What do you feel is the most important idea not receiving much discussion?

[ansutherland]

Various ideas ebb and flow from the public’s consciousness receiving much discussion and debate. At one time it would have been to the dismay of environmentalist that no one was talking about global warming or worrisome to feminists’ that no one was talking about women's liberation. Both of those ideas were eventually brought out in the open for public discussion and debate and to some extent, the matters settled, though perhaps not as much as some would like.

What ideas or problems of this era seem obvious to you that are not being discussed?

 

[Cliffy]

I think Global warming is a smokescreen to divert attention from the real issue: turning our life support system into a toxic waste cesspool.

 

[ansutherland]

I think Global warming is a smokescreen to divert attention from the real issue: turning our life support system into a toxic waste cesspool.

How are the two issues of global warming and general environmental degradation not connected? It seems that as one is corrected the other will change as a result. It's like using the Panda as the representative for environmental degradation and deforestation. Though there are many other species that need just as much help, the Panda helps to illicit people's sympathy to the cause, thus the entire planet benefits.

 

[Cannuck]

Infrastructure deficit. We have crumbling roads, bridges, gas and water mains, power grids and public buildings. as our population ages, we will want more and more money spent on health care.

I-35W Mississippi River bridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1990, the federal government gave the I-35W bridge a rating of "structurally deficient," citing significant corrosion in its bearings. Approximately 75,000 other U.S. bridges had this classification in 2007.

As number of watermain breaks rises, Ontario can expect major repair bills – Daily Commercial News

It has been estimated that an additional $18 billion will be needed in the next 15 years, over and above current expenditures, to modernize the water infrastructure in Ontario.

 

[ansutherland]

Infrastructure deficit. We have crumbling roads, bridges, gas and water mains, power grids and public buildings. as our population ages, we will want more and more money spent on health care.

I-35W Mississippi River bridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




As number of watermain breaks rises, Ontario can expect major repair bills – Daily Commercial News

Definitely an under emphasized problem

 

[damngrumpy]

The whole idea of Global Warming is not about environmental issues at all. The program was
hijacked from the hippies and environmentalists years ago to further political and economic gain.
There isn't one business today that doesn't profess to be green even when green is the furthest
thing from their agenda. The Tar Sands talks about their new environmental plans and the
new green way of doing business. Banks, tire companies, grocery stores and department
stores of every description everything is green and friendly. It is a load of what makes your grass
grow green.
Politicians like Al Gore and special interest groups like David Suzuki use the environment to further
their own gain and to raise money for their cause. All of this is more about raising money than
actually solving problems. People began to see through this a long time ago, many profess to be
green in public but it is more window dressing than anything else. Of course we recycle and go
through that whole process, why? Because local governments have made it the law otherwise
half of us wouldn't bother.
It is the fading issue on the social agenda because its common place. I remember when saving
whales was at the top of the list, then the spotted owl and old growth forests and the seals and
god knows what else. Today the seal hunt is still going on, there are some old growth forests being
cut down, and so there should be, to leave that timber standing has created a pine beetle problem,
and a giant fire hazard. In the end no one benefits. There is still some whaling going on and it
never stopped in some countries. Whale oil was once valuable but not so much anymore because
we use petroleum oils.
The problem for the environmental movement is the snake oil salesmen mad outrageous claims
that are not true, and the companies found a way to introduce green products at hugely inflated
prices, and governments used the public good will to attatach all kinds of feel good legislation and
restrictions that didn't need to happen in the name of being proactive and getting your vote.
Take restrictions in wilderness parks, and of course the licence fee for small fishing boats and other
off road vehicles. In addition to the licence you have to take a course that is another 30 to a 100
dollars of wasted money. In short many view the environmental movement as little more than a
shill game at best, and it gets relegated to the inside pages for the most part, and we are all waiting
for the next big thing to distract us from the real social issues of the day.

 

[ansutherland]

The whole idea of Global Warming is not about environmental issues at all. The program was
hijacked from the hippies and environmentalists years ago to further political and economic gain.
There isn't one business today that doesn't profess to be green even when green is the furthest
thing from their agenda. The Tar Sands talks about their new environmental plans and the
new green way of doing business. Banks, tire companies, grocery stores and department
stores of every description everything is green and friendly. It is a load of what makes your grass
grow green.
Politicians like Al Gore and special interest groups like David Suzuki use the environment to further
their own gain and to raise money for their cause. All of this is more about raising money than
actually solving problems. People began to see through this a long time ago, many profess to be
green in public but it is more window dressing than anything else. Of course we recycle and go
through that whole process, why? Because local governments have made it the law otherwise
half of us wouldn't bother.
It is the fading issue on the social agenda because its common place. I remember when saving
whales was at the top of the list, then the spotted owl and old growth forests and the seals and
god knows what else. Today the seal hunt is still going on, there are some old growth forests being
cut down, and so there should be, to leave that timber standing has created a pine beetle problem,
and a giant fire hazard. In the end no one benefits. There is still some whaling going on and it
never stopped in some countries. Whale oil was once valuable but not so much anymore because
we use petroleum oils.
The problem for the environmental movement is the snake oil salesmen mad outrageous claims
that are not true, and the companies found a way to introduce green products at hugely inflated
prices, and governments used the public good will to attatach all kinds of feel good legislation and
restrictions that didn't need to happen in the name of being proactive and getting your vote.
Take restrictions in wilderness parks, and of course the licence fee for small fishing boats and other
off road vehicles. In addition to the licence you have to take a course that is another 30 to a 100
dollars of wasted money. In short many view the environmental movement as little more than a
shill game at best, and it gets relegated to the inside pages for the most part, and we are all waiting
for the next big thing to distract us from the real social issues of the day.

Well, if it's all a hoax, it's a hoax involving tens of thousands of professionals of different scientific modality all following the same scripted lie.....not likely.

 

[Angstrom]

Evolution Of democracy.

With todays technology our system could be near perfection.
We can send objects and robots to mars but we still govern with a system 300+
years old. Time to wipe the slat clean and do this right.


Let them write the law's Give full executive power to the people.
A Full referendum at all time system.

 

[ansutherland]

Evolution Of democracy.

With todays technology our system could be near perfection.
We can send objects and robots to mars but we still govern with a system 300+
years old. Time to wipe the slat clean and do this right.


Let them write the law's Give full executive power to the people.
A Full referendum at all time system.

I agree with election reform....though of a different sort.

 

[damngrumpy]

I didn't say it was a hoax I said the agenda has been hijacked by the greedy, the
politicians and those with a mass dose of self interest and many people have
tuned out. I for one do recycle, when making decisions on the farm as to what
to use I use products that are target pest products so I don't kill my beneficials.
I will not however be pushed into buying new equipment for a host of environmental
reasons, nor will I give up my full sized pickup.
The problem is there are a host of environmental zealots who want to push their
green agenda down the throat of society. I agree there are some problems but the
vast majority of the information is served up by those engaged in fear mongering
or from a legislative fist. More and more people are drifting away from the positive
side of this issue. As for the scientists, we all know that many of them are now
influenced financially by whatever side they are on. In Britain they even began to
burn or destroy documents that didn't confirm their view of the world.
I believe the problems have been magnified to suit the agenda of profit rather than
put to use the solutions to solve the problem.

 

[Angstrom]

I agree with election reform....though of a different sort.

1-IF you give Full executive power to the people corruption is dead in the water. (YES PLEASE)
If bribery is happening at least its helping poor people that actually need it.

2-Political Interests would skyrocket. a majority of people would be well informed of what is expected of them as a law binding citizen and people would respect Law's much more having been included directly in passing them. (Yes I think Crime itself would drop)


If the people that invented Democracy knew of the technologies and tools we now poses today. they would be rolling in there graves simultaneously while /face Palming.

300 years ago this was the best system they honeslty could provide.
It has not evolved cause it is easy to exploit. If they had access to what we have today,
I am 100% sure this system would be much more improved then what we see today.
By a long shot

 

[ansutherland]

1-IF you give Full executive power to the people corruption is dead in the water. (YES PLEASE)
If bribery is happening at least its helping poor people that actually need it.

2-Political Interests would skyrocket. a majority of people would be well informed of what is expected of them as a law binding citizen and people would respect Law's much more having been included directly in passing them. (Yes I think Crime itself would drop)


If the people that invented Democracy knew of the technologies and tools we now poses today. they would be rolling in there graves simultaneously while /face Palming.

300 years ago this was the best system they honeslty could provide.
It has not evolved cause it is easy to exploit. If they had access to what we have today,
I am 100% sure this system would be much more improved then what we see today.
By a long shot

Is there any system today that mirrors the system you have in mind?

Is there any system today that mirrors the system you have in mind?

I mean to say, is there any country currently using a system that mirrors the one you speak of?

 

[Mowich]

Is there any system today that mirrors the system you have in mind?


I mean to say, is there any country currently using a system that mirrors the one you speak of?

Ditto here, ansutherland.

 

[Angstrom]

Is there any system today that mirrors the system you have in mind?


I mean to say, is there any country currently using a system that mirrors the one you speak of?

Our system is in fact much closer to a dictatorship then
it is closer to a real democracy.

I bet 50% of the population agree's with me on this, Look at voter turnouts

let me explain.

Democracy stops being democracy the day it is possible to reasonably
make it closer to its true definition and stronger with new technologies tools and Ideas,

Failure to do so makes your system vulnerable.

It is false to even say any country today lives in a democracy, or have done so in the last 30 years.
We live in the first tiny step mankind took hundreds of years ago towards Democracy and
have hardly upgraded since.

Meanwhile

Tools Technologies and knowledge has been used to
exploit, abuse and cheat the system to control it for
Individual gain thousands of times. Dictatorship.

Democracy is a WAR against Dictatorship that must Evolve with time, always ready to counter
Its arch-enemy. That simply has not happened and this is why our world is what it is today.

A Dictatorship with a Democratic skin slap on top of it.

 

[ansutherland]

Our system is in fact much closer to a dictatorship then
it is closer to a real democracy.

I bet 50% of the population agree's with me on this, Look at voter turnouts

let me explain.

Democracy stops being democracy the day it is possible to reasonably
make it closer to its true definition and stronger with new technologies tools and Ideas,

Failure to do so makes your system vulnerable.

It is false to even say any country today lives in a democracy, or have done so in the last 30 years.
We live in the first tiny step mankind took hundreds of years ago towards Democracy and
have hardly upgraded since.

Meanwhile

Tools Technologies and knowledge has been used to
exploit, abuse and cheat the system to control it for
Individual gain thousands of times. Dictatorship.

Democracy is a WAR against Dictatorship that must Evolve with time, always ready to counter
Its arch-enemy. That simply has not happened and this is why our world is what it is today.

A Dictatorship with a Democratic skin slap on top of it.

But what does this system you speak of look like? Democracy may have different definitions to many people. If it's majority rule then surely if the majority decide the rest should perish, this is not a good system.

How is it even possible to have a system where everyone is free and liberated? Because there is a constant struggle of one's self interest over the self interest of others, someone must always lose in the end. Our current democracy, though I agree it needs reforming, balances the self interests of everyone to the detriment of the fewest.

So, what exactly do you mean when you speak of democracy? You mention utilizing tools, technology and knowledge, but how? Do you not think there is an asymmetry in how various people use tools, technology and knowledge, therefore even with perfect availability for the aforementioned, some people will be able to make better use of it due to their biological nature? If this is true, then there will always be some who are more a part of the decision making process than others, no matter how the system is structured.

 

[Angstrom]

But what does this system you speak of look like? Democracy may have different definitions to many people. If it's majority rule then surely if the majority decide the rest should perish, this is not a good system.

How is it even possible to have a system where everyone is free and liberated? Because there is a constant struggle of one's self interest over the self interest of others, someone must always lose in the end. Our current democracy, though I agree it needs reforming, balances the self interests of everyone to the detriment of the fewest.

So, what exactly do you mean when you speak of democracy? You mention utilizing tools, technology and knowledge, but how? Do you not think there is an asymmetry in how various people use tools, technology and knowledge, therefore even with perfect availability for the aforementioned, some people will be able to make better use of it due to their biological nature? If this is true, then there will always be some who are more a part of the decision making process than others, no matter how the system is structured.

Yes it never would be a perfect democracy.(like Free Markets are never really free) Still it must attempt to be as close to it as the times allow it to be.

Network is the technologies I have in mind.
Still elect parliament Legislation members to write laws and debate and amend. But following in the Queen's steps
Give Canadians Executive power, over final vote on every law.

Try bribing 35 million Canadians. The truth is I'm sure in time Corporation will find a way.
Thats why Democracy must always Evolve with our society. When it stops it is in danger.

I don't have all the answers. But
Trust is a big issue. No one can be trusted. Thats why we have
Democracy. And the more people you get to vote on something the better off we all are.
I think it would be a huge source of pride for Canadians.

 

[Angstrom]

Dave Meslin: The antidote to apathy | Video on TED.com

I think that explains how I feel rather well about some simple things that need to change in goverment.

 

[Omicron]

A hundred years ago our ancestors would do anything to educate their kids.

That meant things like Wyoming, the poorest state, dispatching a teacher to live in a room of the home of the five kids for her to teach.

Now people think it's funny to be stupid, and go down like Rome.

 

[Corduroy]

Various ideas ebb and flow from the public’s consciousness receiving much discussion and debate. At one time it would have been to the dismay of environmentalist that no one was talking about global warming or worrisome to feminists’ that no one was talking about women's liberation. Both of those ideas were eventually brought out in the open for public discussion and debate and to some extent, the matters settled, though perhaps not as much as some would like.[/QUOTE]

Neither of those examples are nowhere near settled. Global warming is still debated and hasn't been stemmed or even seriously considered in solving.

Women's liberation too remains problematic. In the West feminism has become a cartoon while the real oppression of women around the world is either ignored or justified through cultural relativism.

 

[Unforgiven]

Unbridled Capitalism. Since we've managed to allow corporations to take on human rights and access to lobby our government, capitalism has nipped socialism in the bud. It liberalism in the death throws?