RBE10K/Differences with other projects/TVP

Comparison of Values, Objectives and Strategies

The following points are extracted from an essay<ref>http://www.thevenusproject.com/en/the-venus-project/essay</ref> written by Jacque Fresco and published on The Venus Project website. In this essay, Fresco states that "This new experimental city would be devoted to working towards the aims and goals of The Venus Project, which are" followed by a list of 18 items. The following is such list, verbatim, commented on each point about the similarities and particularly, the differences.

1. Conserving all the world's resources as the common heritage of all of the Earth's people.
   
   There has been a recent change in this, as Fresco and TVP activists usually state "Declaring the world resources...". The change has significant implications and does shorten the distance between both projects.
   The RBE10K Project will not make any declaration. The RBE10K Project considers we belong to the Earth, and not the other way around. The RBE10K Project also doesn't consider that it will ever have control over all the world's resources: it focuses exclusively on those resources that are in the vicinities of the project's cities. In aiming toward maximising sustainability and self-sufficiency, the RBE10K Project considers this kind of statement redundant. Also, RBE10K's strategy does not include taking away the resources of those who won't give them up voluntarily; it will rather consider its local resources for the common benefit of all those who voluntarily choose to live in its cities.
   
   
2. Transcending all of the artificial boundaries that separate people.
   
   In The RBE10K Project, this will only be available and actively promoted within its cities. However this can be understood as metaphysical, or spiritual. Whilst RBE10K will promote this, it doesn't expect it ever being achieved by the population at large.
   This can also be interpreted as physical boundaries, especially political. The RBE10K Project will not have states, but it will be within in states, i.e. countries. Meanwhile those countries still exist, it will pay land taxes, and although it will not participate of state politics, it will respect the boundaries that exist. The RBE10K Project, though, has a long term plan of expansion, and envisages that certain countries will be so depleted of people that the countries themselves will lose their ability to run themselves, in which case the RBE10K cities will take over the diplomacy tasks and ensure this causes no unnecessary stress in the power balance between RBE10K cities and the rest of the world.
   
   
3. Evolving from a monetary-based economy to a resource-based world economy.
   
   Although this claim can be interpreted in different ways, the RBE10K Project will not evolve in the sense of "change towards", i.e. will not substitute the monetary market economy. Rather, it will create a new system that does not require money at all right from the first go. There will not be substitution of one system for the other, but rather the creation of communities that will simply not trade.
   
   
4. Reclaiming and restoring the natural environment to the best of our ability.
   
   This is true for both projects as they share the same goal.
   
   
5. Redesigning our cities, transportation systems, and agricultural and industrial plants so that they are energy efficient, clean, and conveniently serve the needs of all people.
   
   This statement leaves room for interpretation. If it can be interpreted that current cities will be redesigned and modified (as opposed to changing the design for new cities), The RBE10K Project will not redesign any cities, but rather will design and create new cities, and will simply abandon (opt-out) the old ones. In terms of transport systems, RBE10K will acquire transportation systems from the current system, which will probably be limited to a ship every few cities, and one or two trucks and a bus per city, having no private cars. Whilst RBE10K will not use petroleum-based agriculture, i.e. modern agriculture, it will use common or well-known simple agriculture systems like permaculture. Whilst it will attempt to automate processes as much as practicable, the technology in general will be far from futuristic. It will also have some industry, but will likely very small and simple at the beginning.
   As for the being energy efficient, clean and serve the needs of the people, the RBE10K shares this goal with TVP.
   
   
6. Evolving towards a cybernated society that can gradually outgrow the need for all political local, national, and supra-national governments as a means of social management.
   
   The RBE10K Project will not outgrow the stated needs gradually, but rather will never be part of it, and will never have a need or a relationship (other than the absolute minimally necessary to be allowed to remain) with governments. As its strategy is that of allowing people for opting out from the system, there sill be no gradual approach in this project. Those who will voluntarily choose to move to one of our cities will be required to let go in one big sweep from their ties to government and authority structures.
   
   
7. Sharing and applying all of the new technologies for the benefit of all nations.
   
   Whilst The RBE10K Project shares this goal, it is not clear how TVP intends on implementing this. RBE10K implements this approach from its first go, the planning stage that takes place between 2013 and the end of 2014, by ensuring that everything they produce in terms of documentation and software becomes the benefit of all people. And this project also plans of producing, as part of its strategy, large amounts of quality artistic, scientific and technical products to be released worldwide through Creative Commons and similar licenses, for the whole world to enjoy. What this statement means for TVP is unclear, and it is not something that TVP is consistent with during its planning stage.
   
   
8. Using clean, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, and tidal power, etc.
   
   This is a goal shared between the two projects. It is worth noting that it is also a goal shared by many current nations in the monetary market economy, and a trend that will continue to grow among policy-makers of the world, as petroleum prices continue to increase.
   
   
9. Ultimately utilizing the highest quality products for the benefit of all the world's people.
   
   RBE10K cities will produce the few items that its small industry will allow, attempting the best quality possible, however it is worth noting that this quality is likely to be very inferior to the quality Capitalism can produce. RBE10K cities will focus on need, producing products in the best way of what it can manage, always taking care of being sustainable and consistent with the project's principles and values. The project will most likely not produce much, and during planning for settling will choose the products to acquire based on what will last the most for its people (it will also take into account the environmental and social impact of the purchased products, and include that information to assess what best to purchase). Eventually, if and when the RBE10K Project reaches thousands of cities, it may be able to begin producing better quality goods and technology. Until then, it is worthwhile noting that Capitalism uses slave or nearly-slave work, whilst RBE10K can only rely on automation and voluntary work, therefore it is unlikely being able to surpass Capitalism's production prowess, unless RBE10K is successful in enabling a change for opting-out for all the people abused by the system, and succeeding in having them voluntarily removed from that system and joining RBE10K instead.
   
   
10. Requiring environmental impact studies prior to construction of any mega-projects.
    
    Whilst The RBE10K Project will do such studies upon building mega projects, this project is unlikely to doing mega projects in many years, until reaching close to a million cities. RBE10K's goal is providing a place for all people in poverty or miserable situations to have a chance to opt-out and move to one of its cities. Mega projects are likely to occur, if ever, sometime later, as it is not a focus. However, RBE10K will do environmental impact studies for any projects it will do that involve an impact on Natural environments, and that will include small projects. This is consistent with RBE10K's goal of protecting the the environment, which is a higher priority than people's lifestyle, although lower than people's health.
    
    
11. Encouraging the widest range of creativity and incentive toward constructive endeavor.
    
    This is true for both projects as they share the same goal.
    
    
12. Assisting in stabilizing the world's population through education and voluntary birth-control to conform to the carrying capacity of the earth.
    
    This is true for both projects as they share the same goal. However, The RBE10K Project will not conform specifically with the carrying capacity of the earth as such, but as with sustainability of each city, as it simply will consider the measure that it is impossible to maintain Sustainability unless there is zero population growth. It will never attempt to depopulate, and will actively discourage any measure of population growth.
    
    
13. Outgrowing nationalism, bigotry and prejudice through education.
    
    This is true for both projects as they share the same goal.
    
    
14. Eliminating any type of elitism, technical or otherwise.
    
    Whilst this is true for both project as they share the same goal, The RBE10K Project However we will not eliminate elitism, as it will create its cities without it. Rather, it will simply not enable it, actively ensuring it doesn't develop in any areas of society.
    
    
15. Arriving at methodologies by careful research rather than random opinions.
    
    In the case of RBE10K Project, it considers this not to be an objective but a principle. Everything the RBE10K Project has done and plans to do is consistent with this principle, right from the planning stage, and aims to continue to be done this way during life in every RBE10K city.
    
    
16. Enhancing communication in the new schools so that our language and education is relevant to the physical conditions of the world around us.
    
    The RBE10K Project will probably not have schools as we know them. Rather, it will rely on parents, tutors, and the University. Schooling will be somewhat similar to the Montessori system, however run by parents. High school will disappear entirely, and University will be based on a system of tutor/disciple similar to what Universities used to be in the middle ages.
    
    
17. Providing not only the necessities of life but also offering challenges that stimulate the mind, emphasizing individuality rather than uniformity.
    
    This is true for both projects as they share the same goal.
    
    
18. Finally, preparing people intellectually and emotionally for the possible changes that lie ahead.
    
    The RBE10K differs significantly in this point, as it does not intend on prepare anyone in anything or for anything. Any people that come to a RBE10K city will come voluntarily, as a result of what they've researched or what they've evidenced and want for themselves. Those who migrate to a RBE10K city will be required to adapt, let go of old belief systems that have no place in their new environment (e.g. the right to possess things, or making demands).
    The RBE10K Project does not engage in raising awareness, and it is not intended to do so. Whilst for the first experimental city it expects to rely mostly on those who have already got some awareness raised, for any following cities it will rely only on people wanting to migrate to RBE10K cities based on evidence for what they see, if they want it. Such process is like to raise awareness somewhat, but the awareness raising process will occur naturally within the community, through peer support, particularly from those who have more experience in living in the community. Those people who want to migrate (opt-out) to a RBE10K city will most likely want to do so from being inspired by what they say in YouTube or saw or read through other social networking sites. Other than that and large amounts of free artwork and other products and services provided by RBE10K communities, there will provide no further information for people to engage in awareness raising: they will either want to join the new cities, or prefer to remain living as they are, and the RBE10K Project will not attempt to disrupt that in any way. Many participants in The RBE10K Project, however, will provide or continue to provide support to TZM and TVP in any way possible to maximise their capacity for awareness raising.

This comparison serves to show that there are some points in common, others that share some characteristics, and some of them are significantly different.

References

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