What Would Make The World A Better Place

[Seil]

Why yes, I have been drinking. Also, here's a new thread. Whatever that pic was. QUESTION: What would make the world a better place? Now, I don't mean everyone should get a free puppy (http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/8174eb51ba/natalie-portman-rashida-jones-speak-out-again-from-natalie-portman-and-rashida-jones) or start drinking more or some lame, one-sentence answer.

(NOTE: Lame one-sentence answers are lame.)

I mean suggestions for improving the economy, that people should, like, listen to the Beatles man, or take a second to read a book charged with good feelings, and...

...I want it on record that I'm not on drugs, I'm on scotch and beer. The point is not to just provide a "solution" or a "thing" that everyone must have to obtain complete nirvana, it's to think of suggestions, apply them to the real world (adding a description and the like as to why the thing and why the thing would work) and how we could apply them.

[phil_]

QUESTION: What would make the world a better place?Destroying the status quo.

Because the status is not quo! The world's a mess, and I just need to rule it.

[Seil]

(NOTE: Lame two-sentence answers are lame.)

.

[phil_]

Seil cannot count between two and four, nor can he recognize sarcastic quotations..

[Amake]

Alcohol is a drug. But "drugs" is such a misdirecting blanket label applied to all kinds of mood-altering substances which are deemed illegal, in many cases quite arbitrarily. (Or quite arbitrarily not deemed illegal in the cases of alcohol and tobacco.) One thing I'd do is reexamine this approach to drugs. LSD, primarily, could be a highly effective psychoanalysis tool if only Terence McKenna hadn't thrown one too many parties which made it an illegal substance.

This story might illustrate the problem: Just the other week a friend of mine went tripping on some form of psychedelics at a party, and it was a horrible nightmare trip precisely because it was illegal, which bothered her.

People need to, like, relax, man. I propose legalizing at least some milder narcotic and psychedelic drugs (stimulants we already have too many of), restricting them in a manner similar to alcohol and try not to be terrified of the concept of the world's worker bees slacking off by a factor of, in worst case, 10%. Also people should be encouraged to read Grant Morrison.

[EVILNess]

Honestly?

I think the world would be a much better place if common sense were a little more common, and people slowed down a little and thought a little more about the things they do before they do them.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

I think the world would be better if we didn't use "common sense". Because common sense is pretty much always wrong in the long run.

[Hatake Kakashi]

I think the world would be better if we set fire to the asswipes trading on Wall Street. But, that's just me.

I should note that when I say "Set fire to them," I mean the oil speculators in particular.

Overall, as much as I hate to be preachy, it would also be nice to fill our government with people who have a shred of a sense of ethics, rather than just a hand out for "voting consideration" donations.

[walkertexasdruid]

I think the world would be a better place if 8-Bit Theater would be brought back to life. The world became a darker place when that web-comic, which we all loved, ended. Sure I have other web-comics, but 8-Bit was my all-time favorite.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

I think the world would just be a better place if we were all willing to shut the fuck up about ourselves and listen to others. If we could stop wanting so much and learn to help those in need. If we were all just a little more compassionate the world would be a much better place. We could stop putting money into the military and focus it on improving life for everyone. The world would literally be a utopia if we all just got along in spit of any conflicting ideology. I'm not saying we should all think the same, just that we need to understand that most other people are coming from a good place.

So yeah. Basic human kindness is what we need to improve the world.

[Aldurin]

We need all of the hottest singers to become advisors to the president.

Wait . . .

[Betty Elms]

I propose legalizing at least some milder narcotic and psychedelic drugs (stimulants we already have too many of), restricting them in a manner similar to alcohol and try not to be terrified of the concept of the world's worker bees slacking off by a factor of, in worst case, 10%.

I like this, but let's take it further. How about say, Mandatory Psychedelics Day? It can replace (or supplement) Valentine's Day, which seems to be growing passé and is in need of some spice. I don't know if it would make the world a better place within most people's systems of judgment, but it would be exciting as hell.

[POS Industries]

I think the world would be better if we didn't use "common sense". Because common sense is pretty much always wrong in the long run.
You're thinking of "conventional wisdom," which are things stupid people treat as fact because their stupid ancestors considered it fact for generations as a result of not having the means back then to know any better.

Common sense is more stuff like "hot things will burn you if you touch them."

And no, Smarty, you aren't in favor of touching hot stoves, nobody's going to believe that you are.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Every time I hear the use of the phrase "common sense" its used to justify like removing taxes and oppressing poor people. Like we have a party whose political platform is "common sense" and they are the most right wing fucks arond.
Because people using "common sense" aren't using actual research or statisitics or economics- they are using their inbuilt prejudices and predlictions to make broad sweeping decisions which are then justified by "Oh its just common sense. I don't need to explain my position".

But I mean is there really such an epidemic of people touching stoves going around. This doesn't seem like it would be a major problem.

[Betty Elms]

But I mean is there really such an epidemic of people touching stoves going around. This doesn't seem like it would be a major problem.
It's almost like "don't touch hot stoves" is some sort of commonly held sensibility.

But I do agree that common sense is a bit overrated. It tends to encourage determining what seems logical in the most immediate and shallow fashion, which works well enough when we're dealing with the tactility of heated metal coils, but the world's often far too complicated for that.

[Magus]

I think the world would just be a better place if we were all willing to shut the fuck up about ourselves and listen to others. If we could stop wanting so much and learn to help those in need. If we were all just a little more compassionate the world would be a much better place. We could stop putting money into the military and focus it on improving life for everyone. The world would literally be a utopia if we all just got along in spit of any conflicting ideology. I'm not saying we should all think the same, just that we need to understand that most other people are coming from a good place.

So yeah. Basic human kindness is what we need to improve the world.

Cue Burt Bacharach. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_trdrLewNho)

[Amake]

I like this, but let's take it further. How about say, Mandatory Psychedelics Day? It can replace (or supplement) Valentine's Day, which seems to be growing passé and is in need of some spice. I don't know if it would make the world a better place within most people's systems of judgment, but it would be exciting as hell.
I'm starting to see why everyone loves you. It's true, most people might lack the vision to see why this would make the world better. But what if expanding their minds with drugs could make them see it?

Also, Burt Bacharach. Probably among the top 3 choices for a mellow trip.

[Magus]

(NOTE: Lame one-sentence answers are lame.)

One word: Jesus.

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/3594/whattheworldneedsisjesu.jpg

Do you think Jesus is lame, Seil? Huh? Do you? The guy going around healing lame people? Are those the depths you have sunk to?!

[Professor Smarmiarty]

I don't know. Last time Jesus was here the world was pretty shitty. Why would itbe any better second go around?

[Seil]

How would people go around making things like common sense (http://www.comic-images.com/data/media/26/1161092468790.jpg) a reality, though?

[Bard The 5th LW]

I don't know. Last time Jesus was here the world was pretty shitty. Why would itbe any better second go around?

Well I guess it might work if we gave him some time to implement his ideas before crucifying him, but chances are he's be crucified anyways for being a socialist or something so yeah.

[POS Industries]

Every time I hear the use of the phrase "common sense" its used to justify like removing taxes and oppressing poor people. Like we have a party whose political platform is "common sense" and they are the most right wing fucks arond.
Because people using "common sense" aren't using actual research or statisitics or economics- they are using their inbuilt prejudices and predlictions to make broad sweeping decisions which are then justified by "Oh its just common sense. I don't need to explain my position".
Those people are also misusing the phrase.

I think more people understanding that words and phrases have specific meanings would make the world a better place.

[walkertexasdruid]

The world would be a better place if the practice of medicine focased more on actually helping people and curing diseases and less on making money. A little left especially for me, but I think people's health and lives should not be subject to what the market dictates. Now if we could just find a way to make it work without inflicting lengthy waiting periods for neccesary procedures or making the country bankrupt and the world for that matter.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Those people are also misusing the phrase.

I think more people understanding that words and phrases have specific meanings would make the world a better place.

It's implicit in the phrase that you are taking ideas as self-evident. That's a dangerous line of thinking.
The way they are using the term is is a perfectelly valid use. Common sense is a nebulous concept. I mean you can define it down to the most obvious of obvious like "Stoves are hot" as you did but that's not lacking common sense as much as its being functionally retarded.
If somebody repeatadly burns their hand on stove it's not particularly useful or accurate to say they just lack common sense.
In addition the vast majority of people have common sense if defined that way and giving it to the few people who didn't have it would not be a particularly world improving gesture.

Well I guess it might work if we gave him some time to implement his ideas before crucifying him, but chances are he's be crucified anyways for being a socialist or something so yeah.

Pfft he was like mid 30s. Past his peak. If he hadn't done anything by then he wasn't doing shit.

[Amake]

Sometimes people take a while to figure out how to do things. It may be more common among free thinkers who don't trust the established paradigm to railroad their trains of thought for them. I think it makes sense that Jesus only started his work at 35.

Also, I figured no one had to be informed of this, but Einstein famously said "Common sense is the sum of all ignorance a person has learned by age 25." Always something to consider.

[synkr0nized]

My Common Sense is tingling.

[Seil]

...I thought I already made that reference.

[Magus]

Well I guess it might work if we gave him some time to implement his ideas before crucifying him, but chances are he's be crucified anyways for being a socialist or something so yeah.

When they revived Jesus Christ Super Star and set in the present day this was basically what happened, yeah (on a street sign no less!).

Like if you want communist it doesn't get any more communist than Jesus.

[synkr0nized]

...I thought I already made that reference.

If you did, it must've been behind that 403 link.