It may sound like a high school civics class, but this week…we’re all about government!
We jump right in by asking if America has the best system of government, or if others out there have better ideas? That leads to a discussion about what form of government is the best…and what we feel is best. Of course, we also discuss the worst kinds of governments that have existed and are still out there.
Then, a bit about education: how much government was taught to us in school, and how involved were the classes? Were they biased or open to all kinds of ideas? Did they help us, or have we forgotten all we learned? Do we feel like we learned something, but still ended up lost in a sea of people who didn’t?
Next, we get a bit more philosophical. Does a transparent or secretive government best serve the people? Could a complete lack of government actually work? And because Shawn led the charge with this epsisode, could a government like the one in Star Trek ever become real…and if so, could it work? Sticking to fictional governments, we talk about how close or far we are from Orwell’s 1984, before wrapping it up with the ideal government we would create, were we put in charge of the world.
(In the end, it is decided: Facebook and dance fighting are the only systems that work! Okay, maybe not, but we do mention dance fighting and the structure of social networks like Facebook as a system of government.)
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If I was on my own and had the resources, damn right I would move to Scandinavia, or any of the Nordic countries. The political policies, social attitudes, and cult worship in ‘Merica are destructive and dangerous, IMO. Did my having to live with Tea Partiers for 9 months influence my opinion? Damn right.
Definitely a lot to not be liked about ‘Murica. At the same time, when you look at the numbers…fundamentalist Christianity is slowly crumbling, and more people are rejecting superstition than ever in the states. It’s easier than ever to see how extreme fundamentalists are because they have the Internet, and one can spend all day reading about all the crazy things going on in their little pocket dimensions of evil, but it’s a death rattle as they lose more and more ground. I live in Texas and avoid the news and sites where I can read about a small group doing something outrageous and then easily make the leap to, “This is a tidal wave of ignorance!” It definitely exists, in large numbers, but they continue to lose the power they once had.
I think I’d like nowhere Canada. I could do the Nordic countries, I think, but then when you see having to buy a license to own a TV and so many other things…pick from approved names for kids…and then there was Sweden’s “Whoops!” move with sterilization of transgendered people before realizing, “Maybe not such a good idea…” I definitely have a pretty strong, “Leave me alone!” aspect to my nature. That said, I’ve liked Oregon and Vermont, states that have some odd, even restrictive, laws. But both states seem to have a happy balance of not as many nutty fundamentalists, and enough of an independent spirit that even the odder laws aren’t too bad if you find your little space and make your damn things 🙂
“fundamentalist Christianity is slowly crumbling, and more people are rejecting superstition than ever in the states” I hope you are right, Christopher. I admit I’m still a bit shell shocked by the events of the past year. Overall, I’m happy living in ‘Merica. There’s still a lot of good here. I agree that the internet amplifies the cases of nutbaggery. As long as I have the freedom to make the damn thing, I think I’d be happy in most places. 🙂
OK my husband would be the groundskeeper at the academy for free. He loves mowing that much. Give him a monster riding mower and he’ll mow all day.
Depending on the climate, I might also do that job in the future. I’d assume it comes with some sort of hover-mower.
The other day, I was thinking, “If I could make what I make vacuuming offices at night, I’d do that instead…” Not so much emptying garbage and cleaning desk and table tops…just vacuuming. In college, I was a janitor at a fairly large church. (Two-thirds of the janitor staff were atheists.) It was a good gig, beginning each day with going to a locked building and mostly vacuuming classrooms. (Had to empty garbage, too.) I know some people feel a burning need to be “challenged” all day at work, but I challenge myself enough with writing, the podcast, juggling, and other things. So yeah…if I could make what I make listening to music with the hum of a vacuum behind it all and living in that little bubble…definitely!
I remember when I discovered “answering service” jobs existed, I was amazed. That would be the greatest job in the world. Having a company’s calls routed to you, and telling the callers that the business is closed for the day. How awesome is that?! lol So I’m still trying to find a WAH answering service job. They’re hard to come by.
I don’t so much need to be “challenged,” but I do need to be busy. Vaccuuming floors? If I have enough to fill an 8-hour day, I’m totally happy doing it. Plug into podcasts and just clean… not much better than that.