User:Fabiovic
What is a Resource Based Economy?
- The concept of the RBE goes beyond the management of resources as the terminology implies, since it approaches all sorts of social, economic, environmental and scientific understandings, which gives rise to a generalist system. (a) socially, the values praised and practiced on a daily basis are: cooperation, equality, respect, honesty, sincerety, transparency, humility, acceptance, empaty, patience, friendship, solidarity. Laws are not required as they are intrinsic in people's lifestyle. They become part of lifestyle by both intellectual understanding of how to live more progressive collective life and by people being brought up in an environmnet that already praises these values. People learn how to express themselves freely and not to judge others - they don't learn how to lie from the very beginning of their lives as today - in a way that socially aberrant behaviour may be early detected. The RBE takes a step back to diagnose the social problems that exist today by analysing their deepest origins. Once the original causes are know, the environment may be manipulated so these problems will be avoided. Also, beneficial social developments are also deeply analysed and the environment is equally replaced as to provide for their better development. The working mechanism of the human being as both an individual and social being is deeply understood and taken into account for designing society. This way, the socio-economic is developed to diminish our weaknesses and to stimulate and improve our strengths. There's no form of punishment. If even with all the provisions taken for allowing for freedom and fulfilment of all humans there are still people that develop aberrant feelings and behaviours, they will be psychologically treated. Besides these cases, the only people that will receive special treatment are those who are born with some biological dysfunction. their environment will also be manipulated in a way this person may achieve the same goals as ordinary people, but in the way they require. (b) economically, the highest levels of technology will be extensively applied in attempt to free humans from laborious, repetitive and uninteresting tasks. Also, the further application of technology in the means of production and distribution of goods and services, unhindered by financial and other current limitations (programmed obsolescence, consumer appeal, copyright infringemenrut pampering interests, etc) will create such an abundance of resources, that no trade or money will be required to manage them. Still, the concept of ownership must be replaced by the concept of free access. What we wish is not the ownership of goods, but the services they can provide. This shift of understanding will lead to drastically modifications in the working systems that support society, such as transportation (cars will, most likely, only be available for leisure only under specific locations). Also, no goods will be left in stock. They will be constantly moving from one people to another, according to their necessity of using it. Goods will be designed to last. Those that are constantly evolving, such as computers, will be designed to be updated. Sustainability is inherent within the economical design of society. The only physical limitation for the material development is the carrying capacity of the Earth. Other than that, society is free to be constantly evolving technologically, allowing for ever more thrilling lives. Space exploration might become a common hobby of ordinary people. (c) environmentally, all the resources will be mapped so we know the availability of each one. Also, their natural replacement rate, if any, will be fully understood. These data will be stored and used as input for any system and devices to be developed. Sustainability is not a special area of concern, it is inherent within every single process of society. We will never trespass the carrying capacity of the Earth as it implies in risking our status of comfort from the use of resources and the "services" they provide (e.g. there are still no artificial systems capable of converting CO2 into O2), in a small scale of depletion, and it implies in risking our own existence, in a large scale of depletion. We recognise that our existence is reliant on the environment we live in, so we must take good care of it. Also, there is a great deal of wisdom that may be attained from bonding with nature and the planet earth as a whole emotionally, recognizing them as our home. We are all one in this planet and in this universe, as we were all born from the same star explosion billions of years ago. (d) science and philosophy are the only trains of thought while taking decisions. Artistically development is also praised, but an artistic point of view will never be acceptable in decision making if it goes against the first two perspectives. There's no room for superstition, unfounded beliefs, irrational instincts and emotionally driven only feelings. Science must be used to settle intellectual disagreements, always accompanied by a great deal of skepticism, open minded ness, and the sincere pursuit of true according to current methods and knowledge. Personal opinions are the right of everyone, but are regarded as irrelevant. If one wishes to make a case, he must be prepared to present the scientific or philosophical background supporting it. Claiming to be ignorant on a given subject will no longer be a reason to be ashamed, but the only reasonable statement to declare once one is faced with such circumstance. Learning to say: "I don't know" might be one of the greatest lesson of humility people will learn in an RBE. Technology is the end result of applied science or simply the result of the practical application of accumulated knowledge. Either way, it is recognised as the true driver of human well being, besides the natural phisiological capacities of modern humans (specially brain function and thumbs). Therefore, it will be extensively exploited, using the highest levels available and being constantly updated with the new discoveries, intending to free man from work and to provide him with the best opportunities to enjoy life. Also, computerst will be used to assist in social development, which will make the process more efficient and also will eliminate another burden from humanities' shoulders.
- Sustainability is inherent. The material development of society will be limited by the natural boundaries of the Planet we live, so at least the same level of comfort from the utilization of resources may be maintained throughout time.
- Technology is the main driver of social well being. The use of technology is exploited to a maximum intending to free human beings from laborious and operational tasks, and to offer them the best opportunities to enjoy life. Only tasks that cannot be automated will be performed by people and these will be distributed among everyone so it will not be a burden to any individual. Still, people will be able to "work" for society on any given task, if they want to.
- There's no trade and no money. Although resources are finite, once they are intelligently managed with the assistance of the highest technology available and ownership is replaced by free access, resources may become so abundant to all people that trade and money are no longer required.
- There is no government. 2 points here: 1. Socially aberrant behavior are recognized as consequence of a primitive social and economic environment. The living conditions offered in an RBE meet enough human needs to inhibit the creation of undesired behavior. Besides, the level of individual understanding of key concepts necessary to a progressive, peaceful and harmonious collective life among the inhabitants of an RBE is high enough so that laws are not required. Aberrant behavior are dealt with psychological treatments, not with punishment. People are free to do whatever they want to, but they will not choose to act in an socially aberrant manner (murdering another fellow, for instance), because they have no reason for doing so. Therefore, social order will be a natural result of meeting people's needs and by providing them with relevant intellectual and social education. 2. The RBE recognizes that the nature of issues regarding socio-economic planning and management are technical and not political. These decisions will be arrived at by the use of science and technology, instead of being made by people supposedly representing the will of the majority.
