William Gillespie: Artopia
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This utopia suggests ideas to solve world problems. This utopia bases itself on several premises. Firstly, this system believes that a lot of the problems that we suffer right now are the result of the search and maximisation of power to achieve our needs and unlimited wants. As a result it is necessary to regulate this unequal existence of power while improving the social conditions as well as the material and immaterial wealth of all humans. Secondly, in order to restore international peace and to achieve a future for human kind, it is necessary to improve countries internally first. This can be achieved by using successful measurements from different social systems that help create a fair and more rewarding system for all individuals. Even thought it may sound like something that exists in some systems right now, these actual systems fail on the sincerity of their goals and the implementation of their policies. Thirdly, just like in any successful business organization, the happier all members are the more productive they become and the more they tend to work towards personal and collective goals. Finally, We cannot agree on many things in the international sphere and avoid fierce competition unless we improve the standard of living of all humans first. Further, it is imperative to convince individuals that cooperation and right planning can bring great rewards for all individuals without the need to manipulate or to turn against each other.
It is important to see that once people overcome their fears and need to manipulate situations, once people improve their living standard, once people understand how human history has developed in chaos and survival of the fittest and how this system will bring human more destruction than benefit, once human learn to achieve common goods through mutual cooperation and become aware that it is possible to achieve great things without maximizing material utility, once humans learn that the maximization of utility it is impossible without creating conflicts and once humans realize that there can not exist satisfaction of unlimited material wants through the limited material resources. Then we can set this system aside and jump into a new system or stage of human history, where mutual cooperation, effective use of resources are for every body's benefit. Then humans can start growing internally where they stopped thousand of years ago due to the fear of the unknown and the loss of confidence of how things went.
Then humans can start growing spiritually and mentally to start discovering many of those things that only exist on their fantasies such as the capabilities of our brains and the level of spiritualism that takes us closer to the search of perfection. Then humans can start discovering new worlds and make sure these worlds will be looked after and not only exploited for selfish reasons until they are finished. Then we can consider humans not as a source of evil and destruction but source of life.
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TECHNOLOGY
Artopia views history as a progression: culturally, ethically, and technologically. But the progress of history is not a smooth or intentional evolution, it is filled with false starts, dead ends, as well as very genuine improvements happening by accident. For example, in North America, a system of roads designed for the abuse of constant automobile traffic, after the abolition of the auto, will provide a quite durable network of roadways for bicycles. The Internet, designed for nuclear war, will survive as a technology whose functions are devoted to peace. Therefore, environmentally unsound technologies, out of those ubiquitous today, may not be preserved, but their side-effects may be incorporated into society.
For this reason, while most scientific or technical research and development is geared toward research and development along certain applicable lines - sustainable sources of energy, recycling waste, medicine - scientists also develop technology or scientific theories with no discernable relevance to society. Obsolete machinery is used as long as possible.
The aim of civilization is to record its own existence, in all media, and to try to document all understanding. The pursuit of clarity must be mediated by the understanding that conflicts of opinion are where knowledge is situated.
The aim of technology is minimal environmental impact and automated maintenance: machines that can run themselves without injuring the landscape.
The aim of social organization is to foster collaborative work, to encourage all individuals to fully realize their potential for excellence, while avoiding the consolidation of power of those with special knowledge.
PERMACULTURE
The preservation of natural systems is imperative.
There are no landfills, only carefully-designed recycling stations. Organic matter is composted and non-recyclables are reused or stored until a way is found to reuse them. Minimizing and eliminating waste is as an important to any industry as production, according to the Zero Emissions methodology:
1. TOTAL THROUGHPUT. A review of the industry identifies opportunities to minimize inputs and maximize outputs. The target is full use of inputs; i.e., total throughput. If this cannot be achieved, the next step of the methodology is applied.
2. OUTPUT-INPUT MODELS. An inventory is made of all "wastes"; i.e., outputs not consumed in the final product or its process of manufacture. An active search is then initiated to identify industries which could use the outputs, or modified versions of them, an inputs.
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