Rusty's Ramblings

[Rusty Edge]

What do you think I have been doing the whole time that I have been a member of this board? I continue to work towards a resolution that provides the opportunity to create a socialist community that does not raise money beyond that required to coexist with the behemoth of a government. I believe small scale communities that exist on gift economies could operate well within specific circumstances because the presence of money remains a liability in the future.
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What do you figure is the practical upper population limit is on your small scale community? Or if not a number per se, what do you think is the limiting factor?

[Dio]

I suspect, based upon research I have seen, the upper limit remains around 40 people before hierarchial concerns began to force the formation of nonegalitarian governance. I believe around 40 people remains the limit because it becomes difficult to know more people than that on a regular basis. I would also need to create a system of legal customs that forces people to work towards pressing issues in the community through a consesus method. The screening of applications for participants remains another concern for community to eliminate the potential abuse by people that do not care for the community. A decent example of the egalitartian lifestyle appears at Twin Oaks Community, Virginia.

[Buster's Uncle]

Since when are you a commie pinko, D?  This is new by me.

[Dio]

Since when are you a commie pinko, D?  This is new by me.

     I believe the exploration of extremes allows for the understanding of boundaries on both sides of an issue. I have seen the depreciations that occur inside a individualistic society such as our own, and I know the evils of a collective society such as China. I believe extremes on either side remain undesirable, but the potential to investigate the gray areas remains possible only after a person establishes the boundaries around an issue. The example I gave above simply illustrates a theoretical idea that receives a practical application in our society. I do not necessarily support it, but I believe certain aspects contain merits worthy of further investigation. I do not inherently support Communism beyond the fact it highlights the importance of a group over the individual, and I think my reaction of support towards these ideas stems from the individualistic psychology of many people in our society.   
    The single belief I hold above all others remains that our society wastes the talents and potential of many people it labels as undesirable. The label of undesirable may come from personal decisions that the individual makes (I believe in personal responsibility), or it stems from personality or mental traits that make a person unable to function fully in our society. The stigma that other people attach towards the unintentional "undesirable" people in our society remains unacceptable. The above stigma ties back into the individualistic attitude of our society that states any person unable to support themselves remains unworthy of respect as a human. Many people hold the opinion that the person deserves whatever misfortunes might befall the individual without any respite or decent aid from society as a whole. Hence my belief in basic universal income or support that addresses the fact that no person should have to live in poverty regardless of marriage, child, or disability status.

[Buster's Uncle]

So it's about a kinder, better world.

You know, that's only going to work with a change in the hearts of the populace - there's a lot government can do, but almost nothing it can do efficiently...

[Rusty Edge]

I'm reminded of an anecdote by journalist Linda Ellerbe - She was living on a commune in Alaska. She had just come in from the sub-zero after working long and hard to chop through the ice with an axe to get a bucket of fresh water. One of the stoners on the coach looked up at her and said- OH! I'm sooo into what you're doing. It was then that she realized that she wasn't into the communal lifestyle.

[Buster's Uncle]

So it Goes is a great read.

[Rusty Edge]

Don't know if Buster would be interested, but I understand she wrote a series of books about a girl investigative reporter.

[Buster's Uncle]

I don't know either, alas.

[Dio]

I suppose very few people would consider works of economists interesting on the board.

[Buster's Uncle]

?  Does not compute.

[Dio]

?  Does not compute.

Oh. I suppose works like Capital: Critique of Political Economy and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. The titles do not sound like material you would find interesting (or myself beyond the need to read them for certain reasons).

[Buster's Uncle]

Why do you mention this?

[Dio]

Why do you mention this?

Since Rusty brought up books that he thought might interest you, I brought up books that I find mildly interesting. I then thought better it better to avoid controversial subjects that might inflame the delicate minds of other people on a board because I do not want to start a flame war.

[Buster's Uncle]

A flame war over economics books?