A wry digression that made me smile was your observations of porn and art, the point at which they cross the line is subjective, different to every individual. Maybe that alone makes them one and the same!
Digressions aside, I like that there is a glimmer of hope here in this story, if only we set about designing a new global society.
This rapidly darkening moment might indeed be a golden opportunity, whilst our minds are opening to the possibility that really, as a supposedly intelligent species; we messed up, and there are much better ways of doing things.
I don’t think we are quite there yet, there seem to be still many who believe the old system is somehow recoverable, like incredulous heartbroken children watching a real dried xmas tree on fire, after they built it, and decorated it with live candles.
They all wish so badly the horrible fire would stop. But the adults running for the buckets of water know it won’t.
It might seem like a gargantuan task to correctly design a new societal system, but with the technology we have now, it is not that difficult.
Most importantly it has to be done using the formal techniques of system design, correctly identifying who the main stakeholder is; the public, expressing that as the sole system concept specification.
Designing the system directly from that specification of human need, tracing all concerns to system implementation, gives us a non profit system that grows from first implementation, and learns, like an Ai under human direction, conforming to adapt to all of the requirements.
That is the only way to ensure that the system will be fit for its purpose; to meet the needs of the majority.
This implemented, we need never fear a pandemic in the future, as the system will respond to any threat to human life as a top priority, negating even the need for borders, believe it or not, but with the environment and all other life a close second, as those are also needed to optimise human life.
The cherry on the cake is that it would be solar powered, as only it can and must be, to meet the stakeholder requirements.
Thus it would function as a system that converts the endless clean power of the sun, to endless wealth for all, whilst protecting us from all but the largest catastrophes.
If that sounds like Utopia to anyone, then they should keep watching the Xmas tree that they built, on fire.
Watch how the fire will consume every needle, twig, and branch, leaving only a useless, scorched trunk.
Thanks for posting, Umair.
