TED Community » R B

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Good food, Real food, technology, macro economics, markets, humanist growth, free thought, freedom, reality.

An idea worth spreading

Be informed. Never actively choose to stop learning. Plan for the future and live in the moment the best your can. We have a responsibility to live the best we can.

Talk to me about

Whatever. I probably have a half ass'd opinion on most topics.

People don't know that I'm good at

Slicing, dicing, chopping, tenderizing, marinating, roasting, broasting, boiling and sauteing. I am proficient at making something out of (almost) nothing.

My TED Story

Found TED online. Seemed like a fun place to hang out with interesting POV's.

Comments

• TEDCred score: +0.20 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• A reply on Conversation: How can we achieve social integration in cities?

  May 7 2012: I have no idea why we do what we do Jean, :) and the guardians of the guards IMO are us - society. I wasn't saying no to social programs as a whole, so much as I was commenting on the unforeseen negative consequences that social aid can have on the individual, class and society. Sometimes integration ideas/models often do hinge on legislation in order to have effective reach and impact, however I feel that often there is a (scary) presumption that govt funding & structure is necessary for success and is left as an unchallenged assumption. Anyhow, I absolutely agree with you that the correct path when contemplating social programs is to understand said legislation and the dynamic it fits into before judging it. I can say that I am much more a fan of social programs that create a skill set for economic uplift and prolonged success vs simple handouts that do nothing long term for the individual or society as a whole.

• A reply on Conversation: How can we achieve social integration in cities?

  May 7 2012: Another low hanging fruit is IMO education - in this example professional/trades schools. Something we do here in New Mexico is an almost free (not totally - ie: books, housing, food etc are not covered) 4 year (8 semesters) education or equivalent trades school program for New Mexico residents that graduated from NM and carry a 2.5GPA or better and were born after 1978 (too bad for me - born in 77 :D ). This is the type of socialized program IMO that benefits society, preparing the future for success, and to succeed on its own, without the need for gov't handouts to prop them up. From a city POV (state too), this is an investment in our futures, building into it an incentive to keep the bright young minds and their families etc here in our own cities, not telling them to go else where. This also increases the cumulative knowledge base, level of education and understanding of our cities and having a broader view & understanding of the world IMO is a fundamental glue that can hold a city together, and celebrate its diversity and variety. With education can come a shift in values which opens up the individual to the value of integration and an integrated community - Naturally occurring integration where the individual chooses to integrate based on their value system.

• A reply on Conversation: How can we achieve social integration in cities?

  May 7 2012: To me integration and social programs do not at all automatically go hand in hand. As a US citizen, I feel that socialized hand outs can actually be part of the problem of cultural & societal divisiveness in the US and one of the walls (albeit with the best intentions) put up by govt that fortifies class, and prevents integration (city wide to nat'l). Indiscriminate and or heavy handed use of social programs IMO creates an unhealthy dependence on gov't and less motivation to move forward and improve ones situation beyond the point of maintaining their benefits. Sometimes, less really can be more IMO.
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  A reply on Conversation: How can we achieve social integration in cities?

  May 5 2012: I think most anything that has perceived value (monetary, service, entertainment etc) to the individuals within communities is key to engaging and bringing them together. The challenge would be that we all value varied opportunities differently so what motivates people are often specific to their community and individual, thus a varied approach is required. Infrastructure (roads, transit, walk ways etc.) are a given - in order to foster integration, communities must be mobile. I believe that economic growth and uplift is a great integrator. Govt policy that drives a robust pro-business/small business sector drives a positive relationship that opens up communities to each other via commerce and employment. Open space markets/farmers markets are a great example of this tieing together infrastructure, commerce, convenience value to multiple communities that are otherwise food-barren in many respects and in the process integration occurs. In this single example, value exists in different ways (cost,convenience,entertainment etc.) to thousands of patrons who perceive it differently - integration is the natural byproduct. Another opportunity could look like subsidized entertainment services tied into mid-lying open spaces bring integration through perceived value of free entertainment ie: saturday movie under the stars, weekend out door music concerts, (TED TALKS!) festivals, plays, exhibits, sports etc. All of these can be subsidized through local gov't and be offered free or for a small fee. People from surrounding communities gather for the free service/entertainment, maybe buy a hotdog or popcorn and a coke from a small business vendor before the show - natural integration on the community/individual's terms.

• A comment on Conversation: How can we achieve social integration in cities?

  May 4 2012: Thinking of Cities as homogenous groups of people with a singular identity is misguided IMO. We live in communities within cities because we are comfortable there, sharing perceived cultural, economic, and societal mores/values with those in said community. This will never change nor should it as it is IMO a natural product of being human. Because of this, govt policy that is shaped under the parental notion of forcing differing communities together artificially is flat out wrong - simply put, not everyone wants to mingle with the rest of the city. The key to social integration in cities IMO is simple - Let the citizenry choose how, when and on what terms to integrate by creating the environment for integration to occur naturally - by building the environment & infrastructure that allows for easy & efficient travel within the city's smaller communities etc. Effective govt policy on infrastructure will also grow economic integration as well helping to uplift poorer communities and or escape them. Push for govt policy that focuses on infrastructure and allow for natural integration to grow on the individual's/communities terms.

• A comment on Conversation: create a wiki based website which will allow everyone to collaborate to solve the most important problems that face all of us.

  Jan 21 2012: This is a great idea, not a new one however the same ideas are reinvented as technology moves forward allowing for new iterations of the same idea. I would be concerned about the role of sharing of and/or pooling of large quantities of capital for public use. Sharing of knowledge, ideas, through open and clear communication is the paramount goal here.

• A comment on Conversation: How would an economic system not based on the acquisition of material wealth work?

  Jan 21 2012: @ Scott, LOL I think you missed my point as I wasn't clear. I agree completely with you that capitalism is a good economic system, a great one in fact. The weakness is not capitalism, it is how humans use it. Capitalism doesn't create vast wealth or inequality, humans use of it does. I also agree that the capitalist economies in the world today are making the greatest strides in technology to get us to a hypothetical point down the line where basic needs are covered and the idea of physical currency is challenged and the only value beyond physical currency that I can imagine right now would be a knowledge/acknowledgement for service/commodity based evolution of our current system. The basic capitalist model is wonderfully elegant & simple - I'm just playing around with the type of currency from a physical one to one that is not.

• A comment on Conversation: How would an economic system not based on the acquisition of material wealth work?

  Jan 21 2012: @ Russell, this is what I was getting at. Intellectual currency of knowledge & the value/recognition of that. - A non physicial version of currency that still has value to the society using it. A classless, truly self-actualized society in other words. Fun topic!
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  A comment on Conversation: How would an economic system not based on the acquisition of material wealth work?

  Jan 21 2012: Capitalism creates nothing. Human's create inequality. Capitalism is nothing more than an economic system that allows for the individual's acquisition of private capital. Greed is as natural as breathing. As stated earlier, we want what is best for us and hope for something better for future generations. As far as a society that has moved beyond material wealth, well the only way I see this happening is if technology removes the worry of basic needs of survival (pavlovs hierarchy of peronsal needs). Assuming we have food, water, safety, shelter etc in the can via technology, I can see moving forward from a material wealth ie: gold, silver, platinum, etc paying for basic needs to knowledge/understanding and the collective forward movement of humanity as the currency. Task A. is done so for a knowledge B. The basic economic structure is there however we are trading material wealth for intellectual wealth - intellectual wealth that furthers the species.