AMERICA

It’s amazing how many Americans are totally unaware of what’s been happening to their country. It’s even more amazing that among those who are aware and who constantly criticize there are, seemingly, none with the imagination to conceive of a better society in which to bring up their children.

The following example of a fictional, true democracy is meant to show how a mature human society would function, and the benefits to be derived from their choice of government. It is meant to be a catalyst for people ready for change; a model to help understand the course of action necessary to transform a hierarchical society into a just society. The proposed model is not to be idealized or fixed in stone, as it is merely the result of one man’s imagination, an initial suggestion meant to be modified and improved by you and your fellow citizens.

These facts are the basis for the change.

1. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was attended only by members of the privileged classes without the participation of commoners, most of whom didn't even know there was a convention being held.

2. The Constitution of the United States was not a result of a people's movement for democracy—it was not a movement of individuals—but a meeting of state representatives to solve the problems of privileged Americans, one of which was to stifle commoner demands for true democracy.

3. The institutions of the United States are not conducive for true democracy, and proper institutions must be created if true democracy is ever to see the light of day.

4. The values and philosophies of capitalism and individualism are contrary to the values of true democracy and collectivism, and common Americans must be educated to the differences and the benefit to be derived by a change.

5. Global Warming is not an imagined danger as some people would like you to believe. It is real and Earth's wisest and most knowledgeable people say if we don't take action soon, it will be too late. For many years, American political and economic leaders have stalled from taking the necessary steps. We cannot wait for them any longer, but must take action ourselves. The most logical move would be to immediately change the representative democracy to a true democracy, for once in power, the American people can not only do what is necessary to forestall Global Warming, but can also attack the problems of healthcare, poverty, homelessness, crime, and whatever other issues the people deem important to them.

The society described in this section assumes the transformation of the present U.S. republic from a representative democracy to a true participatory democracy. It is assumed some citizens had asked their brightest young people and their wisest elders to collaborate to design a new political-economic system for the people to consider.

Among their prerequisites were:

1. A society that can not be taken to war, without a vote of approval by the people.

2. A political system in which the people truly determine the values and laws of their society, and are always kept aware of local, regional, and national developments and problems.

3. A fair and honest economic system. One that offers jobs for all who wish to work at a fair wage, encourages individuals to become entrepreneurs, restricts the amount of wealth an individual or a corporation can remove from the nation’s economic pool, and restricts the power a corporation may wield within its industry and within the marketplace.

4. A system of justice, not merely law and order.

5. A system of free public education for all citizens from preschool through college.

6. Reasonably priced housing in neighborhoods, designed for neighborliness, with shopping areas and schools within walking distance.

7. A reasonably priced healthcare system for all citizens.

8. Laws that restrict and punish pollution of cities and the natural environment by either individual or corporation, and programs to revitalize the nation’s forests, farmlands, airspace, and waterways.

Of course, there were other concerns, but these were the basics.

The America created by the theoretical Design Committee isn’t a Utopia, for it is still populated by people who possess human frailties, and do many of the foolish things people do. However, its political, economic, healthcare, and education systems create a more mature and friendlier world for most of its working citizens than the United States has ever been.

It’s a world that nourishes the lives of all citizens, rich and poor, male and female, white, black, and in-between skin colors, and it possesses a social environment in which commoners the world over would want their children and their children’s children to be born—not because of its material wealth, but because of its fairness.

The Design Committee also has created a philosophy to keep Americans on the safe path of self-rule, which it calls “The Philosophy of Active Humanism.” It is for people who are tired of politicians and rich masters, of poverty amidst abundance, of continual violence and wars. It is for people who are ready to help produce social change, if such change is realistic and plausible, and prepared to do their part to maintain such change.

ACTIVE HUMANIST CREED

Active Humanism is a personal belief based upon logic and self-determination.

It's a belief change is the essence of life, and change, growth, evolution, and true progress are one and the same; a belief active energy lies at the core of change, and the controlled and directed use of human energy combined with conscious reason will produce positive physical and intellectual change.

It's a belief in the Principle of the Greater-Force, a belief cooperation between lots of people is the only way to fuse the Greater-Force, and consideration for the needs of one another the only way to retain it.

It's a belief in the collective responsibility of society to ensure the welfare of each and every citizen, not merely rich citizens, white citizens, aggressive citizens, or male citizens; a belief part of this responsibility is to guarantee each citizen access to the needs of survival and a fair share of society's good things.

It's a belief welfare is what a human society and government should be all about, for provision of the common welfare is why people have grouped together since the beginnings of time.

It's a belief people are born, live, and die just as other living forms; a belief life-after-death has never been proven to exist, and it's foolish to base human behavior on the "faith" it does when it's more likely it doesn't. And because people have only this one opportunity to enjoy the good things of planet Earth and contribute to the species' welfare, it's a belief it is in society's best interest to ensure every citizen be given the opportunity to develop and become all he or she can become.

Active Humanism's sole relationship to supernaturalism is the belief that if there is a Creator, he, she, or it has endowed the human species with the computerbrain as its major means of survival, and will offer no additional assistance to help an individual, or the species, to survive. Not ever!

It's a belief the current selfish use of the computerbrain for private wealth and power is destructive and can end only in disaster for the species and the planet; a belief the species must learn to use the computerbrain effectively for the common good or perish from this Earth; a belief the good life for all is here on planet Earth, if people actively, and intelligently, cooperate to secure it for all.

It's a belief that only when such a philosophy is held by the majority of a society's commoners, can the society be transformed into a more equitable place for all.

Fictional America’s core philosophy is Active Humanism,
plus the two following premises:

One - you can change and improve people’s intellectual and physical behavior by changing their social environment from hostile to friendly.

Two - you can transform a hostile social environment to friendly by changing a “them-against-us” form of government to one truly of the people, by the people, and for the people.

These are the core desires and beliefs that mold and motivate our fictitious Americans.