I was so busy sling mud today I made myself sick

Do what you want with this, but at least hear me out please.

Over the course of the past days/weeks of talking sh#t, justifying my "beliefs" or whatever you call it, I've said enough to be damn ashamed of myself.

Here's a thought I stumbled across, share it with me for a second, minute, or as much time as you have available.

What would it be like tomorrow if there was a massive declaration or statement by every company in the world that "effective immediately, we will no longer be accepting money for our products and services."

"We have decided as a whole that we can go no further using our income to help ourselves, therefore all products and services will be free- please use them as best you can to help yourself and others."

Could we get past our bullsh#t? Could we start erasing the scars of time? Could we finally be free of the chains of fear?
Could we have a glimmer of respect and love for those who are different from ourselves?
Could we really improve all of our lives for the simple purpose of being humane and compassionate to one another's needs?

Could we get out of our own way as a species?
Could I walk through your neighborhood with nothing but interest and love for you, even though we don't know each other?

Could we just make it better and say "fu#k fear, I will not fear anymore. I will not let it control me or ruin my happiness, and I won't let it happen to anyone else either."

I know it's probably just guilt or shame driving these feelings and this delusion I've just described.

But, what if?
Thanks for bearing with me.

a reply to: Hewhowaits

So we are going to throw the 4% of us who are sociopaths out of the picture and would have to be literally killed for this to happen. They thend to become the leaders or gate keeepers if you will. OK

We are going to assume that everything is free, and everyone is going to continue to work? And we are to assume that the system in place can meet the required demand that would be mounted on it til the "Free" part is engrained and the hording/horders would be satisfied?

Wonder if crime drops?


...

Just be you...
We all have the "good" and "bad" inside us, and everyday we seek to balance it.
Just be you, and surround you with people that you like.
The popular thing in the world now is forgetting yourself and tend to others.
I say, tend to yourself and embrace those who embrace the true you

a reply to: seasonal

I don't make any claims to have the answers. It's just a thought I had.

But why not go to work? You wouldn't be required to forced to worry about paying bills for your home, food, or Healthcare. It would essentially be a labor of love.
Not the hippy, naked in the rain crap. Just "hey life's good- i don't HAVE to fight traffic to get there or I'm fired and I can't pay my bills " type of thought .
Don't get me wrong, I've worked damn hard to take care of me and mine, I'm just saying it would be pretty sweet to know it's for all of us.
Instead of throat cutting to make sure my tribe survives.
That's all.

a reply to: Spacespider

Reminds me of my favorite statement by chief Sitting Bull.
"Inside of me, there are two dogs that fight continuously, one is good and one is evil."
Which one wins?
"Whichever one I feed the most."

a reply to: Hewhowaits

I agree that the false scarcity we see is part of control, and with any sort of control it tends to make people not be what we are intended to be from birth-free.

The problem also would be the people who now can and do basically get all and everything they want now being "normal". They (and from some perspective me) were used to getting all they want and feeling good about themselves because they are "better" than everyone else. This can't be discounted, we are trained to strive to greatness and taking away that may be a big hurdle.

Do you think tech is going to make this a very low human labor world? If so, I hope we go down a peaceful path, but history/tech tells a much scarier story.

Could we really improve all of our lives for the simple purpose of being humane and compassionate to one another's needs?

Sorry, it's not gonna happen. I'm not trying to be overly negative, but that's life on this Earth. The other day I helped an elderly woman whose car died on a busy thoroughfare. Hundreds of cars sped past and no one stopped to assist.

People won't stop or even slow down for 5 seconds to see if a fellow human needs help, and you're wondering why we can't ascend to a higher level? It's probably because the bulk of humanity are useless, barely sentient idiots.

a reply to: Hewhowaits

I'm not going to work tomorrow. It's Saturday.

On Saturday, all my activities tend to enrich the local economy in some way.

Tomorrow:

1. Son has tae kwon do - paying for lessons
2. Buying meat at local butcher shop - paying for meat bought from local farmers
3. Having street tacos for lunch - bought from immigrant crew
4. Buying son new dresser - OK, bought from IKEA so not local

NOt working myself, neither is husband so all of this is net expenditure on our part.

a reply to: seasonal

I totally agree. And I understand the current value system we have, along with the ego that goes with it.
I am very guilty of pride, and am no different from anyone else. I am a carpenter / homebuilder that would fall in the poor/middle class. I've been in the service, and have pride in the commitment I made for my country. However, I really think if we'd get over ourselves it could be pretty damn rewarding.
All of our products and tech we have would lose no value, as we pride ourselves on communication, it's what makes us intelligent right?
Why would would working for a true, better cause devalue anyone's profession or product?
I think it would be great to have someone genuinely thank me, rather than be envious of my capabilities or monetary success.
That's all.

a reply to: ColeYounger

You did stop to help. I would have too.
And to KETSUKO:
And everything we do to support our local economies could be done to enrich the global community for the same reasons and effect.

But yes, I get your point.

a reply to: ketsuko

And hey, next time you need a simple piece of furniture, let me know.
Maybe you'll be suprised at what you'd receive for the shipping cost- just ask, I happen to be a carpenter with a.small sawmill in my yard.
And yes, I really do sht#t like that. It's how I teach my kids to be right- lead by example.

a reply to: Hewhowaits

What would it be like tomorrow if there was a massive declaration or statement by every company in the world that "effective immediately, we will no longer be accepting money for our products and services."

"We have decided as a whole that we can go no further using our income to help ourselves, therefore all products and services will be free- please use them as best you can to help yourself and others."

And I'm the one who gets called a commie

a reply to: Hewhowaits

I'm just running with your thought exercise here.. I'm not being rude, but as a devils advocate I might ask;

"How many people do think would be working in sanitation as a labor of love?"

I am friends with two people in sanitation.. a garbage truck driver and a friend who works at the water treatment plant.


I assure you, if not compelled by personal responsabilty of supporting their kids ,both of them would sit and play Xbox all day while the kids were at school instead of go to work..

-

Now your system works well if you ar one of those rare people who love what you do and are just happy to get paid for it..

But in reality it's gonna look a lot different.

Again, I'm not being rude here, just engaging your mental exercise..





Respectfully,
~ meathead

a reply to: theantediluvian

"Communism doesn't work because people like.to own stuff"

I don't remember who said it, but it's probably true.

Anyways, I'd really like to see us all on the same, level playing field.

a reply to: Mike Stivic

I know, my little dream has a sh#t ton of kinks in it. But mainly, ego is the human problem, not productivity, or desire to explore and invent.
I really think we could possibly be that .01% that survives extinction on this planet if we were to get our collective sh#t together.

But , like I said, this is all my delusional pipe dream.
I know better than to expect fruition.
Sadly.

a reply to: Hewhowaits

I'm not against the idea of a utopian society where people are free to pursue there dreams. If that dream is designing interstellar rockets or having the best kd on call of duty..

But unless everything, and I mean every thing was automated, from seed germination to market delivery, and all the other myriad things that would be required to be automated to sustain such a society.. I just don't see it happening..

But dream the dream man! If Verne hadn't dreamt, we would not have made it to the moon.



Respectfully,
~ meathead

a reply to: Hewhowaits

And the future non labor world maybe a reason why libertarianism and conservatism may have run it's useful course and could possibility be classified as another control mechanism.

If the tech does what it is supposed to, we are either in for a great future or a hellish landscape of rich and poor scenario that can't be changed and any hope of doing better is dashed.

The biggest problem with your dream is that there are things that are made on the scale that precludes what you are talking about.

For example, my husband's job keeps him very busy and he works very hard, but he does not directly produce. He makes sure that the things his company makes can be produced in accordance with the various rules and regs of the different countries they sell to. Now even if we stopped selling, for reasons of product quality and safety, I imagine his job would still be needed.

So how does he prove that he has been dutifully putting in his hard effort in making the economy hum so that the things it needs can continue to be produced? How does anyone know that he's not just choosing to hang out at home and simply go get what he wants when he wants it?

Look guys, I don't have the answers. Like I said , I was simply feeling lousy, and my outlook on where I think we are headed isn't feeling to promising. I'm a parent, so maybe I'm just disenfranchised with the prospects of us all meeting an untimely demise due to our current political situation . I really don't know.
Perhaps I'm just bummed out on my own bleak outlook and personal feelings. As it stands, I know none of this is possible. But for five minutes I wanted to restore some type of faith in humanity, and maybe get a decent nights sleep.
It's all good, and I threw this out there to see what the reactions would be. Noone has said anything so negative that I will stop getting up in the morning and doing my job and playing my role in society, so no bad on anyone who has replied with honesty - which I believe everyone has.
We will carry on, just as always.
Thanks for allowing me to get some crap off my chest, and thank you. I have always preferred truth over being fed lies and b.s.
You guys and gals are good in my book.

a reply to: Hewhowaits

I don't think anyone here was trying to beat you up. I think by the amount of responses you received the topic you brought forth is obviously discussion worthy.

If it's any consolation your children are growing up in a time where they may see the sprouts of your dream manifest.



Respectfully,
~ meathead