I am very fortunate to have been born in the most powerful nation in the world, in an era of massive technological, and social enlightenment. However, I have also witnessed the failings of this society: poverty, war, ignorance, and politics. So I have seen humanity's great potential for creation, as well as devestation. I think we need to seize this moment in history so that we can secure our future for creation and for the benefit of ourselves and society.
The current governing systems of the USA, and indeed of the entire world, are antequated systems formed in a time of reletively ancient technology, and social and political beliefs. Though an incredible achievement at it's conception, improvements in human communication, innovation, and ability, define the need to improve our government and make it fit for the 21st century. I think the best system of government would be based on three pillars of rights: democracy, technocracy, and meritocracty. Whereby anyone could be educated freely, promoted fairly based on their level of compotence, and as an expert could research their specialty and then vote with peers to regulate it under democratic law. This means that as new discoveries and inovations emerge, those that know the most about them will be the ones who regulate them, but also guarantees everyone education to become experts. I believe this system would require a new economy. Perhaps one based around the collective social benefit.
If you have any comments about my idea I'd like to hear them. This is obviously something that would need to be hammered out by a large group of intellectuals and scientist. TED is the best place.
I am a student of science. I'm currently studying biology. I have a working knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology, political & computer science. I've studied at the UW but am largely self educated.
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A comment on Conversation: War. Do we really understand the consequences of it?
A comment on Conversation: One Worldwide Government
I've actually given a lot of thought to this, and have come up with a system that I think would be a vast improvement on the current forms of government. The name I've given the system: Demaritecnocracy. A mouthful, I know. It's mearly a blend of the terms democracy, maritocracy, and technocracy.
Here's how it would work: The democratic pillar would guarantee everyone equal opportunity under the law, and equal access to the services offered by the government. The meritocratic pillar would assure advancement based on one's predicted performance, so personal biases would not dictate promotions, and you'd gravitate to having the most important possitions occupied by the most compotent persons, instead of those with the best connections. The technocratic pillar would hand legislative power to the professional community, with specialists regulating their own field of expertise for the benefit of society, and the advancement of their profession. With those having lower meritocratic standing having command over more localized systems (neighbourhood, city), and those who are the most compotent in their fields having command over larger tracks of population (district, state, nation, world).
I think this system would confer several benefits to its regulated constituents. It could guarantee every citizen the possibility of voting on national, or even global policy, given a high degree of education. It would also mean that citizens could diversify their city policies based on their individual needs and limitations. Not to mention the boon of larger policy being set by the most compotent professionals. Another great part about this is that it has built in checks and balances. With every profession naturally reliant on the others
A reply on Conversation: Reinventing government - what would it look like?
The other great thing about this system is that it has a very good built in system of checks and balances. With every profession naturally reliant on the others for all the goods and services they provide to society. And if our economy is made to reflect that, then I think we could get a great deal done in this country.
A comment on Conversation: Reinventing government - what would it look like?
Technocracy: I think a technocratic system is a good solution to the problem described above. With professionals regulating their own feild of specialty. Thus doctors would regulate health care, civil engineers would be in charge of civil engineering, communications experts would be in charge of updating our communication networks, etc. So the laws are constructed by those who are the most educated in the subject being regulated. Of course this system should be democrotized! So those brought up in the educational system would have the opportunity to be trained in any field of their choosing. This means that if you don't like the way something is being done, then you can do something about it, just not while blinded by ignorance.
Meritocracy: I think it would be only fair that all promotions are based on an applicant's predicted performance, and not based on any personal or political biases against that individual. I think it would be important to control for this to prevent any kind of power struggle among officials.
I think this would require a different economic system. I'd suggest one that rewards individuals for the benefit they provide to society. Those who confer the most benefit onto society would have the highest standard of living, and those who gave the least to society, or even perhaps detracted from it, would be provided the minimum standard of living. This would encourage everyone to try to do the most to aid others because they would be rewarded for it, instead of our current system which I think is a more selfish system, and obviously unstable.