strawdog65

From the Venus Project website, subject: "resource based economy" http://www.thevenusproject.com/en/the-venus-project/resource-based-economy A resource-based economy would make it possible to use technology to overcome scarce resources by applying renewable sources of energy, computerizing and automating manufacturing and inventory, designing safe energy-efficient cities and advanced transportation systems, providing universal health care and more relevant education, and most of all by generating a new incentive system based on human and environmental concern. Many people believe that there is too much technology in the world today, and that technology is the major cause of our environmental pollution. This is not the case. It is the abuse and misuse of technology that should be our major concern. In a more humane civilization, instead of machines displacing people they would shorten the workday, increase the availability of goods and services, and lengthen vacation time. If we utilize new technology to raise the standard of living for all people, then the infusion of machine technology would no longer be a threat. A resource-based world economy would also involve all-out efforts to develop new, clean, and renewable sources of energy: geothermal; controlled fusion; solar; photovoltaic; wind, wave, and tidal power; and even fuel from the oceans. We would eventually be able to have energy in unlimited quantity that could propel civilization for thousands of years. A resource-based economy must also be committed to the redesign of our cities, transportation systems, and industrial plants, allowing them to be energy efficient, clean, and conveniently serve the needs of all people. What else would a resource-based economy mean? Technology intelligently and efficiently applied, conserves energy, reduces waste, and provides more leisure time. With automated inventory on a global scale, we can maintain a balance between production and distribution. Only nutritious and healthy food would be available and planned obsolescence would be unnecessary and non-existent in a resource-based economy. As we outgrow the need for professions based on the monetary system, for instance lawyers, bankers, insurance agents, marketing and advertising personnel, salespersons, and stockbrokers, a considerable amount of waste will be eliminated. Considerable amounts of energy would also be saved by eliminating the duplication of competitive products such as tools, eating utensils, pots, pans and vacuum cleaners. Choice is good. But instead of hundreds of different manufacturing plants and all the paperwork and personnel required to turn out similar products, only a few of the highest quality would be needed to serve the entire population. Our only shortage is the lack of creative thought and intelligence in ourselves and our elected leaders to solve these problems. The most valuable, untapped resource today is human ingenuity. With the elimination of debt, the fear of losing one's job will no longer be a threat. This assurance, combined with education on how to relate to one another in a much more meaningful way, could considerably reduce both mental and physical stress and leave us free to explore and develop our abilities. If the thought of eliminating money still troubles you, consider this: If a group of people with gold, diamonds and money were stranded on an island that had no resources such as food, clean air and water, their wealth would be irrelevant to their survival. It is only when resources are scarce that money can be used to control their distribution. One could not, for example, sell the air we breathe or water abundantly flowing down from a mountain stream. Although air and water are valuable, in abundance they cannot be sold. Money is only important in a society when certain resources for survival must be rationed and the people accept money as an exchange medium for the scarce resources. Money is a social convention, an agreement if you will. It is neither a natural resource nor does it represent one. It is not necessary for survival unless we have been conditioned to accept it as such.

Lately I have been thinking deeply on the benefit and hinderance of Nationalism. It seems as if a two edged sword, both sides equally able to cut us when we mistakenly act, and believe that because of our location of being, that, that somehow makes our actions ok. There seems to be a huge disconnect with spiritual people who believe that their fervent support for their country, somehow makes them better than someone from another country with a different sense of nationalism and spiritual belief system. I am confused how there can be "awareness" in people and yet they still believe that one country is better than another. If we look at everything in a material sense than what need is there of "awareness"? I have come to believe that this sense of nationalism I see everywhere I go, Which includes things like "God bless America" stickers and things like a picture of the American flag with the words... "These colors don't run". There are many more examples, I sure you can all think of something you've seen that is just pure nationalistic drivel. This belief, that we in our country are better than someone else in their own country, based on an arbitrary border, which is non-existent from space, just seems more and more to be what keeps us from working together as a world community. How will we as a people living on one planet, ever be able to cooperate and survive the trying times of the future, when we push ourselves up...all the while pushing someone else down. I don't believe you can be a "spiritually aware" person if you believe yourself to be better than someone else. I think that people who cling to their belief of their country of government being better than any other, are blinded to the bane that this belief represents and propagates, and this I can see as no benefit to the whole of society. Remember....Nationalism has gone to far in the past. Hitler was all about Nationalism. There are many things we do as a nation to help others...but what I am talking about is the underlying current, the thought of being "better". There is no "better" if we are all equally deserving of enlightenment. I know the Tao contains both the dark and the light, and as such the good along with the bad, but how does one reconcile knowing that even though knowing about Tao helps in understanding all this, what about all of the people in this world that blindly believe what they are told by the talking heads on their TV's and in their church pulpit's. What do you all think about it?

Ya got me there. All of it. We at our hearts are self made.

LOL!!!! "Kiss me? Kiss me?!! Kiss this, you smart ass Mother F@@ker!" Team America

Vortex, To understand what the Venus Project wants to accomplish an understanding of a Resource based economy is necessary. Here is a small amount of info. #2 faq from the Venus project site. http://www.thevenusproject.com/en/the-venus-project/faq #2 What is a Resource-Based Economy? To transcend these limitations, The Venus Project proposes we work toward a worldwide, resource-based economy, a holistic social and economic system in which the planetary resources are held as the common heritage of all the earth's inhabitants. The current practice of rationing resources through monetary methods is irrelevant, counter-productive, and falls far short of meeting humanity's needs. Simply stated, within a Resource Based Economy we will utilize existing resources - rather than money - to provide an equitable method of distribution in the most humane and efficient manner. It is a system in which all goods and services are available to everyone without the use of money, credits, barter, or any other form of debt or servitude. To better understand a resource-based economy, consider this. If all the money in the world disappeared overnight, as long as topsoil, factories, personnel and other resources were left intact, we could build anything we needed to fulfill most human needs. It is not money that people require, but rather free access to most of their needs without worrying about financial security or having to appeal to a government bureaucracy. In a resource-based economy of abundance, money will become irrelevant. We have arrived at a time when new innovations in science and technology can easily provide abundance to all of the world's people. It is no longer necessary to perpetuate the conscious withdrawal of efficiency by planned obsolescence, perpetuated by our old and outworn profit system. If we are genuinely concerned about the environment and our fellow human beings, if we really want to end territorial disputes, war, crime, poverty and hunger, we must consciously reconsider the social processes that led us to a world where these factors are common. Like it or not, it is our social processes - political practices, belief systems, profit-based economy, our culture-driven behavioral norms - that lead to and support hunger, war, disease and environmental damage. The aim of this new social design is to encourage an incentive system no longer directed toward the shallow and self-centered goals of wealth, property, and power. These new incentives would encourage people toward self-fulfillment and creativity, both materially and spiritually.

Nationalism is just another means of controlling a populace. As long as all people are divided and see each other as enemies or different therefore hated, we will always be faced with war. The occupy wall street thread has some great links posted by Serene Blue, about the people behind the scenes and who they are linked to and those corporations and how they are linked to groups and controlling bodies such as the Council on foreign relations and other "think tank" type groups. The world works in ways we would think were to devious to be true.

Hi Serene, Thanks for the great links! "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain....Oz commands you!" Taomeow is on it, in my opinion. Anyone who thinks there are "accidents" when it comes to world domination is sadly naive.

Hi Vortex, If you are serious, the please take a small amount of your time and look here. The following excerpt is taken from "the Venus Project" website under faq. You can find it here: http://www.thevenusproject.com/en/the-venus-project/faq Question #64: "What do you consider a "high standard of living", which everyone in the world is entitled to? And who is the one to decide this?" "In a resource-based economy many of the shortages that we have today could easily be overcome by technological ingenuity and the reduction of waste. For example, we could use a form of evaporative condensation in all areas where there are water shortages. We could provide canals from the sea into the land and cover the canals for several miles with transparent enclosures. These would be used for evaporative desalinization. In the state of Florida alone we have close to 50 watts per s yard, which is not harnessed at this time by solar heat concentrators. All highways, parking lots, and rooftops in the new cities would be used to heat water for all of the community needs without the burning of fossil fuels. By using geothermal energy alone (the natural heat of the earth), we could propel the world's society for the next thousand years but this is relatively untapped. There is also wave power, wind power, heat concentrators and many sources of untapped power. Science has never been given the assignment of the production of an abundance for the benefit of all of the earth's people. A high standard of living would mean that all members of society would have access to all of the necessities to sustain life - medical care, education, food, clothing, housing, entertainment, leisure time and more. Man-hours could be reduced considerably until completely eliminated. By eliminating planned obsolescence and the replication of the same products by many different manufactures and by surpassing the need for advertising, sales, lawyers, business personnel, bankers and all of the other non-productive profession we could easily provide many more goods and services to all people. Today's middle class lives better than all of the kings of the past. In a resource- based economy, when the main thrust and total aim of science and innovative technology are directed towards a higher standard of living for all, our life style could far surpass anything imagined today." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Then again, if you're not...then enjoy the wealth you have, at the expense of those who have pretty much nothing. It's the attitude that I have "mine", so who cares about anyone else that's the problem. What wealth we have is not always deserved.

Hi Marbles I agree with you..... The only way I can see such drastic changes taking place is a complete removal of the status quo. A rough ride is what it will take.

Never stopped the Sun, Coronal mass ejection, Coitus inter...what?

Aaron, Life is like the wind, you never really know which way it will take you. Your journey is not really of your own choosing, but then honestly, who's is? Hold onto what makes you, You. Even in the toughest circumstances who you are should never be a question. You already know who you really are, just be it. The uncertainty of living a life on the edge, of feeling a surprise at whatever will come your way, these are good things, there will be great lessons ahead. I wont wish you luck, because I don't believe in it myself. I will say, flow with that wind and be one with it all. I wish you fulfillment in what life brings your way.

Hi Sloppy. When you speak of the "weakest link" please realize that what we consider to be weak in others, also exists within ourselves. We "collectively" are the weakest link. And even more so when we do not help to caretake our world through the practice of greed, while others knowingly suffer because of it. Sloppy, would you agree that Profit and Greed are two sources of human corruption? Would you agree that Profit and Greed are behind most of Human suffering? I'm not trying to trick you....I just want to be clear. Profit and Greed are whats wrong with the present system. Manufactured Scarcity, to create Profit, to satisfy the corporate Greed. It's a vicious cycle that we are inside of. The world does not need to operate this way. People mistaken believe they are free because they have limited mobility to do as the please within the boundaries of laws and governance. The actuality is, there is no Free person existing on the material plane today. We are all bound by laws, and rules of being. I have heard the complaint of people who say something is socialism, or communism, or some other ism. The fact is there does need to be a controlling body, I think we can all see that, otherwise there would be complete anarchy. I have read about the possibility in the far future, of a Artificial Intelligence becoming that controlling body. The only way to arrive at true equalness in regards to resources and food and who gets what, there must be an objective presence in control of those things that would inspire Greed and Profit to begin again. Of course this Idea scares the hell out of most people today, even though computers already rule their lives in almost every aspect. The Ideas being talked about are not some "feel good", "newage", or lets all just be communist "hippies" (although I always thought Hippies were pretty cool) kinda' thing. The Ideas of A Resource Based Economy are real Ideas, and as resources become more scarce and the world becomes a more sketchy place, we might just see some changes take place. Sloppy, you are young enough that your generation, will see massive change take place. Being a realist...it's great that you are being pragmatic and not Idealistic, but being a realist, you might just want to keep the Ideas of other ways at hand as well, because you really might need them.

I'm with you Manitou. The chasing of money, stature, and most earthly material things is what interferes in seeing the world as the One. Everyone engaged in their own little rat race, never realizing they are the Rat. Pulling back and looking at things Objectively, the realization of how small we are by ourselves, compared to the Human race all together, knowing we are part not only of the Human Race, but part of everything that exists now, and will exist in the future. The perspective you speak of is one of unadulterated Love and compassion for all things. And the Awareness that we are part of that, whether we acknowledge it or not.

Hya marbles, The major reason I am interested in a movement like Zeit/venus project, is because I want the Human race to survive and leave planet Earth. The chances of Human survival as long as we are confined to this one world, are diminishing as we destroy and use up everything around us. The survival of the Human race will ultimately have to do with not having all of "our eggs" in one basket. For this reason, I personally, do not see any system similar to our current way of living being beneficial to this ultimate goal of leaving this planet and expanding Human civilization. I'm sure that the changes necessary to effect such a paradigm shift in mankind's psyche will have to be dramatically shocking. As we(the world) approach a time when mass starvation will affect every country, not just the poorest and most remote, changes will need to be made. Hard choices are ahead, maybe not your generation or my own....but surely within the next 50 years. The Zeitgeist movement/Venus project are nowhere near being the perfect models of what will become. Nonetheless, they are options and ideas that will be looked at. The main thing is the people of the world need to be woken up to the possibilities of Ideas that are outside of the conventional greed based thinking. And that's what they represent to me.

I believe inaction is akin to silence and agreement. If there is agreement with the present state of our world, then there is a problem with seeing the futility of any system that bases it's success on the continuation of greed motivators over the benefits to all mankind.

Oopps! Wow...I have always thought that quote sounded like something similar to something I had read many years ago, but could not place it...till now. Maybe Jimi was famous for "paraphrasing" it? Doesn't change his music or contribution to me, but it is still a very meaningful quote. The love of power is the like the loss of compassion. Still think Love is the most important motivator of them all.

What is inspiring to me is the hope for a better future for everyone. What could be more spiritually uplifting then an Idea for the betterment of world society? This site inspires me to think out of our everyday box. Imagine greater things for our future, because thoughts and dreams do matter...for they are inspiration to the future. http://www.thevenusproject.com/

Not sounding corny in the least bit. Love or the lack thereof, is a power motivator for many kinds of dominating behavior (I believe). Here is what's attributed to Jimi Hendrix: When the power of Love overcomes the love power, only then, will the world know peace.

A major issue with any society is the availability of required items to live and survive. Things like, Food, Shelter, Education, and an ability to contribute to that society in a manner that benefits the entirety. We are conditioned to believe that compensation for work, equals some amount of freedom to do as we please. I did not say money because money is just a form of trade. We as a people can not understand a society in which greed and profit have been replaced by true regard for the betterment of mankind. Our world society is based on greed and profit, the manufacturing of scarcity to keep profits high. The actuality of what the world could be like without greed and profit being the motivating factors, is really beyond us. I can just barely wrap my mind around it as I am writing this. It is a resource based economy. Resources would be the right of everyone to be shared equally as they are needed. Money would be unnecessary. I am not talking about a welfare state of being. Everyone would be expected to contribute to the society, depending on what they are able to contribute, based on their particular abilities and skill set. Education would be the right of every human being. Shelter would be available for everyone. Food would be available to everyone. When you remove the time and effort of people having to provide these things for themselves, through the time wasted working at jobs which mean and do nothing to better society, imagine the Paradigm Change that would take place in the minds of people. A true civilization has regard for everyone, and everyone would have a place. The idea of a world without profit probably sounds insane. But, really... of what meaning are profits? What is money used for? If technology can constantly improve our lives and the benefit is people working and contributing without there needing to be a money system, why would money even matter? This Idea is mind changing if you let it truly sink in and see the benefit of it in the grand picture of the world. We live in a rat race, but there is another way, it just takes thinking differently and looking at the world with new eyes.

Hi Informer! Love what you have said. Please take a look at this site: http://www.thevenusproject.com/ The ideas expressed are a breath of fresh air.

We are ALL so thirsty because we live so removed from the essence of our being....Nature.

Hi Sloppy! I appreciate your well thought out response. And am in agreement with you that there can be positive affects from Nationalism. I think that Nationalism, any form thereof, is for the most part not a positive influence on peoples of countries and the world. Nationalism encourages the separation of people through differences. Think of it as a form of racism, with the country you are from as the race you are considered, not a perfect analogy but it works. To get people to really see other people as their brothers and sisters, nationalism will need to go. When the earth is seen from space, it is a small blue world. Boundaries of nations and lands is established, but has no meaning if you see the world as one people, on one planet. For Earth Society to move beyond the pettiness of the present, a one world, one people consciousness must come into being. The future holds many challenges for the survival of the human race, and separation of people based on such outmoded thinking as nations, borders, ect, will only hold the people of this world back. I sometimes wonder, if an alien race of beings came to Earth and saw the tribal nature of how we live on this one world, would they think we were intelligent at all? Would it not seem entirely obvious that everyone should pull together to share and work towards a common good for all? Would it make sense to them that we have petty squabbles over arbitrary lines of demarcation? That people are abused and mistreated because there is no profit to be made in actually helping them? I fear that we would be considered infantile and self destructive in the extreme, and probably watched from afar , but not to be approached directly until we "grow up". I just hope we can pull our shit together before the human race disappears all together.

Have to bump ...... Davy Jones locker, Twenty thousand fathoms deep, A cold heart it keeps.