Neo-Feudalism: The New Paradigm

In my personal opinion we should be living on the Moon, under the ocean and on Mars by now. For some reason I get the feeling there is some kind of force holding humanity from moving forward. It's almost as if I had the money to build a colony on the Moon some shady group would come and convince me not to.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
In my personal opinion we should be living on the Moon, under the ocean and on Mars by now. For some reason I get the feeling there is some kind of force holding humanity from moving forward. It's almost as if I had the money to build a colony on the Moon some shady group would come and convince me not to.

The force has a name.

No one dares speak it.

a reply to: beyondtruth

When someone who wants to buy a house in Guildford but is afraid to buy because some investor in L.A is sweating on someone who has interests in the Hang Seng...

Modern economics are far too convoluted and complicated.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Great post S+F. I just hope that I am still alive to see it when we finally begin picking up the pieces of our humanity.

We are like ants in an ant farm.

Our power lies in our numbers.

Our beliefs are how they control us.

If you found out your world is nothing more than a child's cherished toy, would it change what you do when you get up in the morning?

Individually we are expendable.

We have to stop them from seeing us as expendable.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Great thread MM.

You've given a lot of food for thought, but the question is:
How many people will actually chew on this and think about what you've said ?

It's a well-known fact that the larger a society becomes, the more feudal and cutthroat it becomes. More people means more problems.



Here's a perfect example to prove that point:

Big city living vs small town living.

In the big cities, most people don't know their neighbours' first names let alone lending them a helping hand in day to day living (completely oblivious to the fact that they might even need a hand with something). You have to lock your doors, put up big fences, get a dog or install an alarm in your home. When you go to the store, you're just some anonymous face passing through.

In a small town (less than 2-3000 population), everything I just pointed out with city living is the complete opposite. Everyone knows everyone, which ultimately means everyone works together as a collective... rather than an individual unit. Building a new garage ? You'll have 5 neighbours show up unannounced with hammers in hand - free labour for the taking which means you can get the job done faster, which means you can sit down with a cold beer in your hands that much sooner to sit back and admire your hard work.

Humans thrive in smaller groups, and struggle/feud in larger ones.

We were not meant to live in massive metropolitans like sardines in a can. Our very human nature demands that we need room to breath, freedom to move around without being hindered by others.

In the city you're choked with crowds, line-ups, traffic, more people in your 'personal space'. People become stressed and frustrated.

In small towns, less people means no crowds, no line-ups, no traffic, less people 'in your face'. You feel less stressed, less frustrated, less people to battle with. You've got room to breath, and the freedom to move at your own pace.


As the population grows and cities get bigger and bigger, the stresses and problems are going to grow right along with it.

originally posted by: gentledissident
a reply to: rockpaperhammock

When MystikMushroom metioned, "It wouldn't hurt us to all contribute a bit so that we can all float higher", I thought of helping each other build and maintain off grid communities.

That is a great idea...in fact there is some stat out I read not long ago that suggested 500,000 people are living intentionally and happily off grid...think about that...thats quite a lot. This is why they keep making laws to try to stop people from doing it...it will destroy the government...and legally! There are a few websites where people are doing stuff like this. And it is amazing how many they have to turn away because so many people want to do it.

If you got a patch of land...maybe 3 arces...and opened the doors...people will come. I think there is another article where a guy had 3 acres of land but produced millions of pounds of food. It is very doable...and you could even try to rent some wooded land from some farmer that has a patch of woods on his farm land. Some may be into the idea of an off grid community. Might be cheaper to rent the land.

I think it is a great idea and hope you do indeed go for it!

a reply to: CranialSponge

I hear you, and I agree.

In a small town you never used to have to ask for a job, it was always there. Now you need a doctorate to make a freakin' cup of coffee.

My home of almost twenty years has been yuppified; Being a barista is now the equivalent of having a Phd. Forget the brick and mortar labor that made small towns great, coffee is the backbone of the economy now.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Yes. I think we will think about the things posted here. I just don't think anyone will "do" anything different.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
a reply to: CranialSponge

I hear you, and I agree.

In a small town you never used to have to ask for a job, it was always there. Now you need a doctorate to make a freakin' cup of coffee.

My home of almost twenty years has been yuppified; Being a barista is now the equivalent of having a Phd. Forget the brick and mortar labor that made small towns great, coffee is the backbone of the economy now.

Sounds like it's time to find a new town, it seems yours has been infiltrated and infected by the "City Locust".

Yes... it's a pesky little bug that's known to wipe out small towns in one fell swoop.

Has anyone read or seen the movie "The Giver"?

Now, I am NOT suggesting we create communities where people's memories and emotions are manipulated...

I do think, however, that spreading out the population into smaller, semi-autonomous and self-sufficient communities would greatly benefit mankind. I'm not sure on the "ideal" number of people though.

Some communities would be artisans, others purely mechanical, and others agrarian. All of these communities would barter and trade their specialties for the maximum benefit of all. Everyone would have a place, and could move to whatever community seemed to interest them. New communities could be established as new ideas/demands surfaced.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Some communities would be artisans, others purely mechanical, and others agrarian. All of these communities would barter and trade their specialties for the maximum benefit of all. Everyone would have a place, and could move to whatever community seemed to interest them. New communities could be established as new ideas/demands surfaced.

That's a fantastic idea... in theory.

Our world used to be exactly that at one point, but as the population grew, so did those small communities until we ended up with what we've got now - huge cities... and small towns slowly getting eaten up in the process.

Unfortunately, that world can only last for so long without some kind of population control. And of course population control would mean hindering on people's freedoms... which I think is out of the question for most people (myself included).

I agree with the OP and by the way...very nice post! However, while the government and the corporations are at fault...they are not the enemy per se. We frequent the local Walmart, Kmart, etc. We elected our representatives. We got exactly what we have asked for and we continue feeding the beast. We have different segments of society from takers and thieves to the extremely respectable who wouldn't take a hand-out to save their lives...and everything in between.

Until we the people as a single group can stand up together, look away from the corporations in unity and tear down the government in unity...we are where we are. And the absolute, 100% fact is "we" won't and can't bring ourselves to do this. We are lazy, money-hungry, selfish creatures who deserve what we are getting. So now we bitch and whine and then vote for the next "first whatever" president and grab some food at Walmart or McDonalds.

Sorry guys...you and I are getting exactly what we asked for.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
a reply to: MystikMushroom

Some communities would be artisans, others purely mechanical, and others agrarian. All of these communities would barter and trade their specialties for the maximum benefit of all. Everyone would have a place, and could move to whatever community seemed to interest them. New communities could be established as new ideas/demands surfaced.

That's a fantastic idea... in theory.

Our world used to be exactly that at one point, but as the population grew, so did those small communities until we ended up with what we've got now - huge cities... and small towns slowly getting eaten up in the process.

Unfortunately, that world can only last for so long without some kind of population control. And of course population control would mean hindering on people's freedoms... which I think is out of the question for most people (myself included).

That was us before. A time when we functioned well and everything was as it should be (IMO). But we have turned into asses and followed a failed idea that we can create a utopia by simply forcing the actions of a utopia upon the people. Yeah...like trying to force a cat not to chase a mouse it was destine to fail...and has. But some of us (I'm looking left) continue to push this idea of the super educated but inexperienced should rule the minions and tell them how to live in harmony when we aren't capable. Then we throw out "racist", "the evil 1%", etc. to PROVE to the people what they should hate. "Should" doesn't mean we as humans are ready or capable of that yet. And we are not.

I personally support the idea of living in kingdoms of like minded and belief. It used to be called "state's rights" and the government is trying to destroy it in hopes of a utopia that won't happen. So we destroy what works...in hopes of something impossible. Mostly impossible due to the selfish and the takers/users among us.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Because someone will always come along that will want to play, "I am king of the world!".

People always have to feel better than. Labels get attached. Lies get attached to the labels. People start to make war on each other?

We are truly a faulty lot and we don't learn the right lessons from our mistakes.

Divergent had a similar theme, it didn't have a good outcome either.

People are never satisfied for long. They are always looking for the other ???.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Which is why I think we need to have ocean floor communities and colonies on the Moon and Mars...

a reply to: WeAreAWAKE

Summed up quite well.

Until we become the change and stop feeding the beast, this what we have. It is what we have paid for.

The saddest part of it all is that it doesn't take that much effort. We choose how we spend our money. We select the beasts that consume us. We have grown blinders to the two fingers that point back at us when we point to someone or something else.

We have played the carnival lottery and are gleeful to accept the booby prize. Something is not always better than nothing.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Which is why I think we need to have ocean floor communities and colonies on the Moon and Mars...

LOL.

Yep, we need to spread out. This place is getting too damned crowded.

I couldn't agree more.

a reply to: CranialSponge

It seems to me that we have the technology and means to spread out, but for some reason we're being intentionally held back to this one planet. I can't imagine there really being any more heights for the elite of this planet to reach here, we seem to be going in circles with our technology.

If history is any indicator of what our future will be, I imagine that disenfranchised peoples of Earth (possibly religious people) will be the first to settle outlying worlds and moons. This seems to be the pattern for human expansionism -- the dissatisfied group together and amass resources to start anew far from the old world.

So, I'll be looking to groups with money, resources, support and a healthy appetite for adventure for possible solar system colonization.

If anyones looking for plenty of space, and good paying labor, look to mid western Canada.

Since no one wants to live there.