Have Theistic ideals slowed humanities progression?

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21

I don’t have a real science background or education. I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness, so learnt an an early age to mentally ignore all things scientific and logical as tools of the devil.

I don’t understand half of that link - but I have made progress through the years. I have (self imposed) teach scientific concepts to my boys, and I am obsessed with the idea of teaching them as accurately and unbiased as possible, so that has been a motivation for me to learn at a later stage in life. Plus it works well for me/us in the sense my boys have to learn to find answers for themselves as well…

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22

Trump like anyone that will praise him and be loyal to him.

Qanon is another in a long list of groups/individuals that trump likes because they lavish praise upon trump.

List of people trump has publicly said he liked/endorsed:

  • White supremacist leaders (at the same time one of these supremacist drove a car into a bunch of people peacefully protesting)
  • Kim Jong-un
  • Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil)
  • Rodrigo Duterte (Philippines)
  • Vladimir Putin
  • long list of crazies within the US including:
  • Jeffrey Epstein
  • Roy Moore
  • Paul Manafort
  • Michael Cohen
  • Roger Stone

I can list plenty more, but those are some of the most well known names on the list. Also of note this list is almost entirely dominated with: rich/powerful old white men.

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I can’t help but feel, politicians are just figureheads, no matter who wins the vote, the policies will be the same regardless, just with subtle rhetoric disguising it.

“We are living on a prison planet, you are serving a life sentence” - Greydon Square.

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I do not know how familiar with US politics/election cycles are. But there are a few observations anyone can make rather easily.

There has not been a viable 3rd party in US politics for some time now. It can be correctly assumed that the US has a two party system. For any major office 99%+ of the time it is held by someone that identifies as eithir Democrat or Republican. If a hopeful candidate for a high office does not align and swear fealty/loyalty to one of these 2 parties, the chances of getting elected into office becomes vanishingly small.

Ross Perot tried back in 1992, to run for presidency, spending huge amounts of his own money, (he is/was a billionaire.) The final results were rather embarrassing for Perot.

Now that we established that the US is a two party system, we realize these two parties are the ones in control. Where does our presidential candidates come from? An approved list from these two parties. If you like Joe Shmoe down the street, a childhood friend that is a great charismatic leader, but he did not swear fealty to one of these two parties, you will not see his name on the ballot come election day. You could write in his name, but w/o the backing of one of these parties, you might as well be throwing your vote away.

Another easy observation to make is: You can only be president for 4 years, before you have to run and win again. Not only that, but presidents are only limited to 2 terms. Presidents are by design highly visible, have to be extremely careful with what they say, they are showcased around the world, part of countless press conferences, etc (okay trump does not do much of this, but he is NOT the historical norm.)

Does that sound like a position of power? Limited terms, huge highly public PR campaign that gets endlessly dissected etc? Sure does not to me. Admitly I am introvert, but being president of the US sounds horrid to me.

If I was the person at the top of the power structure in the US, I could only imagine, but I would start with:

  • no term limits, no deadlines
  • total anonymity, with many public figures between me and the public that I control
  • control of media and military (true power) that is not subject to the filters of media or other politicians from the other side, etc.

The anonymity would also allow me to do whatever I want. Free from almost any sort of reprisal.

Did I ultimately just shut down the 800 dollars a month unemployment bonus for millions of americans? People on the streets are pissed? Well they are pissed at all the known politicians, where as I, the one that has the actual power and made the actual decision, is free to go golfing that day, even if the caddies carrying my clubs just got evicted. They would have no idea. Where as trump needs 24/7 security, total loss of privacy, and gets endlessly vilified by just about everyone. (Rightfully so, even if he is just a puppet.)

This is all just speculation based on a few observations, but if I was the one truly in power, that is how I would do it. Even Putin would be jealous at my freedom if he knew about me.

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Holy shit logic - you are one scary fucker!!!

Myself… I’d surround myself with people of all levels in the fields. I’d most like lock opponents in a room and not let them out until there were workable solutions.

As a public figure, I would play this role. Kissing babies, guidance on my clothes and style for my audience

I would hold departments accountable to the public image they present - not accept the “understood meaning of their methods”.

I wouldn’t get in though - my first policy would be to tax religions - only “real demonstrable charity” would be viewed as a social service and not taxable. Wages - the whole shitten’kaboodle. Oh, and every “foundation” would be given a good, hard look :eyes:

Then I would release the secret government alien files :alien: hahahahaha

Plus, I’d legalize drugs and sex work.

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Hah, yeah I do not want to be president, and I think just about everyone else would not want me to be president. I would still do a much better job then tRump though :wink:

If I was forced into presidency, I too would surround myself with top experts of all the most important fields of knowledge. No one can know everything.

Locking opponents in a room until they come up with a workable solution… HAH well the current US politicians would have great reason to fear you. They can not agree on anything!

That is a game I would not be willing to do. I suspect my tenure as president would be VERY short.

Oooh good idea! I would also tax the mega rich corporations a bunch too while making it impossible for them to escape to another country or find loopholes. And then lower the tax burden on the poor and middle class.

I would too, although I strongly suspect there is nothing there. If there is nothing there, I would keep it all a secret just to f**k with all the alien wacko’s minds.

Yep me too. I would also retroactively free/release everyone sitting in jail for those things. Well at least the small guys, with the huge amounts of money saved I would pour a portion of it into restitution and rebuilding these people’s lives, and another portion would go after the drug lords, the pimps, etc with great fury. The rest would be returned to the taxpayers.

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Guys, if you’re going this route, why stop at the presidancy of the United States?

Let’s say, some watery tart lobbed a scimitar at you, which granted you extreme executive power over the masses.

What would you do with that power?

Granted, I’m not talking mind control :joy:, but you are the world leader. What you say goes.

Unfortunately, I’m a loose misanthrope; ‘I feel I will someday die of suppressed rage at the folly of my fellow man.’

So, having me as a world leader would bound to be extremely uncomfortable for a lot of people.

Honestly, I’d have to restructure society completely, from the ground up, I’d put an outright ban on organised religion. This would have some… Slight collateral damage, I’d imagine, but oh well needs must.

After the dust had cleared from that little nugget, my next step would be to disassemble the meat and dairy industries, relocating and re-educating it’s work force into agriculture. The most efficient way in my opinion would be to stop breeding livestock, allowing their population to decline to manageable numbers.

Once this is done, I’d reestablish all of the land previously used to grow crops for livestock, instead using the space to grow food for human consumption.

In theory, this should solve world hunger, eventually, food could potentially be free, like water.

Other areas I’d take a strong look into, would be harnessing more energy, for the planet, decrease military funding, using those funds on fission, or so form of renewable energy.

Also, I’d make sure more funding was given to ocean exploration, 5% of the ocean floor is all we’ve mapped, this seems ludicrous to me. But then again, as far as I’m aware, it’s easier to go space than the bottom of the ocean. (secretly, I just want to find out what caused ‘the Bloop’ sound)

There are so many things I want to correct in the world, I could stay up on all night typing, but alas I’m tired! :sleeping:

Still, it’s a hard thought experiement to carry out, simply because of the apathy it causes, when you realise, you’re ideal world will never exist. Not in this reality/universe at least! :rofl:

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Ohhhhh :astonished: hope you have foods in mind for people with Crohn’s! I cannot digest vedgetables. My boys are not meat eaters but guess what??? Some of us can only digest proteins…

There are so many things I want to correct in the world,

Comes with age, maybe… but I’d seriously look into the idea of marijuana plants for paper/plastic: oil maintain BUT enforce recycling or recapturing of resources from discarded, “out of date technology”, ensure clean water systems… encourage more “water/hydrogens” energy systems;

Seriously - in each unique area around the world there are advantages and disadvantages- not a “one fits all” answer (sort of like families). So find the most economic/ecological way to meet their need and “left overs” for trade, distribution…

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29

Do not need mind control with that kind of power.

I would create and enforce a new universal right for all humans.

  • The right to basic life sustaining food, clean water, clean air, shelter, safety and healthcare for everyone, regardless of circumstances.

  • Rights of nature. Humans will stop exceeding the total ecological output of this planet, and bring ecosystems back into healthy alignment. This is actually also needed to make the above mentioned right possible going into future generations.

  • Controls on inequality that help allow the first right to be realized. For example; no one can make more than 100 times the lowest paid. 100x above the baseline is way more then enough to incentivize anyone and foster innovation. Of note: the baseline will end up being much higher, In USA terms, the dude over the age of 18 flipping burgers at Mcdonalds is making at least 25 dollars an hour. (Those under the age of 18 are in education, no need to have them in the workforce yet.)

Yeah my idea would end up doing that as well. A total rethink on how we do money/debt.

I would greatly restructure, ripping out the factory/mass scale operations. I am fine with small mom and pop operations for the occasional “holiday” special occasions.

In this dream world of: “extreme executive power over the masses.” scenario not much military would be needed period. A bunch of drone bases to keep an eye on the general populace and quell uprisings as they pop up would be all that is needed, reducing military expenditure greatly, no need to have standing armies to defend from other coutry armies, this would be one world nation ruled by… me :wink:

Yep, I would do the same, pour funding and red tape cutting on fission, on fusion, and on all the renewable green energy sources. As supreme dictator of the world, I do not want to worry about my grandkids beach house washing away in a super hurricane/typhoon due to run away climate change.

Mapping the ocean floor would be of low priority to me, but I would be open to experts in the field explaining why the effort should be spent to have it mapped.

Yeah that sucks. But it was a fun thought experiment anyways.

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True enough.

But why?

It is my understanding that evolution uses whatever works. What you are suggesting sounds a lot like eugenics. A popular pseudo since in the nineteenth and early to mid twentieth century.

There is no need for us to live any longer for the specie to survive.

In fact, in developed nations we live more than twice as long as is necessary.

I am unconvinced that having the ability to live infinitely would be a desirable thing for our species.

Exactly who and how many people would receive this largesse? What about the poor and marginalised of human societies everywhere? Who would decide who gets to live indefinitely and what would be the criteria?

Why would the subsistence farmer or say the rickshaw walla in Mumbai want to live indefinitely,when their life is one of hardship and suffering? Their life would have improved? How exactly?

How could the emergence of a new elite class be avoided?

To be blunt, that ability is not one I would seek at this stage of my life. Perhaps when I was in my twenties and so very much wiser.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((9))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

If you haven’t seen it, I recommend the film "Gattaca ". It’s set in a society based on eugenics. The wealthy can design their children, from choosing their eye colour to eliminating disease and physical imperfections. Of course that means such perfect people live very much longer than the poor who cannot design their offspring…

Gattaca is a 1997 American science fiction film written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It stars Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, with Jude Law, Loren Dean, Ernest Borgnine, Gore Vidal, and Alan Arkin appearing in supporting roles.[4] The film presents a biopunk vision of a future society driven by eugenics where potential children are conceived through genetic selection to ensure they possess the best hereditary traits of their parents.[5] The film centers on Vincent Freeman, played by Hawke, who was conceived outside the eugenics program and struggles to overcome genetic discrimination to realize his dream of going into space.

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I didn’t think of that :eyes:

We could put such people in these lovely, well constructed camps, surrounded it with colourful fencing, for their protection of course. I’m invisioning rows of white tents, broken up occasionally by the odd latrine.

:rofl:

Haha, I’m kidding of course, you’d be given a government funded burger everyday! :hamburger::yum:

I just remembered, another thing I forgot to mention, I’d waltz through the DMZ into North Korea, and I’d burn all those sick fucks that are running that nation, burn them at the stake and introduce the (probably very confused) population to the rest of the world.

After that, its a trip to Iran to free the Persians from Islamic tyranny, I’d wipe all traces of Islam from the earth, not one person would be allowed to own a copy of the Quran, why would we want a book written by a psychopathic schizophrenic. Mohammed did not hath any ear, he was a mad man.

I want to be clear, I’d never resort to genocide, but there would be a period of global civil unrest, while people come around. I hope I’d handle these people well, and not be a vicious tyrant, that would make me as bad as those who subjugate us now.

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Yeah, that would be a must.

Yeah, to ban meat eating all together wouldn’t really be possible, can you imagine the “meat dealers” on the street corners, peddling sirloin steak, or pork scratchings.

This made me think City 17 in Half life 2. :eyes::joy: I’d get pissed having those cameras flashing in my face constantly! Lol

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That’s completely true, but what about individual comfort?

Every single human being, minus those over a certain age, because it wouldn’t be fair to keep them around indefinitely. It would have to be decided on a case by case basis.

Or, if this proves impossible, we could set up a game show, called the Immortality lottery. I’ll let you choose who the presenter for the show would be.

Ronald Mcdonald and all the other fast food mascots are out of a job, I abolished the meat industry, maybe they could host the show. :joy::rofl:

As supreme World leader, I’d reserve the right to put to death anyone I feel like, if someone starts making waves, becoming greedy ect. I’ll feed them them to a sizeable collection of house cats.

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Odd??? Fuck no!!! A latrine HAS to be attached to the hind-quarters of each of us! Here’s an example of how a meal works in my family.
Grilled cheese sandwich: Bun, pesto, good mozza, sliced nectarines… hot pan. Butter and oil (equal parts). Pesto spread on bun, lay on sliced mozza, sliced nectarines, and a touch more mozza. Place buns on pan- toast (use lid for extra heat to make sure mozza melts) ENJOY! Fuckin delicious!!! I’ll suffer the “consequences” for the flavour…

Hey - city boy! - you ever spend any real time on a farm or rural community???

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Of course you’d be a vicious tyrant!!! You’d have no choice. You think folks that don’t agree with you are going to take it??? Hahahaha. You’d be killing them left, right and center, justified by the thought of “defending” yourself and mankind’s greater good (your idea of)…

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I have always abhorred cheese.

To me, all types of cheese have this absolutely disgusting taste, it makes me gag.

I have worked on farms, as a stable hand, but due to unforseen circumstances, I had to relocate.

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Hey!!! Why do they get to eat meat??? :cut_of_meat: Jesus fuckin’Christ- are they a “special” species???

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Cmon, cats are the righteous stewards of the earth.

Everyone knows that. :cat:

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See - this is most likely why you lean towards vegan. It most likely works with your body type and nutritional needs. As a fellow “omnivore” I say - GREAT :+1:. Leave more cheese and meat for me!!!

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You know, that makes alot of sense to me.

I always struggled to digest red meat, before I turned into a vegetablist.

I guess I’m part cow or something. :joy::cow2:

Aren’t we all, after all our ancestors gained a new strain on our dna from consuming dairy? I really do feel like I’m displaying Kruger-dunning with some topics. :persevere: