As futurists, our role is to help others understand the world as it is; the likely futures ahead if we don't do anything about it; the trade offs and choices we face; and the complicated potential and probable unintended consequences and collateral damage of our present and future decisions and the incentives that shape them. … Continue reading Bad frames
Category: observations
Naked, and alone
On reading We have been harmonised I was reminded the if you want to control a large group, one of easiest ways to do that is to get them all 1) naked and 2) alone. Naked, so that they feel watched by the authority, their peers and -more importantly - by their own selves. Religion … Continue reading Naked, and alone
Deed, seed, creed – and the war on death
"Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?"~ Terry Pratchett When it comes down to it, although our day to day lives may be driven by envy; what we want, what we really, really want, as conscious human beings, is immortality. Traditionally, this has taken one of three routes … Continue reading Deed, seed, creed – and the war on death
The Social Contract
"If one merchant or one group was as good as another in gathering information and guessing about supply and demand, the one able to operate with lower costs would gain larger profits. A very substantial part of costs was what had to be paid for protection and for insurance against losses that might be inflicted … Continue reading The Social Contract
The Story of Philosophy
“Tolerance grows only when faith loses certainty; certainty is murderous.”~ Will Durant Will Durant was a phenomenal writer, wise, astute, with a wonderful way with words and a particular ability to articulate complicated ideas with clarity. The Story of Philosophy is Will Durant at his best, spanning centuries of human thought, he brings long dead … Continue reading The Story of Philosophy
Vicious and virtuous
"Inn-Sewer-Ants: the translation of an Agatean concept brought to Ankh-Morpork by Twoflower. The idea was that a financial institution, upon payment of a yearly "premium", would guarantee reimbursement of loss of property due to fire or other disaster. This must have worked well in the Aurient, but Morporkians soon found the opportunity to reap windfall … Continue reading Vicious and virtuous
Inside and Outside the Walls
I've been thinking a lot about micro-fiefdoms and the putting up of pay walls and page gates and toll gates for a myriad of formerly free human interactions, in the digital and physical realms. For example: From public spaces to private city states (also think gated communities and company towns run by big tech companies … Continue reading Inside and Outside the Walls
Good vs Great
Good: Virtuous. Right. Commendable. Great: Remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness. When it comes to leadership, it is not good to great; so much as good vs great. An uncomfortable truth about human history is that the greatest - that is the most effective, influential, and powerful - leaders are seldom the most good. Indeed … Continue reading Good vs Great
“We want a king”
Freedom is not freedom from responsibility, it's freedom to willingly take on responsibility. Read the below and try not to see the similarity between this story in the good old Old Testament and the fearful and the envious demanding they “be lead” and ruled by law this year. So all the elders of Israel gathered … Continue reading “We want a king”
The Sovereign Individual
"Government is not only a protection service; it is also a protection racket. While government provides protection against violence originating with others, like the protection racket it also charges customers for protection against harm that it would otherwise impose itself. The first action is an economic service. The second is a racket.In practice, the distinction … Continue reading The Sovereign Individual