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| N E W C I V I L I Z A T I O N |
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| V I S I O N S |
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Issue 1, 18 July 1995
I will collect visions of how we see life in a new civilization and
distribute them here. The emphasis is on positive visions of what you would
like to see in the future, not on arguments for or against any particular
approach.
This is the first batch.
- Flemming
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** Flemming Funch <ffunch@newciv.org>, Los Angeles, California. **
I envision a future where most relatively small communities are
self-sufficient in terms of most ongoing needs.
A community of say 100 people would have its own solar power panels or wind
generators, with the capacity to cover typical requirements of the
community.
Hydroponic gardens would be able to supply food for the whole community for
any length of time.
The community has its own water well. And it has a scheme for recycling
water so that it can be used over and over again.
There would be no need for carrying away waste. Organic wastes will be used
as fertilizer. Plastics and other materials would be reconstructed and
re-used.
Mechanical devices would either be very modular so that they could be
updated and maintained easily, or they could be deconstructed and turned
into other devices. Possibly by computer-aided devices that would carve out
mechanical parts from raw materials, based on stored blueprints.
There would be means for home-education. For example by a comprehensive
local CD-ROM library.
There would be communication means that aren't vulnerable to local outages,
such as for example wireless networking.
Each community would network widely with other communities and would also
be tied into networks for sharing resources. I.e. there would be an
electricity grid that each community could feed into when it has a surplus,
or draw from if it has a shortage.
Society would be made of many cells that each can be self-sufficient when
it needs to be, but which can draw advantages from being connected with
other cells that emphasize different products.
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** Kim Baker <KIM@uctlib.uct.ac.za>, Cape Town, South Africa. **
I see people living together in communities of their choice, following
the ideals of their choice. Thus, in Africa, could be groups of
people, each living in accordance with the various principles of
African Traditional Religions, there could be groups of Christians, in
other parts of the world, Muslims, Bahai's, Buddhists, Paganists, Eco-
feminists, etc. Each community would therefore live according to a
shared religion or philosophy as its basis. There would be no
national boundaries, or nation states, but the communities would
enjoy a sovereignty within the bounds of an agreed global civil ethic
(including principles such as preservation of the planet, freedom of
association, etc). People would be free to move from community to
community to explore the various ways.
There would be a means, such as the Internet, for people to link up
with others around the planet on specific issues - artists across the
spectrum could link up, for instance. There would be festivals of
celebration every now and then, hosted by the communities, which
people can attend, by choice, to celebrate new discoveries in science,
art, technology, with music and dancing.
Communities would care for all their members, and everyone would know
everyone, and take responsiblity for the well-being and happiness of
all members of the communities.
-------------------oOo-------------------
** Bonnie Richardson <brichard@colsa.com>, Huntsville, Alabama. **
My ideal new civilization would be exactly as described in Thea Alexander's
book titled "2150".
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** Nicholas Albery <rhino@bbcnc.org.uk>, London, England. **
Vision of Life in AD 2044
In August 2009 an unidentified Islamic fundamentalist group failed in its
attempt to blackmail the French government. On August 21st the group
carried out its threat and exploded a number of nuclear devices smuggled
into Paris, and destroyed most of the city. Similar blackmail was directed
against other Western cities. The consequences were dramatic in the
extreme. Many people tried to flee from Western cities - the rich tried to
buy their way into 'safe' countries in the Southern hemisphere. Local areas
vetted newcomers and strangers very carefully to ensure that they
represented no security danger. Travel and immigration became very
restricted.
As a result, the world in 2044 is now entirely fragmented politically, like
a ship with watertight compartments. The old county of Perthshire is now
itself The Free and Independent Republic of Perthia. It has its own
(entirely electronic) currency, stamps, national theatre, prime minister,
parliament, armed forces, etc. Villages and parishes within towns very much
run their own affairs by referenda. The local policeman goes round each
household once a fortnight to ask if residents have seen anything
suspicious in their area. It is a complicated business for residents to
settle in Perthia - their international identity smart card, the record of
their entire lives, is carefully examined and references checked, and the
would-be immigrant has to find a village or community within Perthia to
vote to allow him or her residence.
Each village also imposes a labour tax on its residents - they must each
work two hours a week for the neighbourhood on anything from street
cleaning to care of the elderly, or, if unable to do so because of pressure
of work elsewhere, they pay a labour tax so that the neighbourhood can
employ someone else who is less busy.
Each neighbourhood has its own caretaker. The quality of life in each
neighbourhood very much depends on the quality of its caretaker, as this
person has many roles - from coordinating neighbourhood watch to work
allocation.
Population figures continue to go down - the taxation system rewards those
with fewest children. It is all part of a campaign to make Perthia as
self-sufficient in food and manufactures as possible.
Despite the human tragedies that have afflicted the West in recent memory,
people in Perthia are relatively happy nowadays. Whilst you can still get
medicinal drugs on prescription from the doctor, consciousness-altering
drugs are legally available through the priests of the various religions.
Some priests form groups of compatible seekers, doctoring the communion
'wine' with the drug most suited to the needs of the participants. The
churches and chapels have full congregations, mainly of teenagers. Perthia
has a reputation among the ten thousand nations for the quality of its
mystics.
-------------------oOo-------------------
* Pete Berardo <Berardo_Pete@mm.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com>, Palo Alto, CA. *
A high proportion of my time is spent (not invested) in dealing with
various providers of commodities and services: utilitiy companies (gas,
water, electric, trash, recycling); medical, dental, and vision health
care; banks; credit providers; insurances (health, property, automobile,
life); and other more personalized providers.
Computers have helped reduce errors but also isolated us from people,
especially people who care to address issues, rather than conform to CRT
templates. At my company, a great deal has been done to integrate various
employee services. There are several ways I can electronically access and
even change personal information or selections. Unfortunately, access to
people for special cases has
greatly diminished.
I believe that technology can be our means to improved quality of life --
for individuals and for Earth. Personally, I would be thrilled if all of
the above **stuff** could be concentrated in one data base.
Freedom from niggardly time demands.
Independence to invest my time.
These are more important to me than privacy.
All these providers have essentially common information anyway, i.e., DOB,
SSN, mother's maiden name, employment, spouse, address, telephone #,
income, etc. So what? So I get a bit of junk mail and I have to cancel it.
Maybe less privacy and more freedom would reverse some of our social ills.
Certainly the privacy of criminals does not seem in best interests of the
average person.
For the average person, "Integrated Providers Company", (PROVCO?) could
sometimes help prevent unwise decisions, much like a pop-up window that
says "Are you sure you want to do this?". Trust in other people would rise
if they were a member of PROVCO.
Well, still a bit out of focus, but that's my vision -- more time each of
us. I'm sure we'll put it to good use.
-------------------oOo-------------------
** David Leland <rrlelnd@cc.umanitoba.ca>, Manitoba, Canada. **
The New Civilization is a peaceable, cooperative commonwealth which
harmonizes meeting human needs in the present with being stewards
of the environment with a view to the future.
-------------------oOo-------------------
** Bruce Hanna <bhanna@piweb.com>, Santa Barbara, California. **
"Context - a Visualization"
July 6, 1995
Visualize life as a SEA .
Facts, techniques, methods, concepts and related technology comprise
the HULL of a sailing vessel. They let us float, but do not
lead anywhere, i.e. to fulfillment, success or meaning.
Specific life situations we experience provide WIND for our boat.
Although wind changes in force and direction and is unpredictable,
it is the source of energy for the value we may find in life.
The wind provides opportunity and challenge.
SAILS harness the power of the wind. We must understand the context,
and know how to apply our knowledge and skill to fill the SAILS.
The TILLER or WHEEL of the boat aims the boat in specific directions.
Commitment and intention to achieve specific goals provide this.
The RUDDER, (which we can't see because it's under the boat), actually
guides our direction. As sailors know, the rudder may not head
the same way the tiller is pointed.
Relationships connect us to the RUDDER. Nearly all we do realizes
its value in relationship - influencing others in work and in life.
We need to stay in feedback with all our stakeholders to
learn if the expected value is being felt.
All the above acts in concert. The parts of the SAILING system
do nothing by themselves, they can only function together.
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o o
/ \------------------ Flemming A. Funch ------------------/ \
/ * \ World Transformation/New Civilization/Whole Systems / * \
/ * * \ ffunch@newciv.org / * * \
o-------o ---------http://newciv.org/worldtrans/----------o-------o
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