Since I spend a lot of time trying to be pragmatic about politics, I thought it might be nice to get a little idealistic for once. Now, I feel obligated to reiterate my disbelief in our ability to obtain a 'perfect state', and point out that, historically, whenever any group has decided to try a moon shot for some kind of utopia, it's always ended up in piles of corpses.
Optimal states is more my bag. I don't foresee a future where there is no more murder or discrimination, or where everyone gets a fair shake and opportunity to compete; rather, I foresee a world where maybe evolution is understood and accepted by a larger portion of the public, where the human services are adequately funded, and marijuana and gay marriage are legal. That's not pie in the sky Kumbaya stuff: that's attainable.
In that vein, I thought it would be fun to talk about attainable goals that I believe would make our world just a little bit better.
Here are a few changes I'd like to see:
1) Police officers should be required to get master's degrees in social work before they are allowed to work with the general public.
2) ethics, skepticism, and logic should be taught from elementary school all the way through college.
3) kids in public schools should be expected to memorize poems.
4)Education, healthcare, and housing should all be socialized.
5) You should have to be 25 before you can choose to join the military; if you're going to decide to go risk your life in foreign countries and be cleared to carry around big, deadly guns, your frontal lobes should at least be fully developed.
6) More green spaces. Public parks and nature preserves do everyone good.
7)In addition to the other education-related items above, kids should have to objectively survey world religions from elementary school to university.
8) Tax breaks for folks who do community service.
Those are just off the top of my head. Feel free to add your own suggestions, or challenge any of mine.
Optimal states is more my bag. I don't foresee a future where there is no more murder or discrimination, or where everyone gets a fair shake and opportunity to compete; rather, I foresee a world where maybe evolution is understood and accepted by a larger portion of the public, where the human services are adequately funded, and marijuana and gay marriage are legal. That's not pie in the sky Kumbaya stuff: that's attainable.
In that vein, I thought it would be fun to talk about attainable goals that I believe would make our world just a little bit better.
Here are a few changes I'd like to see:
1) Police officers should be required to get master's degrees in social work before they are allowed to work with the general public.
2) ethics, skepticism, and logic should be taught from elementary school all the way through college.
3) kids in public schools should be expected to memorize poems.
4)Education, healthcare, and housing should all be socialized.
5) You should have to be 25 before you can choose to join the military; if you're going to decide to go risk your life in foreign countries and be cleared to carry around big, deadly guns, your frontal lobes should at least be fully developed.
6) More green spaces. Public parks and nature preserves do everyone good.
7)In addition to the other education-related items above, kids should have to objectively survey world religions from elementary school to university.
8) Tax breaks for folks who do community service.
Those are just off the top of my head. Feel free to add your own suggestions, or challenge any of mine.
"I wanted all things to seem to make some sense,
ReplyDeleteSo we could all be happy, yes, instead of tense.
And I made up lies, so
they all fit nice,
and I made this sad world
a paradise"
— Kurt Vonnegut
A goverment that works for the common good.
ReplyDeleteReal sex education that is based in real life experience and not in religious rhetoric.
And lastly that everyone in the world should be given a puppy.
Just kidding about the puppy, because in some cultures they would end up on the dinner table.
Police officers should be required to investigate and police rape cases; burglaries; murders; assaults; car thefts; and respond to noise complaints. Thats it. They should not be policing vice crimes; and the fact that they do so is what creates so much animosity between them and the people. It is also what puts so many officers in harms way. Its ridiculous for an officer to get involved in a gun battle cause he tried to enforce some moronic anti-drug law. And any officer excited to police these "crimes," is either corrupt or just a thug. Its is officers themselves who should be screaming most loudly for the legalization of recreational drugs, gambling, and (under certain circumstances) prostitution.
ReplyDeleteOIG Audit Report 07-06... 2005, the DEA made or adopted 16007 cash seizures totaling almost $616 million. (How soon do you really expect drug legalization?)
ReplyDelete