Could a world government ever work in SL ?

Is that like this?:

Thats a Jeaniocracy.

To get back on course, sorta, I'd suggest the "one-worlders" among us should be careful what they wish for.

Try a thought experiment: Imagine your "world government." Got it fixed in your mind? Okay, now, since I infer that you folks' views are generally somewhat left of center, imagine a George Bush getting elected world president. Not scared straight yet? Imagine it's one from Chinese Turkestan. Who wants everyone to speak Mandarin. And would like to convert everyone to Islam. A world government is not necessarily going to be cast in your own image. In fact, since it will be composed of politicians and bureaucrats, the large majority of whom will be of a very different culture and system of values from your own, it almost certainly will not be remotely in your own image. Still want a world government? I sure don't.

What's interesting is, the world is headed in generally the opposite direction. the number of independent countries is increasing. There are about 200 of them now, and counting. The Palestinian Arabs want their own country. So do the Spanish Basques. And the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka. And Tibet. And the Kurds. Back in Europe, Montenegro is getting tired of being part of what is still laughingly called Yugoslavia. Even some people in Belgium, the epicenter of the European Union, were semi-seriously talking about splitting into two countries, one Walloon, one Flemish, during their recent governmental deadlock. Fact is, people mostly want to live their lives in their own ways, under their own governments that reflect their own interests and values undiluted by what a billion people on the other side of the world might think or want. Which is why the safer the world gets, the more countries there tend to be - more peoples feel safe being independent and not absorbed into a large, hence more-powerful-but-less-responsive state. Diversity is a good thing, not bad.

Last thing RL needs is another layer of government. IMO last thing SL needs is another layer of government, which could only be an instrument for imposing uniformity.

Blasphemy!!!!!!!


How dare you imply there is another Jeanie then the one true Jeanie!!!!!!!!!




I Dream of Jeaniocracy!!!

I'm gonna have to disagree here hon...

I eat horribly.. probably pretty close to an ancient greek or something diet (Iono where really.. lotsa meat no veggies lol)

I am _quite_ tall.. my brother ate completely different from me.. we are both very close in height.

So.. where does this diet thing come in? The difference is not generally going to be 'inches' i don't think, even if this does ring true... and far too many other things change such an attribute as height as well.. simply diet is not enough to go on.

it started with glue and went downhill from there. ON the other hand I like this second inner thread inside the first thread much better

I think what Collette is referring to, is the scientific evidence that suggests that the quality of one's diet as a child has an effect one's final adult height.

Its less about how much you eat, and more about whether (while the body is in childhood growth-mode) its getting the nutrition it needs. If I'm not mistaken, studys have shown that, all other things being equal, those who eat a balanced diet as a child grow to be taller than those who eat a malnourished diet.

Genetically, you and your brother are related, but not *identical*. Even if your parents kept you locked up in a cage as a child, and fed you hot-water soup, its still possible that you could end up taller than your brother due to your genetic differences, if that makes any sense

yes these things are true and proven and I was one of the few kids who ate a balanced diet which resulted in me being waaaay above "average" for the time. I have my mother's genes yet she is barely 5 feet tall. She grew up during the depression had very poor nutrition and was out working by the time she was twelve and had all those poor people's problems growing up like fleas etc. The next generation got fed better and we are not just a bit taller we a huge in comparison. I had doctors trying to slow my growth so i would fit through doorways. However looking back I think i was growing at the right rate its just that we weren't used to it yet... I'm not a giant and am not built like one and dont have the bone structure of one and measuring up against the average 20 year old growing up today i'm only average height.

Our kids are not that much taller then me so i'm convinced the panic that I was watching as an 8 year old was simply that I was one of the few kids that was actually properly fed as at the time we still were not great with nutrition in the school and diets still sucked for most people.

I didnt mean the quantity was unhealthy, I was referring to the nutrition.. growing up I had mostly protein.. and junk food. That's about it... and yet here I am, towering over everyone.. but then with a much healthier diet, my brother is almost the same height.

Following Collete's statement, at least in this one case (The one I know most about =P) I'd have to disagree with her based on the proof that I have that it is invalid.. simply based on this one instance.

Oh yeah, I forgot that part. Shit. That means I'm partly responsible for derailing it. Oops.

Caught with your pants down at last!

Inc

I've changed my mind. I think a governance system could work BUT only as an extremely lenient barebones operation with 100% transparency of the entire process.

Otherwise, forget it.

This is just not true Colette--how can you say that the better diet would definitely produce a taller person...simply not true. Take my family for example...my mom quit smoking and drinking for her first child--the other three she smoked and drank a little...the first child is clearly the scrawniest...you'd think it was the other way around, but it's not.

There are no definite results in the short-term...but we know for certain that the human species is constantly evolving--both physically and mentally.

What about you? DO you get updates or something.. or are you still human under that cyborg-y exterior? JW

A one-world-government wouldn't have just one leader (president). It would be a different construct, only using our current government as a starting template. No one nation or belief would be allowed to be superior or made supreme.

I understand their first act on attaining power will be to rename the world Cloud Cuckoo Land

Inc

lol, you had doctors trying to halt your growth so you could fit through doorways? Excuse me for laughing, but that's just funny.

If evolution sees fit for us to be taller, wider, or even have a sixth finger grow in, diet won't change that. If [evolution] 'thinks' we need a sixth finger, then by golly we'll develop one no matter how much zinc you take.

says who?



Sorry, who's this "our current government" - American? Chinese? Iranian? Saddam? Hitler? Stalin?



The latter part of your statement is nonsensical - not least because it totally ignores human history.

I feel like channelling Chris.....

Inc

I would assume USA considering that is where SL technically is as LL is based here...

You're not understanding, and you're being a little too cut-and-dry.

Firstly, since we are discussing the 'one-world-goverment' --which is fantasy at the moment--I was just adding what I thought would be the smartest option. Don't give the power to just one person...that would be very silly now wouldn't it? We are creating a fantasy...so, sorta' can't bash the theory...

When I said "our current government" I was trying to get across ALL the current mainstream governments. They are all very similar when it comes down to it...I didn't mean to say any one country would be the 'best.'

And when I said no one nation would be made superior...this is simply speculation of a fictional society. Historical has nothing to do with it...if it did, we wouldn't even be discussing the possibility of a one-world-government. It's all speculation and fiction at the moment--nothing can be 'wrong' in fiction.

Wow, your lack of empathy is quite startling. I'm autistic and you make me look like Mother Theresa. Cool, Michael, really cool.

Your examples are all bad.

Your mom producing a scrawny child is meaningless. There is no scientific control to base your comparisons on.

There are simply too many variations child to child.

That was why my example was 2 identical twins. Genetically they are as close as possible to achieve.

I think Pie is right, you speak about evolution like a politician, or a news reporter. Not a scientist.

Or like he's debating.. which.. this truly seems to be to me...

OK Michael, well if you're going to indulge yourself in flights of fancy, you could at least signpost that for the benefit of those of us with less evolved Bigwig radar ... and perhaps then YOU wouldn't need to make passive aggressive statements like "You're not understanding..." (Personally I would have started with "I haven't explained myself well" - since I'm initiating the statement, then it's my responsibility to ensure it is - as far as is possible - properly understood in the right context by the target audience)

Inc

er... since Michael has now stated he's indulging in flights of fancy, I really don't see any real debate here. It's like an argument between astronomers and astrologists. Ne'er the twain shall meet etc....

Inc