Your debt to society... or lack of

Just going to do some hypothesizing now..

Imagine a society where you were able to get 'points' for every favour. If you were low on these points you would be given less favours in return. So say you gave way out of kindness so a person could pull out of the junction in their car, or you do a favour such as help paint someone's house...from there yo could ask for any similar favour in return.

The reasons I ask this is because some people clearly only receive and they should instead give and get equal so it keeps the majority in check. I also think that standard cash is way too outdated in these times and I think a digital integrated money system would be of use to shape society for the better. Homeless people could get real benefits by not having to be employed by just giving favours all the time, people who are shits get less favours and they would slowly learn to give in order to receive.

Perhaps I'm just over thinking it and that most of these things can simply be done with conventional money but it's not easy to just transfer some money to a persons bank account.

I suppose I was inspired by a new idea that came about and discussed recently on this forum - the idea was that people spend £10 every month and for anything they appreciate on the internet (be it blog, music, movies etc) they do a 'thumbs up' and by the end of the month, those thumbs up get divided and people on the other end get paid. I think it's a great system that will work and I am trying to put it into every day society, outside of the internet world.

write a book so i can take a shit on it

Kind and thoughtful American, thank you.

write a book so i can read it and cherish it endlessly?

read about time banks

  On 5/14/2010 at 2:21 AM, GORDO said:

acquire life experience

If you think you're smarter than me, go ahead think of your own idea. I bet you probably could, most people are smarter and quicker than me but they just don't bother trying to improve society. So, go ahead - let's see your attempt and if you don't bother then my point remains doesn't it?

edit; Or just work on making funnier posts, your first one was quite funny but your second flopped.

Given watmm's general "likeness" factor - I could see someone bitching about how they pissed on your leg and didn't recieve any kindness favor points - even though they did you the kindest favor they could think of - by pissing on your leg... My point being - the value of someone liking the favor you are providing is subject to taste and perception.

I think you might want to just start small.. perhaps "smile bartering"?

  On 5/14/2010 at 2:23 AM, joshier said:

If you think you're smarter than me, go ahead think of your own idea. I bet you probably could, most people are smarter and quicker than me but they just don't bother trying to improve society. So, go ahead - let's see your attempt and if you don't bother then my point remains doesn't it?

 

edit; Or just work on making funnier posts, your first one was quite funny but your second flopped.

i'm not trying to one up you, nor am i trying to better society.

i agree, my first post was funnier.

it'll be alright !

Bad things happen when good people don't do anything, this is my way of giving a thought provoking idea for the better.

that thought provoking idea just shattered my worldview into a billion pieces. my psyche is now merely reduced to a gaping black vacuum of violent desire to be hand-fed more of your Earth-healing philosophies.

you are my new god.

who distributes the points, and how is their value decided? if I gave a kid my stretch armstrong because his broke and spilled out corn syrup, and he was so happy that he gave me 11,000,000,000 points, would the global economy collapse?

i'm serious about time banks, it's basically what you're saying but more elaborate.

it's not a new idea anyway, some people have proposed a currency backed by work hour.

  On 5/14/2010 at 3:04 AM, taphead said:

who distributes the points, and how is their value decided? if I gave a kid my stretch armstrong because his broke and spilled out corn syrup, and he was so happy that he gave me 11,000,000,000 points, would the global economy collapse?

Maybe you had to have the points you were giving away.. Oh wait, then we're right back to money.

  Quote

"But how can you get along without money to buy or sell the things? How do you do it?"

"Here, nobody needs to buy or sell anything. There is enough work (for those who are apt) that they can have all that they need or desire, without the immoralities. Here, it is a crime for anyone to refuse to work. We came to the conclusion, that money is the work of the evil doings. Without it many evils are avoided."

"Are they obligated to work until after they are old?"

"No. The people work so many hours per day or night and for the hours that are left, they can go where they like, eat or drink in any public place, without extravagances, and do as they please. In every year there is a period of rest; then they can travel throughout all of Akart -- and see and do what they please, traveling by whatever means they prefer. For this there is enough available, which is furnished by the Government. And they have more: What one citizen has, they all have, because here all that is produced obeys a global plan; such as homes, the ships, dress, alimentation, etc."

  Quote

"Here the laws are made by man, and those that disobey must pay for their disobedience."

"I thought that a functionary of such high position would have some rights."

"No! Here we have neither highs nor lows. All are as equals, even the Son of the Sun (their governor). When he finishes his days as governor, for which he was selected by all the people, he will return to the plow the fields, if that is from where he had come. "

it's a cool idea i think.

we need more people to think like this, and be more open minded.

i'm done being intense for the night

Joshier - I admire your mentality to search for solutions (which is a rarity in society, most just like discussing the problems present)

Gordo made a good suggestion for you to look into time backs. I think time banks are a good idea. I'd be going a step further though by stating that it is no good attempting to create monetary reforms as this system is due to collapse at some point. I'd rather see it completely die out than keep fueling it with more bailouts. Why do you need to exchange working hours/do favours for one another in a particular economy when science + technology can accelerate abundance? A resources based economy is one of the best directions I know for humanity. Money systems are simply not sustainable, do not take into account the Earth's environment and human well being.

Thanks people for the posts!

I think we need to do something about the energy issue where right now coal/fossil fuels are being used which are quite inefficient with mistakes happening with no apparent funding going into the better types (it's a situation of; fuck we need more oil, lets go find some). As I'm sure most of you agree - nuclear isn't necessarily a bad system as far as ratio for output/pollution goes, however the trouble is (as a member pointed out on slashdot) that it's business mentality to do the 'price/benefit' analysis which from what I know doesn't take into account the worlds eco-system. If it's cheaper to fuck up and then try to hide the evidence of that, then so be it in their eyes.These guys recently lied under oath, as an example.

So, if we were to make energy safer then there has to be some sort of different system in place. Another member pointed out on that link that there should be jail sentences, not just a fine slapped on which I partly agree to but it's not fixing the root of the problem.

The time share looked interesting (thanks gordo). I suppose whichever way you look at it, it's basically helping people living locally to help each other out which I see as a good thing because generally it's more efficient to have communities working together as people are able to learn quicker and give a better, more experienced set of work skills. I suppose it essentially motivates people.

I think people can become quite lazy if they have tried to apply to many jobs, giving a lot of effort and then being turned down for each one. This of course is rampant with the recession and I'm sure many people would be working for cash doing most things if they could get paid. Unless this is the result of overpopulation where work isn't required? Surely lots of work is yet to be done and if the current system results in quite a marginal percentage of people out of work & doing next to fuck all, then surely it's a sloppy and poor set of rules?