A Beautiful Future: Towards an Advanced Society: Pt II

The basic yield from a successful society include the things promised us after WWII in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights which is as yet beyond the grasp of any nation. if we look at the amount of resources, labour and intellectual and creative capital that is taken from 'the people' it is easy to calculate why it was possible to provide a system that gave all humans dignity and a way to live in basic comfort.

Building self-sufficient technologically advanced communities necessitates a multifaceted 'full systems' approach that fosters innovation at all levels. One of the essential steps is localising food production to significantly reduce dependency on external food sources. By encouraging community gardens, urban farms, and cooperative farming initiatives, individuals can ensure access to fresh produce while promoting biodiversity. Moreover, these local endeavours enhance community interaction and engagement, leading to a populace committed to community empowerment.

True Industry

Self-Sufficiency & Technological Advancement

The medical model needs to incorporate accessible complementary medicine, garden apothecaries and at low cost.

For the less evolved amongst us, power is like an aphrodisiac. To guard against the control obsessed our values must be rooted in the principles of honour, compassion, morality and goodwill.  Vigilance is not optional.

Independence, in part, will come with self-sufficiency. This means selecting and building energy, communication and transport systems that work and can be maintained simply and reliably. Note, tropical environments which is our main focus here, have very different requirements to cold climates primarily because of the constant need for heating, or cooling and time spent in or outdoors.

Solar heated water, nearby water sources, rain collection and water processing should be part of the plan. 

Productivity and commerce is essential. Machine shops, skilled artisans, design schools and designers, farmers, graphics and market specialists will all help create that commercial base from which livelihoods can be maintained.

References to advanced technology and social improvements are, where possible, based on proven verifiable systems not on received wisdom. There's plenty of room for innovation, of course, and in a way that's what a community with anything like a truly sustainable, generative future will depend on.

[Artist: Peter Schilling: 'Major Tom' Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO0A0XcWy88]

Back to the Flux Capacitor

Reference to iconic science-fiction comedy film of the 1980's : 'Back to the Future'

[Image Source: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c62c09c4d546e27dc1016c7/1557345265307-4TDFEUJX3YYSXZ0UX7GC/NEW_Chris_postcard-4inx6in-h-front+rgb.jpg]

Recycling and Upcycling will further insulate and buffer the community from external economics. This is not new as there are many communities that have storage areas where no longer needed or wanted items are available to other community members once they've been vetted. It may surprise readers but Upcycling can result in items becoming better than new  - it all depends on the skill levels applied and availability of materials. 

Rabid consumerism has no place in a conscious sustainable society - but being productive and making amazing, ingenious and beautiful things will be intrinsic to it. Ruskin and Morris in mid Victorian Britain had heavily promoted artisanship, high artistic values and a type of utilitarianism that simply raises the quality of every day objects, whether they be functional or aesthetic. 

If you think of all the development, craftmanship, design work, maintenance, recycling and innovation required it should be clear that a greater portion of society will have more involvement in quality-of-life-enhancing pursuits. The endless creative opportunities of this industrious productive way of living will mean near full social engagement. 

FYI, I am adding this link to 'The Lindisfarne Tapes' (1974) which was sourced from the E.F. Schumacher site. [https://centerforneweconomics.org/people/e-f-schumacher/]. It should be clear to the listener that in sophistication, perception and concept humanity has not come one single iota forward since the 1970's. That's exactly why this paradigm shift is inevitable and also why it is and will continue to be abrasive. We may back-slap each another into a self satisfied stupor, but nature and 'deep-reality' will have none of it. While listening to the 'tape' you will probably be impressed with the level of knowledge, intellect and articulation that seems to be their baseline, but I would like, on this point to remind readers that this level of free-thought with the intuitive cuneiform coherently enfolded within it has long been the province of the better poets and 'luminous' philosophers. These much ignored oft possess the correct 'focal length', 'bandwidth' and flexibility of perspective required to see through artifice, noise and delusion. Just a thought. [https://archive.org/details/WilliamIrwinThompsonA1?webamp=default]

The information we are discussing here is long known but little acted upon - so tight is the corporate lock on society. We need The 'Common-Core' curriculum (see John Taylor Gatto and Charlotte Iserbyt), together with the rapid and shallow news cycle has dumbed society down and disinherited it of short and long term historical memory. Socially unpopular laws are packed into unrelated legislation and often voted on at late hours to avoid scrutiny. If we don't take the helm, this ship has only but  one unfortunate destination, and it's all preventable.

Communities that desire self determination need to gradually decouple from state interference because the old  system is based on deceit, exploitation, amorality if not immorality and divide, rule and conquer. The existing justice system based on the Benthamic principle of justice needing to be seen to be done  is also a lemon - retributive justice based on incarceration, fines and victimless crimes should be replaced by restitutive justice with peoples courts, community judge and local Peace Forces operating within a clear and humane framework.

The use of local currencies, barter and community banking will further insulate communities against the inflation and deliberate devaluation. 

[All Image Rights belong to: https://www.ey.com/en_us/people/the-future-society]

Most economists measure productivity in material terms. To a sophisticate, however, productivity can be viewed as any benefit derived from human activity whether physical, mental or spiritual.

Equitable economic opportunities further contribute to a thriving society by ensuring that all individuals have fair access to learning, training and self-advancement. When every member of the community participates in the economy, it enhances individual quality of life and stimulates the economy. Comprehensive educational programs designed to equip individuals with the skills necessary to better 'our lot' will narrow disparity and empower the citizenry.

Technology serves as a catalyst enhancing productivity and living standards within this model. By leveraging advancements in communication, transportation, and automation, society can streamline processes and improve efficiency, leading to better resource management. Furthermore, technology fosters connectivity, enabling civic engagement and social cohesion. When individuals come together to address challenges and promote social well-being, they create a supportive environment that nurtures personal development and collective progress.

These critical aspects of human life are too abstract to measure precisely and yet life would not have meaning without them: love, art, idealism, compassion.

Free-thought requires us to jettison mental constructs that coral us into red-lorry, yellow-lorry 'bina-reality' and thus divide and rule conflict. Paraphrasing Kurt Metzger from the Jimmy Dore Show (Nov-8-24), 'Communism and Capitalism are made up words to make stupid poor people argue whilst the robber-barons steal all our stuff.'

Free of adversarial ideas the emphasis will centre on security: the satisfying of material needs and creating an environment that nurtures and supports mental and spiritual well being. If wisely directed this will lead to unrestricted creativity. Core to this is good health regardless of socio-economic status. A decrease in illness will feed a productive mindset enabling citizens to contribute meaningfully and over time, will foster undreamt of innovation.

To illustrate what is occurring beneath our very noses in a world of super levels of wealth I just heard a Khan Yunis reporter say words to the effect of,  "...these people are being robbed of the dignity of being able to die without hunger."

If this does not concern you, I think you need to ask how that is possible because far from being political, this is a fundamental human issue. We must not become indifferent to the plight of others, you don't need to be a Good Samaritan, you just need to have a soul to rage at the injustice. The subliminal message that the power elites play on is that if you step outside our 'Rules Based Order' in which they make the rules and we follow their orders - this and worse can happen to you. 

This real-time info is here to illustrate the extremes between what was promised, what can and should be, and what is being forced upon us. Furthermore, the industriousness of a society can only flourish when allowed to do so making it within our interest to realise a state of relative freedom, which in turn requires freedom of thought.

The shocking truth is, no-one knows just how far we can push the techno-social envelope because we've been living under the yolk of an oppressive control-grid that has persisted since before the feudal system. The 'fat-controllers' : ) have always known that a poverty of ideas, language and opportunity, shuts down possibility, and crushes the soul of 'man'.

Surreal

Decades ago economists used to measure a countries productivity (GDP) by the amount of pollution they produced. Concepts and values alter over time, perceptions transform. 'Growth' is also up for scrutiny. Some ecologists think that negative growth and basic technology, is the way forward. This idea runs contrary to human ingenuity favouring an austere puritanical life that is not practical for many, however, in the future the free world many hope for, such Amish-type communities would be a matter of choice. 

As ever, the cardinal edict is, "Do No Harm".

Scrutiny of all these definitions reveals the omission of a crucial technology, although I'm using that term loosely. The  technology of  'assisted-human interaction' (AHI). It's a made up term referring to the very essence of human society and its mode of survival - support and care within the family, community, group, region, country and ideally, the whole planet.

Of course there's a humour tinged with the bitterness of truth in this era of engineered commodification. Upon a time, when I was but a wee bairn (in reality not so wee, nor a bairn, but why let reality get in the way of a good yarn :) studying Environmental Science in our hallowed halls of academia I was known to be a little vocal at times. Call me Zaphod Beeblebrox if you must (see Hitch Hikers Guide to The Galaxy), but my outbursts were driven more by passion than performance. Our lovely Jewish Doc chock full of ecological knowledge asked the class what was more important, the quality of our, "...scientific knowledge or our human interactions". 

The Secret of Assisted Human Interaction

The red-headed cocky Spockulent of the group, all numbers and chemistry but lacking in courtesy, eloquence and panache barked out his fealty for 'objective' science.

"No wonder this country's so f^#~ d-up. Pigs, dogs and bees know how to look after each-another, but humans...pfff"

My reply?

Don't sweat it, dear reader, and put your mind at ease. Those were different times. I didn't get suspended or even reprimanded. Instead, I in my sympathetic native American aspect, was somewhat respected and was gaining an interesting reputation. I know, I would probably be arrested, fined, thrown off the course and ordered to pay compensation for hurting the feelings of my fellow students today.

So what's the moral of the story? Human interaction: love, camaraderie, sense of connectedness and the loyalty that should follow, looking out for each another, making sacrifices and doing what you know is right by your own conscience even if it's against the tide. Well that's old skool, right, but where would we be if we had communities that truly did these things?

Say, you got a car - you already got 2 and you're wondering what do do with old faithful? You have an important choice before you. Sell it in the local classifieds and have a month of good dining out, maybe pay a small utility bill? Or you could donate it to the young couple who are just starting out - trying to carve a life for themselves with some difficulty.

You're a post middle aged retiree but still got a spring in your step. There's a local girl who has a child but no local support - you see her struggle and you hear she needs to get some work to get by. After observing that she's a decent girl, you discuss it with your husband so you're in alignment and purpose to offer her childcare solely because you want to help.

You get the idea! Were I of a Platonic bent I might call these type of acts a demonstration of 'classic virtue', but as a simple man I call it being a decent human-being. Interestingly in the DotCom era when idealists began to proffer a super efficient 'pay it forward' good-will as a way of life, society -a litany of Open Source applications that were the antidote to Bill Gates thieving MO, were commonplace.  There was political talk of paying mothers a wage for rearing children and paying people for caring for members of their family or people in the community. It was recognised that this way the NHS, Social Services and Mental Health would save a great deal of money.

This is where we have to think past monopolistic short-term conditioning to get to bare bones logic. Think of it like this, think of it like it is. People who struggle, fail or neglect in their parenting, looking after the elderly, the infirm and/or the vulnerable - the fallout from the lack of care, eventually has to be dealt with within the greater community. Of course the Fascist/Eugenics' way of dealing with this, which many conclude favoured by the parasite class, is to go Soylent Green. (Euthanise the weak as promoted by Cattell, an English physicist who started the Ubermench or white western Superman doctrine before it was embraced in German national socialism). That viewpoint is in itself defeatist, weak and irrational. By way of contrast the 'Pay it Forward' type policy is Humanist and optimistic. That's what we here, nominally hope those drawn into our sphere of social and literal community building enterprise, support. There is a cost, social, moral, financial and ideological in running a well adjusted society. We are trying to turn those perceived costs into a benefit to turbo-charge social evolution.

Call it full systems thinking, call it holistic thinking, call it true or broad spectrum intelligence - calculating the real cost of how we run society is far reaching and has a horizon of consequences across the time continuum. So to wrap-up the recap, let's fire on all 4 cylinders and optimise our problem solving capacity to make a world that being far from broken, works exceedingly well for all.

[Image courtesy of PSD Dude. 'Surreal Beach', Source: https://www.deviantart.com]

To catalyse this transformation, a concerted effort must be made through policy changes at local, regional, and national levels. Advocating for laws that support life-cycle industries, efficient energy and education will lay the groundwork for a more conscious and adaptable society. Individuals should be encouraged to get involved with advocacy groups and community initiatives that champion these causes. By taking these and other steps, we can collectively contribute to a brighter, self-sufficient future, advancing technologically while nurturing community and the environment in order to create what nature demonstrates on every scale - abundance and boundless creativity. In the end, we live in the world that we co-create. Knowing that is a heavy burden, or perhaps a miraculous gift - you need to decide - or as is currently the case,  someone else will do it for you.

Fostering technological literacy is equally crucial in paving the way for a self-sufficient society. It is important to note that each 'society' will be culturally unique because of its specific geography, climate, ecology, history and it's political and environmental boundaries.

Educational institutions and community organisations should prioritise teaching ethics and morality using and exploring classical models that work such as Native American tribal justice, Graeco-Roman Agora or African Ubuntu. Essential technological skills, ranging from basic hands on engineering, conceptual design, computer coding to digital literacy should be available and utilised. Workshops and initiatives empower individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate an increasingly diverse and complex world. The minute there is a tendency to serve technology instead of mastering it - special ethical committees will act as a corrective force. Community access to resources such as computers and high-speed internet should also be emphasised to eliminate barriers that impede technological advancement.

Another pivotal strategy is investing in efficient energy sources and some of these will include breakthrough technology which, though currently suppressed, cannot be held back indefinitely, especially as the expected systemic deteriorated sets in. Thorium reactors with their high safety levels and material recyclability are already established in Eastern Europe. Policies and incentives to support already proven and emergent technologies must be pursued making them accessible and affordable for everyone.

This uniqueness naturally determines the character, skill-set, resource availability and specialisations of each community. If due attention is given to creating direct exchange routes of goods, services, apprenticeships, knowledge and technological transfers etcetera we will have a hyper-efficient system of commerce that will enlarge the options and quality of life for the collective without the need for unnecessary upheaval, onerous bureaucracy  or authoritative regimentation.

Artist: Zager & Evans. 'In the Year 2525'. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKQfxi8V5FA

Recap

[Image courtesy of: https://www.telefonica.com/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/pexels-photo-2115257-e1726138316157.jpeg?w=600]

Artist: El Búho - Mirando el Fuego Feat. Joaquin Cornejo & Minük. Track: 'Camina del Flores'-Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S159Z5XToyQ

Back to Part I

Anup is Media and Design expert for Pearl Bliss Homes. His interest are art, history, current affairs, philosophy, literature, the environment and humanism. You can comment on his blogs via email info@pearlblisshomes.com.

If you think of all the development, craftmanship, design work, maintenance, recycling and innovation required it should be clear that a greater portion of society will have more involvement in quality-of-life-enhancing pursuits. The endless creative opportunities of this industrious productive way of living will mean near full social engagement.