What would you change most about the world?

[The Fool]

A general semi-serious question - what wuold you change most about the world, and why? Presume you have the power to do so.

I'd love to see a change in the way that human civilisation is orientated - which at the moment is entirely directed towards short-term gains despite long-term losses.

So how would I structure human civilisation so that this can happen?

Not sure - maybe it requires a biological change?

[Vajradhara]

Namaste Brian,

thank you for the post.

hhmm..... what would i do if i could....

i have some type of power to effect this change, do i?

i'll presume that is the case...

i would change the way that people relate to each other and themselves. in essence i would remove the "us" and "them" and cause people to think of "all".

i would probably also try to change the economic model to replace capitolism with something that is more concerned with the totality of the situation.

but... as the song says.... "i'd love to change the world, but i don't know what to do... so, i'll leave it up to you...."

[emong]

If I could change 1 thing, I would give man seasons for reproduction as most animals have....and I would make it as difficult a time as at least the spawning salmon have. There are far too many people coming into this world with the upbringing of hyenas. (Probably a bad reference since hyenas nurture their young fairly well.)

[Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine]

Originally posted by Vajradhara
i would change the way that people relate to each other and themselves. in essence i would remove the "us" and "them" and cause people to think of "all".

Ditto. Plus I would make homo sapiens sapiens more conscientious of how each and every thing that s/he does effects not only humans, but entire ecosystems as well (and not just the ones around him/her.)

But, to paraphrase my late father (actually, not completing the saying): "Yeah, and if grandma had..."

Phyllis Sidhe_Uaine

[juantoo3]

Intolerance.

And I don't know how to get people to be more tolerant. Practice, practice, practice.

[Anzac]

I would change it so that people would think about others as well as themselves and think about something other than themselves. If people actually stopped and thought about what they were really doing by their actions then things might run a lot more smoothly and without such desire for personal wealth.

[StrandgecK]

Even though the question was what you would change about the world, almost everyone thus far have answered how they would change people. Which shows, I think, that people think of humanity as the world and changing that mindset is what I would change.

[Susma Rio Sep]

Originally Posted by StrandgecK

Even though the question was what you would change about the world, almost everyone thus far have answered how they would change people. Which shows, I think, that people think of humanity as the world and changing that mindset is what I would change.

That's a very good observation.

Now, let's us we two list a specific list of things to change in the mindset of people, understanding by mindset the way people think and behave and react.

For me:

1. Don't act emotionally right away, think and think and think...

2. Don't hurt anyone not even emotionally when you do choose to act.

3. Absolute mental honesty so that everyone can see what his biases and self-interests and self-oriented agenda are, and admit them to be when pointed out by others.

4. In regard to religion, everyone should admit that in the final analysis the truly sincere and committed believer has no other basis for his religion than his own personal experience which affords him his own personal grounds for believing and acting on his beliefs.

A disclaimer: present company is not sure that he himself is always faithful to the above recommendations.

Susma Rio Sep

[StrandgecK]

Don't act emotionally right away, think and think and think...

I find that the hardest to keep in mind when I make quick decisions.


I really can't think of anything to add. People just need to realize everything they do affects both people and nature, and while people do have a certain power over nature that other animals do not, we are still part of it and are affected by what we do to it.

[Quesocoatl]

Originally Posted by The Fool

A general semi-serious question - what would you change most about the world, and why? Presume you have the power to do so.

I would send the war out into space and off this planet. Forever.

[I, Brian]

Ah - and then lose a key stimulus in the evolution of human civilisation.

[alexa]

Originally Posted by Quesocoatl

I would send the war out into space and off this planet. Forever.

Quesocoatl, I am against war too, but not at a prize to send it elsewhere into the space.

As you know, our spacecrafts couldn't find life in our solar system, but they keep trying. Maybe in about 50 years, your children or nephews will be on the Moon, working for the new space station.

So, the day another planet will be populated by some of us, or the day we will find other civilisations, do you really want to see war again, maybe in a different form on those planets ?

What I would change about the world ? Hmm. Difficult question. I think I'll begin by eliminating all economical, social and cultural differences. Just look around on the map and tell me, anybody who can tell me, why do we still have tribes in a primate stage of civilisation when NASA is ready to go back to the Moon and 2 robots are already on Mars to study them ? Others are around Saturn and other planets in our solar system. The funny thing is now, they are trying to destroy an asteroid, as our leaders want to be ready if any of this asteroid will touch the Earth.

I gave you two major extremes.

On the other hand, if you take time to check what a human whants, no matter the country where he/she was born, no matter his/her political color, no matter his/her race, no matter his/her religion what is really important for all of them is :

- have a better life than his/her parents;
- have a family in harmony;
- have a good social position; this implies a good job and a good salary;
- health;
- a life fulfilled of professional realisation.

Now, could anybody tell me what's wrong with the human being ?

alexa

[mandrill]

Wow, all great replies. I'm afraid I'll not be very profound, just going to say the first thing that popped into my head.


I would decrease the population explosion of one species at the expense of all others, both fauna and flora. Its going to be a very sad, impoverished, and boring world when there's only humans left in it. I would get rid of the notion that "progress" denotes things man-made, inanimate, mechanical, and more technical spreading all over the place, at the expense of the natural world.