In all the Utopian stories I've come across, the society is introduced after it's been in full swing for some time. I'm yet to find a place where it's explained how that utopian society came to be from where we are now.
@hr1 These are my ideas on how to move us from where we are now towards a more idealistic community.
Disclaimer: Yes, I know nothing will ever be perfect, especially over a period of time. However, I find it extremely important to have some idea of what our goals are and what we are working towards, which over time can make the community a better place. It's about all individual people becoming better individuals.
Mission Statement and Metric:
To me the ultimate metric for an individual is growing and progressing. Nobody is (hopefully) the same person they were in high school or decades ago. Similar to 'The Path' in eastern culture, nobody can tell you your path, nor the outcomes, each person must find their own way through life. The goal of each individual is to find who they are right now, who they want to be, and some idea of how to get there. (even if you're wrong, there is valuable information to grow from.) It's not about being Right, It's about being better.
The Base Idea:
Really the game we are all a part of in American life is to get enough money/resources for ourselves and family to buy the rest of our life back (i.e. retire.) Many of us deal with the things we NEED to do such as going to a non-ideal job, to get paid, to use towards food, water, shelter, etc.. and hopefully have enough for at least some of our WANTS.
Funny thing is we tend to be very good at knowing what we need (were build that way to survive) but not always so good at knowing what we actually WANT. So what if a person with a creative mind (whether it be writer, musician, artist, inventor, engineer, etc...) had their needs covered such that the bulk of the work day could be focused on finding said wants.
Given the right, motivated people, wouldn't you think they would create more with higher quality over time? Would these creations provide ideas, inspiration or tools for others to then leapfrog with their own creations?
I love to play chess, so what if I told you that I purposely decide to play poorly when I actually get game? Sound crazy, right? My point is that when one is driven by internal passion, they perform at their top possible level. We do the things we WANT, to the best of our ability. It's just in our nature. We get into the moment, not consciously thinking yet at peak proficiency, and flow (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)).
Who gets to join?
People need to be screened before being accepted into the society. While the idea of selective population sounds scary to some, it's really the normal in the hiring process of companies. It's nothing mean or demeaning, but companies look to hire those with the necessary qualification AND be a good fit for the existing team. (Who gets to actually decide and how to deal with removing/firing is best served in a separate post.) Some fundamental qualification would include:
1. Enlightened self interest: This means that a member or prospective member needs to have some idea of how they individually work, what they want, and how to progress. Should an artist need to be told what to create? No, they find that within on their own.
2. No assumed malice: Every individual has drives for revenge at some point, but we can absolutely choose to not act on them. Each member should at least be progressively attempting to remove/minimize malicious actions. Members also should be able to give the benefit of the doubt that others are not acting in malice. Many conflicts arise simply due to a misinterpretation or miscommunication. When members give others the benefit of the doubt that they aren't being malicious, when instances of potential conflict arise, the first reaction is "Did they really mean that?" and converse further for clarity. Simply removing the assumption and charged up emotional reaction (that get people riled up into fight/flight responses) can prevent the thought of "THEY are doing something to ME." Belief that I am a good person, surrounded by other good people, goes a LONG way!
3. Honest belief that life doesn't have to be a zero sum game. (I.e. if they have a dollar, I don't have that dollar. Not everything has to be a 1 + -1 = 0 scenario. Many times a win/win synergistic option is available. If you honestly believe that other members are individuals progressing themselves and creating/contributing, then helping someone else isn't just giving your time/money/whatever away, it's investing in that other person, which eventually comes back around to benefit you. Many times 1+1=3 (the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synergy)
How to Actually Begin:
I won't lie, this idea requires a lot of front loading capital which eventually hits that point of the "engine kicking over."
I envision this utopian community being under a corporate umbrella. The goal of this company is to invest into certain people by providing resources they would NEED (food, water, shelter, etc...) allowing them to focus on their WANTS (maximizing creative time.) Creations include many things ranging from art, literature, music, inventions, etc... which provides new ideas, inspiration and tools for other members to create with. This is a long term investment in good people making things better.
Now I know what you're saying. That sounds great, but how can money be made to pay for this? We can't just indefinitely inject capital. And you're absolutely right.
Remember that were not changing the population at large here. Many people aren't ready, or just don't want to be a part of it. So let's play the capitalist game better than them.
The idea of this community is to foster growth and innovation. While not everything can be monetized to the outside world, some can. The role of the company is to first provide the setting and resources for creative innovation to its members. Some things can be copied and distributed to other members (books or art as example) that would want them, without cost. (Remember the company is ideally providing this for members.) HOWEVER, some things can be mass produced and sold to the outside world for immense profits. Imagine if said community had the idea for the first smart phone. The company would use these external profits to hire in more people, who in turn create/innovate/inspire. This is the beginning of how to kick the engine over:
Give members the best environment to progress who they are and what they do, piggyback of inspiration of other members, and the company keeps an eye out for things that can or can be successfully brought to the outside market, to then be able to hire more people, to create more things, etc...
It's a circular investment into good people, being good people, helping other good people, etc... Imagine the potential of a community of good people making 1+1=3!
I know there are many potential pitfalls (how to handle conflicts that do arrive, how to remove/fire a member, who gets to choose and with what criteria, etc...) and pieces that require further discussion (somethings I have an idea on, but I feel is really best for the community itself to decide on) and I'm happy to respond to those. I wanted this to at least remain somewhat readable without it turning into a philosophical dissertation.
I'd love to hear your thoughts, concerns, etc. This is all about being BETTER, not being RIGHT!