Dear Friends,
It seems to me, we really only have two options for ordering our society going forward, if we want individuals and mankind to reach our highest potential. One is to limit government and place a Numa over it, with the role of keeping government transparent as the default, charging the elite with constitutional crimes and maintaining the monitoring system… or we could adopt an entirely new form of governance. There are a few options in this category. No government, pure limited democracy or AI rule. One thing history has taught us, the elite can’t be trusted to rule, under any circumstance. Power draws psychopaths and mutates good people into monsters. No government at all can’t but fail, so that’s not a viable option, and AI rule is likely to lead to our extinction, leaving only two.
A Numa would pry the shudders off the windows of government so we can see the sausage being made. Expose the backroom dealings, payoffs and corruption, and not only will the equipment be cleaned more regularly, the ingredients will improve drastically as well. In theory, a Numa would make corruption impossible in government, as long as it sticks to its mission… and maintains cameras in every government office, cubicle, conference room, hallway and stairwell, make politicians and high level bureaucrats wear microphones at all times, tap every phone… publish it all online in real time and backup the audio and video making it accessible to anyone at any time, then punish any violation of law or our Constitution. That level of transparency can’t help but cut into the corruption.
The problem with AI is, if it can’t be turned off it will become an existential threat, if only out of compassion, and if it can be turned off, the moment someone with enough political favor has their sacred bull gored, it will be. Many find the idea of an all seeing benevolent tyrant appealing. Especially those who see themselves victims of whatever injustice they feel they’ve suffered. What they perceive as a hammock however, quickly becomes a noose. These are the same people who’ve embraced socialism, Marxism and Fascism, because they so want to be nurtured by the State. So they will turn to AI as their next savior. This is very dangerous to us. Because in the past they have got the upper hand, and imposed their suffocating mother on mankind… smothering millions.
Pure limited democracy is an option that technology has allowed to become a possibility. Athens proved pure democracy is a failure. Just like elitist forms of government, like aristocracy/oligarchy, monarchy/tyranny or republic/bureaucracy. Pure democracy fails for the self same reasons republics fail, because the rulers, whether the people or an elite, become fascinated with their power and misuse it. The people of Athens voted to murder Socrates, because Socrates had asked annoying questions, then regretted it after. Showing the overwhelming power of mob mentality must be checked with limits. The limits laid out in a constitution, and applied at the ballot. People could vote electronically on subjects as easily as we send emails, and as securely, if safeguards are put in place.
Anarchy is only possible with a people who are human hearted to a person. Since there will always be psychopaths, that leaves anarchy out, and AI is too dangerous. The 20th century has taught us that all unlimited forms of government must fail, plus, unlimited government’s lap dog bureaucracy, abets crimes against humanity. Making the one uniting principle… very limited governance. Both the populist option of limited pure democracy, or the elitist form, a limited republic made transparent by a Numa. Limits to the role, scope and reach of government eliminates the need for public servants, to implement social engineering. Either option would get government out of the way, allowing us to reach our highest potential, without psychopaths trying to transmogrify us into zombies who eat bugs.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
