Jul 30Participatory Democracy Elevates Society — Five Historical ExamplesParticipatory Democracy (similar to Pure Democracy and Direct Democracy) creates a government that is truly “of the people, by the people, for the people” because it delivers decision-making power directly to the citizenry. This eliminates the easily-corruptible political class that controls administration in a representational democracy. In Representative Democracy, power…Democracy9 min read
Jun 12Carbon Tax, UBI + Land Value Tax = EcotopiaGuest Post — article written by by Douglas R McLain, PhD The two greatest challenges humanity faces in the world today are: the climate crises wealth inequality Capitalist economics provides amazing economic growth but the richest 1% suck up most of the financial gains. Eight people now own as much…Ubi7 min read
Jun 10Dam it! Bring back Beavers to halt wildfiresNorthern California firestorms are a danger that’s flaming higher due to global warming. In 2018, 7,948 wildfires scorched 1,975,086 acres, causing $148.5 billion in damages. What can be done? Technology offers expensive solutions, like gigantic helicopters dropping massive quantities of water, or drone surveillance swarms equipped with AI collaborating with…Wildfires2 min read
Published in Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies·May 19Stop California Wildfires with Emerging Technology & Ecological EngineeringINTRODUCTION What can be done to stop the holocausts that torch citizens, roast properties, annihilate wildlife and poison us with toxic ash? California wildfires are increasingly dangerous and insanely expensive; suffocating smoke kills thousands prematurely every year and the cost in 2018 after 7,948 wildfires scorched 1,975,086 acres was $148.5 billion. …California27 min read
Feb 1325 Common Sense & Radical Ways to Help USA Small Farmersby Hank Pellissier American Farming is economically cruel and environmentally suicidal. Revolutionary change is needed now to produce food that’s healthy for the earth and human society. The ideal future for world agriculture is small, organic (and near-organic) farms, claims a 2013 United Nations report . The UN also determined…Farming11 min read
Nov 24, 2021Tinyism wants a world of 10,000 micro-states (interview with the founder)Tinyism (also called Tinism) is a political ideology that wants to fracture today’s large nations into thousands, or tens of thousands, of microstates. The movement is in its larval stage — its subreddit has only 83 followers — but it is gathering momentum recently, with writers like Jared A. …Secession7 min read
Published in Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies·Jul 22, 2021Five Techs & Tips for Survival in a Climate ApocalypseYesterday I read the existentially-depressing paper “Deep Adaptation: A Map for Navigating Climate Tragedy” by Jem Bendell PhD. …Climate Change3 min read
May 24, 2021The Nine-State Solution — Tinyism’s Answer to the Palestine / Israel Problemby Hank Pellissier and Jonah F2014 with help from Joern Pallensen Tinyism is a political philosophy that believes current empires and nations should be fractured, shattered, dissolved into thousands of independent micro-states and city-states. This action would vastly-improve democracy and enhance economies — recent statistics indicate small nations are usually…Palestine6 min read
Published in Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies·May 21, 2021Top 15 technologies we need by 2035Co-authors: Pierre Pellissier, Paul Johnson, Mike Whitty, Hank Pellissier In 13.5 years (2035) humans will face strange new problems, plus most of the same old miserable scourges that currently plague us. Technology will provide amazing solutions. Here’s the best inventions we anticipate: 1. Electric Self-Driving Cars — accidents, stress, boredom…Future3 min read
Published in Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies·Apr 22, 2021Huey Long is Relevant NowHuey Long, aka “The Kingfish” aka “the Karl Marx of the Hillbillies” was a radical populist champion of the rural poor who served as Louisiana governor from 1928–32, and US Senator from 1932 until his assassination in 1935 when he was only 42 years old. The charismatic, larger-than-life Long was…Huey Long5 min read
