that here, it is one with a small > human population, supported by automated systems providing their > material needs, allowing undisturbed natural environments, where > a human may exist in isolation if he wants to, and do whatever he wants. > This situation would exist on other terrestrial planets, and there would > be a technology to allow space exploration and travel. I DON'T want a > world with giant floating or land-based arcologies, crammed with millions > of people, or a world covered with highways and endless suburban housing, > or a non-technological world of subsistence farming, etc. I would like to see a more varied set of societies. If a group can get an arcology going with a decent society within, then I am for it, as long as it doesn't prevent the society that prefers to exist in largely undisturbed environment from doing so. Variety is the spice of life. I shudder at the thought of a world covered with highways, but I wouldn't be upset with the presense of highways in some areas. I think space exploration and colonization could really help different societies do as they see fit; the real heretics could always take off and do their thing undisturbed. > Post your concepts of specific forms we should be working toward. > You want extended families? No families, with children produced > in creches? Few people? Lots of people? High tech? No tech? Religious > leaders overseeing happy multitudes? No religions at all? Etc... My eventual goal, a multitude of dissimilar societies sharing the universe, will probably not be attainable in my lifetime. I would like to see a meta-government, that would provide for a marketplace of governments, in place before I am on my deathbed. I have brought up the concept once before under net.politics, maybe it is time to see if it can generate any discussion on net.politics.theory: The basic premise is a meta goverenment that allows national governments under it. The national governments have very few limitations under the meta government, the ones that come immediately to mind are: National governments may not kill their citizens and People may emmigrate at anytime assuming another National Government is willing to accept them (this includes incarcerated criminals). A national government would soon find it very counterproductive to incarcerate its citizens for trivialities, for there would bound to be another national government that would be willing to take its prisoners. It would be interesting to see how a socialist government would do compared to a libertarian government. I would start out under the libertarian government but I would be willing to change my mind if it were obvious that the socialist government had its act together ('though I am not holding my breath). Of course before I emigrated I would want to be sure that the socialist country would be a member of the meta government for the rest of my life...I wouldn't want to wake up one day and find out I could no longer emigrate and that there was going to be a purge at 3:00pm the next day... --Cliff [Matthews] {purdue, cmcl2, ihnp4}!lanl!unmvax!cliff {csu-cs, pur-ee, convex, gatech, ucbvax}!unmvax!cliff 4744 Trumbull S.E. - Albuquerque NM 87108 - (505) 265-9143 Thanks to Will Martin for posting the original message... I hope it generates more light than heat... > Regards, > Will Martin > > USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin or ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA