I’m on vacation the rest of May and will be re-posting some of my earlier posts. This one’s from July 2016, slightly revised.

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You can’t fix a problem you don’t understand correctly. And you can’t begin to understand a problem unless you see it as a problem. And you won’t perceive it as a problem unless it conflicts with some ideal of what you want the world to look like: a vision of the good (not just a vision of a fixed bad).  

In that spirit, here’s an outline of my ideal society – at least today’s version. Individual guarantees are first, followed by general characteristics:

  1. Everyone has access to affordable housing

  2. Everyone has a right to safe and sanitary living conditions

  3. Everyone has a right to healthcare

  4. Everyone has a right to 16 years of education

  5. Everyone has access to sufficient nutrition and calories

  6. Everyone has access to affordable childcare

  7. Everyone has sufficient discretionary income to clothe themselves adequately and be digitally connected.

  8. Everyone has ample opportunity to improve their socio-economic status during their working life (individual social mobility)

  9. No one has to work more than full-time to support their family

  10. Democratic, accountable and responsive government

  11. Strong environmental standards and protections

  12. Healthy labor market: low unemployment rate

  13. Engaged citizenry: widespread public involvement in government decision-making

  14. Ample opportunities for social belonging/support/relationships

  15. Effective crime control and offender rehabilitation

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May 2022 Postscript 

To which I’d add some cultural features: 

  • High levels of trust

  • Low levels of contempt

  • High levels of fellow-feeling

  • Low levels of punitive anger

  • High levels of humility, curiosity and gratitude

  • A general ethic of hard work and service

There would also be plenty of room for mistrustful, contemptuous, selfish, endlessly outraged, arrogant, bored layabouts.