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The world is moving from nation-states to city-states, posits futurist Paul Saffo. He also says that it's a good thing. If it happens, I hope my city-state has legalized prostitution.
exponents anyone...
Lets also make this clear. The US of today is not a Democracy as aspired by the founders. It is a Demopublican Plutocratic Kleptocracy. Run by corporate interests, for corporate interests.
Last year, private American citizens gave 309 billion dollars to charities, so this bullcrap about Americans being selfish and "destroying the planet" is just that.
the free marketour natural socialist utopia?Short answer: no.
Expanded answer: People in free societies nor anyone else have a natural "right" to take goods and services created by others without fair, agreed-upon terms of compensation. Karl Marx thought that profits were invented by greedy capitalists and therefore unnecessary to run a viable economic system. He was wrong.
Succinctly: There is no free lunch.
Fast forward 100 years. Nanotech and robotics will likely make virtually every product, good and service affordable worldwide...free peoples working in free markets will be the fastest path to that goal, not nanny-state governments, theocracies or monarchies.
>> ^syncron:
Because in Singapore, commit a crime, you'll be whipped into submission and learn to not make the same mistake twice. Maybe the USA needs to learn a thing or two from them?
For instance Iraq. The government has farmed much of the work out to the private sector which means there is no oversight or accountability. Blackwater mercenaries are allowed to operate outside of the law, murdering American troops and Iraqi civilians without any consequences. Halliburton was contracted to provide food for the troops, so to keep costs down, they served spoiled food and tainted water sending many troops to the hospital. The list of these abuses could fill a library.
It is in the interest of profit that the occupation continues for as long as possible with as little progress made as possible to ensure more profit in the future
Education would be the same way. Expensive high quality schools for the well healed and substandard crap for everyone else.
Same goes for healthcare. Sick people are good for profit, so there would be no logical reason to provide adequate service.
You drive on nanny roads every day, are protected by the nanny firemen, nanny police and nanny military, listen to propaganda on the radio via nanny signal.
Why don't you move to a capitalist paradise like Darfur where you will be unhindered by government regulation?
Fast forward 100 years. Nanotech and robotics will likely make virtually every product, good and service affordable worldwide...free peoples working in free markets will be the fastest path to that goal, not nanny-state governments, theocracies or monarchies.
Now that's interesting. When we reach that state will we then have, as chilaxe put it, our natural socialist utopia?
I agree with QM that the inevitable result of our technological progress is freeing humankind from drudgery, and that free markets are the fastest path to that.
I do think we can reach a natural socialist utopia, but I feel like socialism today can distract people from the lesson of capitalism; everybody benefits most - and life is most satisfying - when you work both smart and hard and live up to your potential.
I also think DFT makes a good case that good regulation can be essential
Lithuania should provide me with free beer while i wait for the forms to be processed, and maybe a massage. there should be a group of dancing girls singing "Welcome to Lithuania, The best place to pay your taxes, thankyou for applying for a residence permit".
That is definitely the future, as people stop caring so much about their "homeland" and all the bullshit that goes with it. Politicians are losing their grip on that tool.
It could happen within a couple of generations, i.e. 50 years, maybe when nationalism goes out of fashion after too many ridiculous wars over microregions.
It's unfortunate the sift is overflowing with America haters... Last year, private American citizens gave 309 billion dollars to charities, so this bullcrap about Americans being selfish and "destroying the planet" is just that.
Right, so when we criticise the Bush Administration we are obviously "hating america" and ignoring the fact that most americans are not war criminals.