The Best Hope for the Future

[AlanP233040]

Who or what is going to save us?

From what, you say?

Income inequality

Globalized economics

International conflict

Pandemics

Global warming

Artificial Intelligence

Crime, and whatever other more personal fears you may have, like loneliness, depression, aging, housing, healthcare.

Who or what is going to save us?

National government?

Some billionaire?

Technology?

Reliable answers are hard to come by.

When I ask this question, I come up with the following:

Community—local community—the places where we all live.

Why?

Local community can offer the following:

• A place where you know who it is you are communicating with (it’s not AI simulation)
• You, the citizen, have the opportunity to actually affect the environment you live in (changing laws, organization participation, getting help to age in place, become socially engaged)
• Have direct impact on how resources are managed (from infrastructure development to expert demonstrations at the public library)

Think about it—today—there really is no other way for the individual to have real and sustainable control over how we live.

Even though community is, literally, in our own backyards, there are obstacles to achieving benefits—namely participation.

If you had civics class in school—that’s really what it was about: community participation.

The real obstacle in civics is involvement.

Involvement is what distinguishes the choices we have:  to allow whatever powers there are—national programs, AI, the businesses of technology—to direct our lives, or to take control, personal control.

That is what the idea of community represents: personal control—how we socialize, manage our resources, and truly plan for a sustainable future.

[SereneSeagull]

Ok, I’ll jump in, since I love good discussions, even when there may be different views.  🙂

     I see several sides to this.  While @AlanP233040  I think I see what you’re leading to, I appreciate the thought process of what I believe you’re saying here.  Working together, communally for the common good, betterment of all, etc…

     I don’t necessarily think that’s a completely do-able concept, regardless of the well-meaning intent.  Almost sounds like a dystopian, or Stepford Wife type of scenario.  Yes, working together as a community to solve what many times our own government cannot, …can be a good thing.  But taking things into one’s own hands can lead to anarchy.  

Without my getting too political, it’s up to us to elect our officials.  And as @papawofboo  has mentioned , we can only control what we have control over.

     So for me, that involves making my voice heard by contacting my officials.  I have their local and DC office numbers on my fridge, and never hesitate to call.  It also involves staying proactive in local community concerns, and staying vigilant in who I vote for concerning my local school board, county commissioners, judges, as well as my state and federal representatives.  Understanding any ballot measures, propositions, referendums.  That to me, for my own self, is being part of a community and working together.  But I cannot control what I have no control over.

The days of everyone caring about one another to the extent to which I believe you’d like to see, in my opinion, will not happen.  I’ve read, and reread your post here, several times, and to me it sounds like a politician trying to test out soundbites.  That’s not a slight on the sentiment, but a question as to what is behind the sentiment?  What is your solution that I see you trying to tease?

[AlanP233040]

Thanks! I really appreciate your comments. This is a new piece I just wrote today, and you have pointed out something I need to correct in what I wrote, namely, we should all work together - governments and citizens. I should have mentioned that the idea of local citizen involvement is an addition not a replacement of what already exists! This piece is a small part of a larger picture - you are a perceptive person! It's a growing collection: onespace.org Thanks again - I have no illusions of success, only of the reality of my actions (not to be too whatever).

[WebWiseWoman]

Alan, if I may ask, what is the purpose of your post?

[AlanP233040]

Mainly to stimulate thinking - I have some ideas but no solutions. That said, I am trying to find ways for people to make contact, socially and personally - that for me is the most important thing.

[SereneSeagull]

So since we are being frank.  Your post was a means to test drive and drive people to your website?

[AlanP233040]

Did not start out that way, but perhaps it helped to explain to a responder why I wrote what I did. This is not a commercial endeavor, by any stretch.

[SereneSeagull]

Yeah… not buying that. But good on you for attempting to make your corner of the world more tolerable.  ☮️

[papawofboo]

Your post went right over my head. You did a lot of typing when to me the answer to your question is in the mirror.

I cannot control other people so no need for me to worry about most of the stuff in the news. My #1 concern is what is happening on the inside of my front door. After I have that uncontrol I'll see what I can do to help the people around me and then expand my circle some more.

One way to help the future is to quit re-electing the same people. Look at this year and the shutdown of the government. Everyone was mad and raising all kind of h***, I'll bet you right now that over 90% get re-elected.

You are right we are in a mess. but no need to worry about things you have no control over. 

There is no cowboy wearing a white hat coming to save us, do what you can do and move on.

If