We are told that things have to change or humanity is doomed.  We are told that we have to change to a “sustainable society”.  Change? Sustainable?  What does that mean to you?  What does that mean to your children?   What changes?

The good news is that “sustainable society” looks good.  There are so many things that we take for granted have to  be stopped.  Do industries and jobs have to disappear?  We’re right to be worried by the new ideas.

A number of very wise thinkers and economists have come up with a lot of ideas, and it’s time to try to summarize a number of visions in common.  To begin with, life will actually better for the majority of people. We’ll try to explain it in a few words.

First, sustainable means that we can’t take more out of earth than it can replace, or we won’t have an earth.  At the same time, everyone should have as much or a little jobs as they personally wish, with a guaranteed roof and food and comfort.  That’s sounds, as they say, “over the top.”

The first step is to decrease hours in the work week, the robots are doing most of it, so we should have more of the most valuable TIME.  The people who love their work can work full hours, but they may want more time with their families, more time with their hobbies, and they don’t want to have to worry about paying their mortgage.  Some folks want to dedicate their lives to art, music, volunteer work.  How will they survive?

One basic concept in the sustainable society is that every single person has a Guaranteed Basic Income, enough to live on simply.  If he wants to work harder, he will earn more income, of course, paying income tax.  Each person can decide how valuable their time is–their family isn’t going to starve to death.

With more time, and income security, people can participate in hobbies, sports, family and any other activity according to their inclination.

We will dig up less from the earth, we will grow food more responsibly , and probably waste less time in useless transportation.  One doesn’t have to spend his life in one boring job, he/she can stop and study (free) and change careers a number of times if he/she wants.  Even in these times, jobs are changing so quickly, most people can’t be guaranteed that their type of work will last forever.

This is what we are aiming for.  This is completely possible, but a number of inbred concepts will have to change.  We can’t sit back and hope that “money can make money.”  Some things we take for granted will have to change.   The activities that make a few people multibillionaires, will be curtailed, that is, stopped.  It has to be a more equal society for everyone.  It will be a happier world when we don’t have conflicts between the haves and have-nots.

This is our vision.  There are many books describing the details, but Big Money will try to keep it from you.  Think about it.  In the meantime, we’ll deal with shorts thoughts on the subjects.  Happy thinking!  Satya Brown

 

 

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