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Daniel Seiser

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Hypothetically, If you became a leader in a post apocalyptic world how would you teach unity and tolerance to diverse demographics?

Nowadays I think we tend to take for granted that the government of the USA protects very diverse groups of people. What would happen if government just couldn't function for an extended period of time? It would be a little naive to say that we americans are so cool and so tolerant, when it was only through the facilitation of this democratic form of government and a lot of great historical figures that these things were acheived over a long long time. And we know of countries where this is just not the case. What strategies could be employed to maintain our solidarity? I've read about possibly having a world constitution. How would it go if you had to first get it through your own community and then try to get other communities to adopt it based on your humble intellectual authority? What leaders would you attempt to emulate?

So just for fun, what if we had to start completely over but didn't have the basics of what started this great experiment in the first place? What kind of politics would eventually prevail if you were in an election against your next door neighbor for your district and you are a passivist vegan granola head, but he is an aggressive redneck who likes to hunt for sport? Who's going to make that fair? I'm just not cynical enough to think we'd turn our technology against each other or become military states like others.

So, where would our fundamental values come from? Our nation was founded on freedom of religion, but in the beginning that wasn't really very diverse. Now look at us? How would you go about establishing common ground? I'd like to say that math and science are the universal language, but is there even any grounded tenant of science and technology higher than survival of the fittest that we teach in grade school? Is there something else you would turn to? Love of Harry Potter? or do you think it might be more like Hunger Games style? It's okay to speculate and make comparisons because this is completely fictional.

Or is it?

Topics: Comparative religion Tolerance government
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  • hyunguk CHOI

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    Feb 8 2012: If I were the leader , I know I am going to be violent.

    Religiously I am going to be subversive interms of revolution.

    As a leader , unity is not my goal.
    My goal is to allow myself to accept my people without regarding their difference.

    Like Buddha and The heaven , I will meditate with my people.
    I will kiss for bless , and bow for them.
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    russell lester

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    Feb 6 2012: Regarding survival of the fittest. Its been shown that there is another driving force besides competition in evolution and that is cooperation one of the attributed that makes the fittest is the ability to cooperate rather than compete. I hope we all learn this because its the best lesson to learn to avert a post apocalypse world

    • hyunguk CHOI

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      Feb 8 2012: Collabpration ! and trade!
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        russell lester

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        Feb 8 2012: You enthusasim is welcome but please also give me a thumbs up?

        • Nolan Poe

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          Feb 9 2012: I'm not sure asking for thumbs-up is in the spirit of TED, russell...

  • heloise. obyrne

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    Feb 5 2012: i think if it was my task or i took it on as a task i would look at how the othe rthings in society spread and are maintained like predudice how is it maintained? by the people who are around you by the media by common knowledge by moral spies you know people who you fear in a comunity...the comunity i live in her ein cork is all about community and the apocolypse and the new age thing but htey are total hypocrites and more reflect an old model of fear and self policeing in the way they go around talking about fairies and excluding anyone who says something in conflict with their opinion... which is very sad...i dont get to see these people much becaus ei live in a feild but it doe supset me every time on eof them cuts me off their face book page for saying something which ads a different perspective..even without disagreeing..its almost worse to create a unifying principle which subsumes conflict by allowing difference to exist..people react most strongly to an idea which anhialates opposition and creates unity...than they do to ouright difference of opinion... so i keep trying to adress this ..im wondering what to say to my friend who just blocked me..she has a kinsale hub comunity space...i have offered my help and she has never included me..and she posted someting about sucess being about failing a lot..it was written by a sports person and i just listened ot a talk about doctors and how the batting averag eis very different for sport than for medicine so i comment...sucsess is about failing alot.."that ,works for sprts but not nessisarily for say a surgeon" which is true, coflicts slightly but doesnt negate and ads a new though about sucess new questions...so i sunno i guess that pissed her off and she deleted my comment which i found rude as if i delete someones commetn i will usually message them. so i commented you took down my comment you total cow.... and she blocked me..so she cant take being called a cow either even though shes a cow...tangent but...
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    Allan Macdougall 30+

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    Feb 4 2012: I would have the confidence that unity and tolerance would be an automatic given thing, post apocalypse, without directive intervention from a leader.

    I think diversity would then be a positive force in the survival of our species, rather than the intolerant cultural divisions we experience now in the comfort of pre-apocalypse.

  • Edward Webber

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    Feb 3 2012: "So, where would our fundamental values come from?"

    The golden rule works nicely as a foundation. It exudes a live and let live mentality which professes no authoritarian measures, but one of voluntarism and peaceful, egalitarian anarchy.

    "Our nation was founded on freedom of religion, but in the beginning that wasn't really very diverse."

    I'll guess you mean the USA by your profile location. Our nation was founded by people fleeing religious persecution, not on religious freedom. If you recall, we showed up and either wiped out or enslaved an entire population of people. Harmonious living is the last thing America was founded on. The Constitution was written while slavery was still in full force.

    "Now look at us?"

    We have the world's largest military, have the highest prison population of any country, have legalized indefinite detention with no defense, are populated by nearly 50% of people who think evolution isn't real and a magical being poofed us into existence and spend three months out of every year working to pay for people to rule over us under threat of death. I would easily argue America is far from a role model of tolerance and civility. It is more a role model of a population which has become so hopelessly enslaved they have passed laws making it a crime to fight against authoritarian rule, yet profess to be for freedom in other countries.

    "How would you go about establishing common ground?"

    By coming to an understanding with those around me to respect the right to live for themselves in return for the same. Pacts could be made to aid in the defense of surrounding neighbors in a time of offensive attack.

    "is there even any grounded tenant of science and technology higher than survival of the fittest that we teach in grade school?"

    No.

    "Is there something else you would turn to?"

    History books and the lessons of what did and did not work for the individuals throughout history. Authoritarian government surely would not be on the to-do list.
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      Daniel Seiser

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      Feb 12 2012: Yes, that actually strikes something with me. Most of all, I think that wherever the next great world leaders come from, in future times of crisis, they will probably have to rely on the lessons of the past and be innovative enough to adapt these lessons to new challenges. I think it would still be someone extremely charismatic, but of necessity, highly analytical. In my opinion that would make a good leader.
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    David Hamilton 50+

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    Feb 2 2012: Americans... Would still kick everyone elses ass, because we're closer to unified, than anyone else : p

    90% joking. In a post apocalyptic world, society would restart from Neanderthal days in my humble opinion. Whoever survived the best... would rule everyone else...

    Personally, I would move to the beach, and start melting glass. Build solar concentrators that boiled salt water to create fresh wate,r salt, and power. Charge batteries, and slang my excess for food. Eventually I'd be a tribal leader that was probably too non violent, and get killed by a redneck : p
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      russell lester

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      Feb 2 2012: As a certified redneck from the mountains of the pacific northwest by way of oakland sf and raised in the land of martha stewart I promise that my mohawked blackpantherVFW survialists would watch out for you as long as you could distill something besides water with your mirrors.
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      Daniel Seiser

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      Feb 12 2012: I think American pride could certainly get carried over in such a scenario. Even if we lost government I think if people found a way to band together to choose to be happy, then we would have adapted. I also like the idea of people becoming masters over their own niche of science or craft. I think I'd start an actual alchemist's guild or something like that. Develop some special effects that could just scare the beejeebies outta some uneducated bumming scavenger types.
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    russell lester

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    Feb 1 2012: Have people attend lectures where peopel from differnt groups teach a skill that has application in the new world.
    The Elderly would have low tech methods for some tasks , the languages and skills of everyone would be vital to be cross taught to better preserve the skills against lose. My Motto would be "Never to old to learn,never to young to teach" I guess it would be up to each person to come up with a skill to teach those who cant think of one will be expected to attend 5, 2 hour classes a day, classes might be how to use a hoe, or harvesting or whatever manpower task was peeling potatoes 102 or clean up 313 once a person has established a class they teach then they only have to attend 3 two hour a day classes and teach their class 10 hours a month, if they run out of students the go back to 5 , 2hour classes unless think of new class that draws students,and is approved by the Dean Thanes and Chairs of the university.
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