Today, if you were the Emperor how would you rule the country ?

[CloudHands]

^ ^

[thelerner]

As emperor, I think I'd mostly steal from it.  Enough to buy a nice tropical island.  Move there and relax.

 

People often get the governments they deserve.  No sense messing with the flow of destiny or pushing against a river. 

 

But thats just me.  Others might be more proactive. 

 

p.s. hopefully this won't be used against me in case there is a vote for emperor and i'm in contention.

 

 

Add on>

Ofcourse that's part A.

Part B. Would be to hire a smart competent guy to hire an excellent cook, masseur, mixologist and support personnel.  Preferably from the 3rd world where'd I get abnormal loyalty and discretion as I do i-legal, i-moral, and use iproducts on my i-land.  Then I could fire the smart guy.

 

Part C. Buy Yacht.  Nothing ostentatious, but I would like a small helicotoper on top and escape sub on the bottom incase my loyal subjects prove otherwise. 

 

Part D.  Implement some of the ideas in Save the World thread. 

  I'd rehire the smart competent guy I fired in Part B and put him to work building some new planned communites with government, business and environmentalists working in concert.  A house shouldn't look like a house, an office building or factory, shouldn't look like a standard building.  I want people to walk outside every day and see something way different then a modern city or town.

 

For examples some homes might be hobbit style, built into hillsides to take advantage of insulation and leave more open spaces.  Other areas the homes would built in C shapes, smaller but with open space courtyards in the middle.  Few sharp angles, with space and light accented. 

 

There'd be a strong tradition from the start on strong community ties.  Weekly or monthly celebrations- potlucks, music, dancing.  Building projects where everyone in the community shares responsibility, working together for a common good.  Building an ethos of strong community.

 

If these proved successful, I'd want to start adapting them around and into cities.  Keeping things small. 

 

Instead of improving the world from top down.  I'd work from the bottom up.  Creating small communities that worked together with strong ties.  Improving the world from community up. 

Edited July 11, 2015 by thelerner

[CloudHands]

I'm asking, because many people seem to have an opinion about how to deal with that post-modern period. So I give an opportunity to anyone to say what would they do. Hopping some will be well-advised and advising.

[Nungali]

The Emperor of Australia ?  

 

. 

Hemianax papuensis

Edited July 10, 2015 by Nungali

[CloudHands]

Ok my turn to reign.

 

As less rules as possible nonetheless a strong assumed orientation.

 

Economy/employment :

 

- Only one basic income, apply for any one without condition set up according basic needs something close to our actual minimum wage  (1000 euros)

- No other aid for nothing else.

- Income can't be higher that 5x minimal wage

- Work that can't find recruit will be considered ingrate and will be paid much higher

- Most desirable works would integrate rotation of people qualified to.

- Enterprises taxes (we call it social charges) will be set according the size/benefit of the company. From 20% to 50% benefice.

 

About parasites :

- goods importation : taxed 100%

- financial flows (speculation and co) : taxed (low rate)

 

 

 

Education :

 

End of selection mission. No rating. Professional formation, is no education and will be assured in professional environment leading to a certificate of qualification.   

Class will be morning only, afternoon will be dedicated to arts (large def).

 

Health :

 

End of poison reign (people that want to poison themselves will pay more).

Organic as a rule. Price according to the environmental cost

 

 

Energie :

 

100% renewable with a real saving politic.

Prices include environmental costs (ie air travels would be very expansive)

 

 

Army :

 

Budget reduced, focusing on atomic weapons.

 

 

 

 

My 2 cents, just some ideas harvested here and there.

 

[LAOLONG]

all ministers and civil servants would have I.Q test , that all.

[Marblehead]

I would give the country back to the Natives.

[LAOLONG]

Bureaucracy in old china was

Open to every one how passed the exam. ( in Confucius, in old china)

[CloudHands]

ahah my expectation was big after sixty-something pages of "what's wrong with". Maybe I haven't been clear enough : if you take the responsibility of that practice, you won't be in charge of the kingdom anyway !

 

MH that's words from the heart.

 

Cobi ok, but what about today taking the best of the transmitted knownledge ?

[Brian]

I'll respond on Monday.

[CloudHands]

I'll respond on Monday.

 

RIght, it takes 6 days to build a world.

[Brian]

 

RIght, it takes 6 days to build a world.

Well, I'm assuming you would like me to provide a response which represents significant contemplation and investment of personal energy rather than an off-the-cuff or flippant reply?

[Taomeow]

Here's what Empress Taomeow would do:

 

1. Get the army on my side like Catherine the Great

2. Militarize the domain quickly and overwhelmingly like the pirate queen Chin Shih

3. Establish a meritocracy like empress Wu, but this time make it complete -- not a little outlet but the only way to get ahead

4. Once loyal support is safeguarded, announce my plan for the Old World Order and the end to "civilization" 

5. Fight and defeat all internal enemies that will challenge or sabotage the plan, then all other countries that might do likewise, then annex them

6. Expose the secret governments and their crimes against humanity and execute all members and facilitators

7. Outlaw money, land ownership, and exploitation

8. Outlaw medicine not based on the "Do Not Harm" premise

9. Undertake a major clean-up of the environment

10. Undertake a major reforestation effort and make peace with all animals and plants 

11. Outlaw electricity, fossil fuels, and man-made chemicals

12. Outlaw monocultures

13. Outlaw specialization

 

In that order. 

[CloudHands]

Well, I'm assuming you would like me to provide a response which represents significant contemplation and investment of personal energy rather than an off-the-cuff or flippant reply?

 

Brian I'm asking no homework, if that's something you want to do for yourself or others. Invest the energy you want to. If not, or if you want to delay, as you please. I can live with any of these options. With all due respect !

[CloudHands]

Here's what Empress Taomeow would do:

 

1. Get the army on my side like Catherine the Great

2. Militarize the domain quickly and overwhelmingly like the pirate queen Chin Shih

3. Establish a meritocracy like empress Wu, but this time make it complete -- not a little outlet but the only way to get ahead

4. Once loyal support is safeguarded, announce my plan for the Old World Order and the end to "civilization" 

5. Fight and defeat all internal enemies that will challenge or sabotage the plan, then all other countries that might do likewise, then annex them

6. Expose the secret governments and their crimes against humanity and execute all members and facilitators

7. Outlaw money, land ownership, and exploitation

8. Outlaw medicine not based on the "Do Not Harm" premise

9. Undertake a major clean-up of the environment

10. Undertake a major reforestation effort and make peace with all animals and plants 

11. Outlaw electricity, fossil fuels, and man-made chemicals

12. Outlaw monocultures

13. Outlaw specialization

 

In that order. 

 

 

I had a lots of laughs reading that. I wasn't sure you were serious or humorous. I think you were honest. Once again, I like your answer but I can't thank for it... !

Edited July 11, 2015 by CloudHands

[Nungali]

I will settle for a swift and painless transition to idyllic exile .

[Aetherous]

It's a tough question, because no answer is totally correct. There are always new problems that spring up from our solutions.

But a major thing I'd implement is exiling anyone who acts in opposition to the freedom and well being of others in any way (right now, as things stand, that would be a hell of a lot of people)...those people would not be permitted to return to the country for any reason whatsoever, and if they tried, they'd be executed the first time. They would also be subject to assassination if they attempted to harm the country or its people from outside of its borders.

[Taomeow]

I had a lots of laughs reading that. I wasn't sure you were serious or humorous. I think you were honest. Once again, I like your answer but I can't thank for it... !

 

Not looking for gratitude -- in fact, Empress Taomeow would happily rule anonymously. 

 

After running all the more popular and appealing scenarios in my head and hitting all the dead ends they terminate in, I had to come to terms with the realization that human life on Earth must either return to its original shape and form or else end all life on Earth, human or not -- and sooner rather than later.  We are not on the brink of the abyss.  We're already over the brink and in free fall, we just haven't gone splat yet, that's why we still hope we're not going to, still think we can take three, four, seven more steps to cross it.  No.  Drastic measures are required to intercept all this precious spirit-infused protoplasma headed for  ugly (not beautiful) oblivion, break its fall, and get it back to whence it fell -- or rather, was forcibly pushed.  

 

The empress has to choose.  And choosing in favor of life on Earth is impossible to accomplish if alongside humans ready and willing to lead a human life we keep accommodating those who aren't.  No.  Didn't work before, won't work the second time around.  I would rule to create, at any cost, conditions for humans to live a human life on earth and let all other creatures great and small live their creature life on earth too.  Anyone who is not willing or not able to participate in life on earth on its terms, the way we were willing and able to live for a million years before, is either an alien intruder, their clone, their servant, or their robot -- and does not belong. 

 

So, my plan would make it impossible for non-humans, transhumans, half-past-humans, etc., to live among humans.   My plan eliminates monsters and reestablishes humans, animals and plants in their rightful place which the monsters had appropriated. 

 

The empress, upon accomplishing this task, will resign and go to the mountains to pursue her taoist fancies.  "No specialization" will mean that no one will be emperor or empress anymore as soon as everyone will be human.  No one's whole humanity will be limited to a fragment, to a paltry piece torn off the discarded whole to "specialize" -- be it in being "emperor" or "accountant" or "fisherman" or "homemaker."  Everybody will be what they ought to be:  everything.  No one will be a product to slap a label onto.  There will be human life again, not the life of walking, talking inventory. 

 

Just like in the good old days. 

[Brian]

Brian I'm asking no homework, if that's something you want to do for yourself or others. Invest the energy you want to. If not, or if you want to delay, as you please. I can live with any of these options. With all due respect !

Fair enough. If you don't care whether replies are sincere and thoughtful, I guess I shouldn't, either. Short answer it is!

 

First, I wouldn't be Emperor. Empire sucks.

 

Education should nurture mind, body and spirit, liberating balanced and aware human beings capable of recognizing their potentials rather than producing biological robots in servitude to the collective.

 

Aware human beings neither need nor want manipulation, control, coercion or regulation.

 

A healthful government seeks its own obsolescence and works to eliminate the need for its existence over time.

 

BTW, I respect TaoMeow's proposal but think it would take many generations of sage leadership by this benign dictator to break the cycle, and I think an abrupt early termination inevitably results in a power vacuum which will be filled by one less sage and less benign. For this reason (among others), I see the path of the benevolent monarch to be a fitting response to the question posed but an unworkable solution (unless, like the God-Emperor Leto II, she can both see the future and live 10,000 years...)

[CloudHands]

Fair enough. If you don't care whether replies are sincere and thoughtful, I guess I shouldn't, either. Short answer it is!

 

Who said that ? you

[CloudHands]

 

So, my plan would make it impossible for non-humans, transhumans, half-past-humans, etc., to live among humans.   My plan eliminates monsters and reestablishes humans, animals and plants in their rightful place which the monsters had appropriated. 

 

 

All your thinking process is based on the conviction that among us aliens are acting to sink down mankind, is that correct ? I'm trying to stay open but that is becoming difficult to say the less.

[Brian]

All your thinking process is based on the conviction that among us aliens are acting to sink down mankind, is that correct ? I'm trying to stay open but that is becoming difficult to say the less.

No, that's not correct. That is an element of her position and a factor which her approach would seek to remove but the merit of neither her argument nor her proposal hinges upon your acceptance of that element.

 

For instance, I think specialization offers some natural benefits as well as presenting some extreme risks so I am in disagreement on the point of the necessity or possibility of absolute elimination. Disagreement over that detail, however, does not warrant my casual dismissal of her response to your question.

 

FWIW, based on your dialogue in an accumulation of threads and other communications, I increasingly doubt your intent or desire to "stay open" -- but maybe that's just me.

[liminal_luke]

I suggest all would-be emperors and empresses rule over The Tao Bums for a spell as a kind of dry run. Perhaps it´s my overly accommodating personality, but I´d be happy to have Taomeow, Aetherous or Brian take the helm.

 

In my opinion, Brian´s decrees, off-the-cuff or no, are likely to be well thought out and fair-minded. Taomeow´s kingdom would be run with fierce feline intelligence. I´m sure it would work out well in the end, and only hope I make the cut when it comes time to separate the "true humans" from various imposters. I´d like to live in the world that remains after her swift justice.

 

TheLearner´s approach seems a tad more self-serving but, why not, he too gets my vote.

 

Liminal

Edited July 12, 2015 by liminal_luke

[CloudHands]

Brian, may I call you my friend ?

 

I can disagree, for reasons I can explain but I'm no enemy. We are much more alike than different.

 

 

* Entracte *

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEacXeAbHpQ

[Brian]

Brian, may I call you my friend ?

 

I can disagree, for reasons I can explain but I'm no enemy. We are much more alike than different.

 

 

* Entracte *

 

<snip>

Certainly! I consider nearly all Bums to be my friend (the exceptions being those fe who have stated they consider me otherwise, and I generally don't consider them my enemies but accept that they might consider me theirs).