Gentlemen, it seems as though there is a tendency toward innate human trait without the consideration of environmental influence on development. Let's also not forget that the females herein have equal opportunity to address the position presented by the term "you" in the initial premise. I'm sure they'll be here shortly to assert their position of matriarch in the new community. Be careful Don, I'd suspect at least one to consider a group of service oriented eunuchs. In either instance I would hope that we could overcome humanity's morbid pathologies simply by maintaining a course conducive to the collective good. I disagree that a form of caste system would come about with special attention paid to discourage that mindset. A "professional" is merely a term that we attach to that which we find cause to revere, a position of esteem. When in all actuality the doctor is not more valuable than those that harvest the crops that feed the doctor. This would be the first order of the day for me. All else serves as a basis for discrimination. It is important for all to consider themselves to be of equal value. Remember, this is a new beginning that should not proceed on pessimistic views based on what past knowledge but progression based on the desire for the "Ideal Culture". You are already focusing on the negative aspects, disagreements, misunderstandings, judge/jury and a fair hanging when I see the possibility that a culture can exist without them. The ideal culture is a happy culture. When everyone has equal share there is nothing to squabble over. It wouldn't be the first gregarian society to exist. I naturally tend to focus on how things "could" work instead of how things can't.
On Feb 9, 3:30 am, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > Yes, I did go a bit Mad Max there in my fantasies. I got carried > away with the whole 'chosen leader' concept. Since we assume we have > a nice collection of skills we'd have to insure that there was some > cross-training involved so that these skills wouldn't be lost. A > problem in the destruction of whole civilizations is the loss of > knowledge. Diligent record keeping is essential to a productive > society so figuring out a way to make paper and re-inventing the > printing press would be an important 1st step after the basics of food > and shelter. > > There would have to be(since we don't need a formal gov't) some way > for resolving differences. Even with a common goal and everyone > generally getting along misunderstandings will crop up, people will > make mistakes and these issues will have to be resolved. I'm partial > to some form of village council with the two parties agreeing on a > judge and/or jury ad hoc. One of the biggest weaknesses I see in the > 'real world' of law is the idea that precedence is so important. Not > all situations are the same so I have never understood the concept of > applying standard punishments or fines for similar offenses. > > With such a small group repopulation would indeed be a factor. > Monogamy should be discouraged in the young and fertile females. I > was being tongue in cheek with my first post but we can't ignore the > survival of the species. Even though we don't have human enemies we > still have the elements and wild game to consider. Not to mention > disease. I can't help but think that some form of caste would come > about with the most valuable professions such as > herbalist/sawbones(medicine man/physician) and trapper/hunter > overshadowing others. It's just human nature. In our free society > the females would chose these over the less important(but still very > important) professions like planter or scribe. > > In the long run our group would split up. It's in our nature to > explore and seek new challenges. At some point someone would chafe at > the same old same old and branch out. It's what we do. > > dj > > On Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 2:19 AM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > To continue we will have to establish what basic conditions we are > > starting out with. I was thinking more of a new earth, Don, that is, > > one that has experienced cataclysmic continental shift, let's say a > > new Pangaea but now the inhabitants are remnants of the now modern > > world, a population of 600 with women proportionally the larger group > > (happy Don?), no guns, no conveniences, no houses etc, only the > > intelligence to carry forth a new world. We can assume a collective > > effort to produce food and other survival necessity. However, looking > > beyond that I don't see the need to establish any governmental entity > > or economic system which may once again spurn greed and criminality. > > Equality would be my aim, food for all and a tribal sense within the > > communal living environment. If there would be any assumption it > > would be the diversity in skills, trades and knowledge that will > > ultimately lend itself to the collaboration of minds for a collective > > prosperity. No need for arms Don as your group is all there is. This > > exercise presents the opportunity to create a culture that can avoid > > the pitfalls of our past history and the conditions under which we > > live today. It's a stretch indeed but I would give it a try > > nonetheless. > > You started out good with the helping one another, singing, dancing > > and picking daisies but resolved with the need to be heavily armed. > > I'll take that as a result of your assumption of other survivors > > elsewhere. Your allusion to dissidence and crushing opposition leaves > > me to wonder if you would be a suitable shepherd of the new fold. > > Let's just say the entire populace is congenial and open to equitable > > leadership. > > > On Feb 9, 1:03 am, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I'm going to assume the realities of survival apply in your scenario. > >> Otherwise I'd say we'd all get along fabulously and busy ourselves > >> industrially helping one another and singing and dancing and picking > >> pansies and what not. > > >> My first and most pressing concern would be repopulating the earth. > >> Since I'm the chosen leader that must mean I'm the best example or > >> what 'the People' want for their future. So I guess I'd have to start > >> out with a bunch of wives and get busy. I'd need to exert total and > >> complete totalitarian control over the populace but lead with wisdom > >> and compassion. A delicate balance, to be sure. Deifying myself > >> would come in handy but might prove difficult. > > >> I would reward knowledge and information and encourage skills required > >> for survival. Education would become paramount. Responding quickly > >> and harshly to any dissidence would prevent costly and unnecessary > >> debate. Solidifying control and crushing the opposition before they > >> can organize is important. This will prevent civil war. I would > >> assume that there had to be other pockets of survivors out there in > >> the world and I would send emissaries out searching for them to see > >> how we might trade with them. I would also, of course, make sure my > >> group was heavily armed to protect ourselves from marauding > >> 'outsiders.' > > >> dj > > >> On Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 12:08 AM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> > "Lets Say", the earth as we know it was destroyed by whatever device > >> > humanity heaped upon itself. All that survived are gathered in one > >> > place, and you are the chosen leader. The earth is yours to do as you > >> > wish. > >> > Surely you will want to create a new culture, purged of the calamities > >> > and atrocities noted in the annals of human history. > >> > Where do you begin? The people are waiting. > > >> > Do you have a master plan? > > >> > Do you have some idea of what you think would be the ideal culture? --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
