Jul 17 2012: Thank you again, Pat, for your encouragement. I see that the idea is childishly innocent, and I will try to emphasize that more in order to get over the major hurdle of a receptive audience. Great advice! Also, I will provide basic risk/reward and supply/demand lingo, to try and satisfy proponents of the Nietche/"No handouts to beggars"/Chicago Schools of Economics (as I assume you were parodying in your initial comment). I am hopeful that with support and advice from people like yourself that we can get this off the ground together! Cheers!
Jul 17 2012: Pat, thank you again for your interest in my master plan. You're certainly right that it's craziness is what makes it interesting! I appreciate the encouragement, and the advice - I'll work on presenting the economic model and my delivery, to get over that primary hurdle of getting people to listen. Cheers!
Jul 17 2012: Very interesting comments, Gail. I'll have to think about this more. Regarding the legal issues, it appears that there has been a major shift in the corporate profit mandate, requiring exec's to weigh external issues in their decisions... also, it might be possible to incorporate in a nation that allows more flexibility.
I agree it won't fix the problem, but I do not believe that such a universally-owned corp would make our situation worse.
I agree that Education is the most important investment and responsibility we have... including moral and emotional education. The only moral obligations taught to us by schools or the gov't seem to be the obligation to vote and to support the military. There MUST be some other ethical standards that our society could hold in common.
I actually don't think we could ask for investment from everyone... it wouldn't even be possible, economically, for a huge percentage of the population to do that.
I think that incentives could be designed which motivated sound profit-oriented decisions, or that executives might be unnecessary, if an effective communal decision-making process could be designed.
I also agree that most corporations are wrong more often than right - and yet they manage to grow. Maybe it could be done better.
I agree. We are at the threshold. "The times, they are a changing..." I am excited to be here to see the economic system already changing in many ways. So much talk is of collaboration and sharing, and it has already established a foothold. What comes now?
Jul 17 2012: The problems are considerable. Certainly.
What if we didn't send a check? We could partner with national banks to hold funds until withdrawn by the recipient (any unique person would qualify, I guess).
Also, it might not just be another profit seeking corporation - if we could find a means of diffused yet wise communal decision making. Also, there would be no stock-price, which I think is a major distraction to good practice for executives.
Jul 17 2012: Interesting idea, with the corporate lawsuit investment vehicle. Throwing wrenches in the machinery would probably benefit us simply by slowing everything down a bit.
I do think we have to work within the system, that we can make something better... I'm not sure I'd like to live the "short and brutish" life outside civilization, I just hope we can improve it!
Jul 17 2012: Thank you, Philip. This is excellent information.
I think there are a couple differences between a universal-egalitarian corporation and the shared resources you have mentioned.
First, the items you have mentioned, like the technology provided by the non-profit Wikipedia, do not distribute profits or even compete in a traditional sense, being primarily supported by altruism. Noble, but not likely to take on Microsoft or B.P. for some time.
Second, shared resources like the Public Commons are just shared resources, not agents of action - we can't build a Pyramid or a new telecom network using the Public Commons.
Thank you so much for taking an interest and providing food for thought. I have to consider this from some different angles.
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A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
Do you know of any sources for exploring group decision-theory or practical examples?
A quick note would suffice, I can find any references that you might suggest.
Thank you for your kind reply.
A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
A comment on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
I agree it won't fix the problem, but I do not believe that such a universally-owned corp would make our situation worse.
I agree that Education is the most important investment and responsibility we have... including moral and emotional education. The only moral obligations taught to us by schools or the gov't seem to be the obligation to vote and to support the military. There MUST be some other ethical standards that our society could hold in common.
A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
I actually don't think we could ask for investment from everyone... it wouldn't even be possible, economically, for a huge percentage of the population to do that.
I think that incentives could be designed which motivated sound profit-oriented decisions, or that executives might be unnecessary, if an effective communal decision-making process could be designed.
I also agree that most corporations are wrong more often than right - and yet they manage to grow. Maybe it could be done better.
I appreciate your comment!
A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
I agree. We are at the threshold. "The times, they are a changing..." I am excited to be here to see the economic system already changing in many ways. So much talk is of collaboration and sharing, and it has already established a foothold. What comes now?
A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
What if we didn't send a check? We could partner with national banks to hold funds until withdrawn by the recipient (any unique person would qualify, I guess).
Also, it might not just be another profit seeking corporation - if we could find a means of diffused yet wise communal decision making. Also, there would be no stock-price, which I think is a major distraction to good practice for executives.
Thank you, Barry!
A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
I do think we have to work within the system, that we can make something better... I'm not sure I'd like to live the "short and brutish" life outside civilization, I just hope we can improve it!
Thank you, Craig!
A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.
I think there are a couple differences between a universal-egalitarian corporation and the shared resources you have mentioned.
First, the items you have mentioned, like the technology provided by the non-profit Wikipedia, do not distribute profits or even compete in a traditional sense, being primarily supported by altruism. Noble, but not likely to take on Microsoft or B.P. for some time.
Second, shared resources like the Public Commons are just shared resources, not agents of action - we can't build a Pyramid or a new telecom network using the Public Commons.
Thank you so much for taking an interest and providing food for thought. I have to consider this from some different angles.
A reply on Conversation: Help me understand how we can have a universally owned corporation, where everyone receives dividends, and everyone can manage.