Never be deceived that the rich will permit you to vote away their wealth.
-Lucy Parsons


The answers to the problems of the world are simple.
They're just a lot of work.


Be Healthy.

Think.

Learn.

Organize.

Act.


(We are evolved to exist in 100 person tribes. We need to exist as a 6 billion person tribe.)
(How can technology be used to make that work easier?)
(What are the most effective things we can do to create a better world?)

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Be Healthy.

3/30/2008

No rush.
Slow and steady.

It's a lot of work to eat well.
Being healthy is almost impossible.
Establishing routines is everything.
Figure it out, then teach the kids.
Forgive your parents.

In modern society it's more productive to sacrifice your health and rely on modern medicine than to maintain good health.
But what are you producing?
Is it worth it?
Do you even know what a healthy old person is like?
It's really just a matter of preference, though we should be thoroughly educated about what different lives are like.
Step into my rapid life simulation machine.
You never found love, and were profoundly lonely, because you never cared to figure out how to relate to people.
Lexapro didn't help.


2/6/2008

Be motivated. Resist feeling depressed, hopeless, powerless.

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Think.

3/30/2008

Be intelectually disciplined. Decide what's important. Choose how focused, or how open to free association, you want to be.


2/6/2008

Reflect on the past. Generate ideas for the future. Make decisions.

Ask good questions.

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Learn.

3/30/2008

Assume that you have a lot to learn about things that seem simple, like how to read, write, have a conversation.

Surround yourself with people you respect.

Professional authors are full of shit. Read articles by and interviews with people who actually do things.

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Organize.

3/30/2008

All lasting positive change requires strong community.

Mainstream culture in the United States is massively destructive to community (on purpose).

People in power will use whatever means neccesary to disrupt communities whose members have more allegiance to eachother than to their rulers.

Communities are fragile, they are vastly easier to destroy than to build.

Can we be intentional about addressing these issues without being nerds?

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Act.

3/30/2008

What are the best things to spend different amounts of money on?
What do people spend money on?

Surviving.
Building infrastructure.
Whims.

What infrastructure will be most useful to your community?


2/6/2008

Broad categories of actions:

Prepare for impending societal changes.

Reform.

Destroy dysfunctional parts of society.

Create alternatives.

Address symptoms.

Invent, try new ideas.

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Attributes of actions:
Societal acceptability, legality, risk of external intervention, severity of punishment.

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