Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2014 18:12:14 GMT
my notes on - The Venus Project: Redesign of a Culture by Jacque Fresco - archive.org/details/TheVenusProjectTheRedesignOfCulture
We must strive to protect the planet, the high technology available today gives us the potential for limitless development. In current society technology and humans are not working together and we must re examine our values to make them optimum. Things in society come and go, we used to use hand tools in labor but the increased use of machines have reduced the requirement for manual labor. People are being increasingly replaced by automation. However we currently still require purchasing power to have access to the resources we require to live such as food, water and shelter. The more automation occurs, the more people are out of jobs reducing purchase power. Initially jobs were created to develop machine technology but once it is in place the automation they provide are reducing this.
We have habits and customs which are outdated and no longer relevant, they threaten our future by resisting change. We must develop values to fit in with a changing society. Our thoughts are based upon patterns of scarcity and exploitation examples of this are in competition (fighting for food) and inadequate rewards for the effort we put in (minimum wage). Furthermore we use weapons for war and train people to use them rather than trying to resolve the conflict peacefully or developing ways to prevent the problem initially.
We are limited by the monetary system, in current society we have a limited amount of money to implement the technology to its fullest
If everybody was to participate and contribute their knowledge we could ensure stability, ensure people could be educated in the areas that they are interested in and give access all amenities to everyone.
The Venus Project wants to use the technology to eliminate war, poverty, hunger, debt, crime, to reclaim the environment, ensure food abundance, develop an ethics code to enable the coexistion of all cultures,
Nature is not something that we should own but rather something we can be a part of. People have a common want, who would be against having clean air, water, land and having a sustainable environment?
Resource Based Economy
if we allow recessions to continue in society we are allowing chaos, the government is trying to find solutions to unemployment even though there is a lack of jobs in the monetary system which is the source of problems in the first place. we have enough resources for change but not enough money to pay for change. A resource based economy uses resources rather than money and these are distributed in an efficient and humane manner for the whole population. Currently, science and technology are being used for gain and we aren't using them to solve our social problems for example electrostatic precipitators (which the technology for has been available for 75+ years) could be used to prevent factories from emitting toxic air.
We do not need money but rather we need access to resources, some of which cant currently be accessed due to monetary restrictions. However a persons purchasing power isnt related to the production of gods. In the great depression there were still cars in showrooms even though nobody was buying them and when war hits, we use our resources to build new planes even if we cannot afford to do so. If we don't have the resources to sustain the human population then money becomes irrelevant, this is also true if we have resources in abundance. It is scarcity that leads to us paying more for a product. The money system has evolved to control human behaviour, it is used to benefit those who are wealthy not to benefit everybody in society. Technology is able to help overcome scarcity by developing renewable energy, automating manufacture, designing safe cities, providing health care and education and generating new incentives based on human and environmental concern.
We currently have enough resources to achieve a high standard of living through innovative solutions if we put our attention on them.
In an RBE, resources would be distributed equally, you could place an order which would be delivered to your residence. The materials required to make a product would be transported to the manufacturers by automated sequences (monorail, boats, maglev). Connected to the distributors and manufacturers would be inventory automation which would coordinate production and enable tom to meet demands for the product. This balanced-load system would eliminate waste, shortages and overruns.
If all services are available to you there would be no limit to human potential, you would be able to pursue whatever you choose to without economic pressures. Your success would be measured on fulfillment of your personal interests rather than being wealthy, owning property or having power.
The venus project has designed new cities which would be circular. The outer areas would be for recreational activities, the agricultural belt would grow plants and food in a controlled environment free from pesticides. The nexr belt would contain 8 sectors which would provide and store energy including wind generators and photovoltaics. Further to this, roads and paths would be able to collect radiant energy. The residential belt would consist of homes which could be made to a persons specification, the exterior would be thermally activated meaning if it was warm outside, the home would cool, this can be regulated by the occupant. Homes would be relatively maintenance free, weather and fire resistant and would repel insects through use of electronics. Apartments, design centres and labs would also be in the next belt. The small domes would be for libraries, science, art, music, entertainment and conferences. Access centres would also be here whereby you could borrow anything as long as you had knowledge of how to use it safely. The central dome would house education, health care, child care, communication and networking systems and shopping.
Cybernated systems- Link computers with the automation, these would act as the nerve centre. Computers can be used to monitor soil chemistry, harvest plants, maintain environmental cleanliness, feedback sensors would be used to coordinate with back up systems in case of break down. Computers can serve the needs of all people when cybernation is integrated. Jobs would be phased out, increasing leisure time, opportunity for growth and chance to find a fulfilling lifestyle.
Privacy - The computerised system would be used to serve needs and to ensure services and operations. It would not monitor or be used for surveillance, TVP reduces the need to monitor people.
Work and New Leisure - We work to earn a living, our attitudes are carried over, we used to hunt for food, carry water which is no longer necessary thanks to technological advances. If these advances continue then jobs will be eliminated (you don't see elevator operators anymore) Humans possess an untapped potential which given the opportunity they are able to explore.
Something for nothing - people are often bothered by the idea that they can get something for nothing, they question the morality of it, even though there are things that we have access to withough putting effort into it. In an RBE getting things for nothing would be the norm.
Incentive - Free enterprise created incentive but it also created greed, embezzlement, corruption, crime, stress, hardship and insecurity. Most of the innovative technologies we have today were developed by people with a genuine concern fot solving problems rather than financial game. If human needs were provided for it would encourage incentive and creativity. We lose incentive through unemployment, minimum wage, malnutrition, poor health, lack of direction and poor role models. Incentives should be for fulfillment, creation and elimination of scarcity, to protect our environment and have a concern for others. As we enhance the lives of others, work towards abundance and protect the environment we become richer and more secure. An RBE is a constant process or growth and improvement. Our Physical and mental health are related to motivation and productivity, the worse the health, the less motivative. If we seek approval from others we are more likely to have a low self esteem, if we are self approves we want to better ourself. Movivation and incentive in TVP encouraged through recognition and concern for the needs of individuals including by providing education, nutrition, health care, love and security.
Decisions and goals - decisions are currently being made by those in power, oppressing people and developing laws. TVP wants to use the scientific principles to test the validity of any proposal. We can use the scientific method on human behaviour as well as in technology. for example the current approach to crime is to build more prisons rather than alter the conditions that lead to that behaviour. Must look at unemployment, malnutrition, stress in family, lack of purchasing power, and an inability to resolve conflict without using physical means. It is more effective to look al the causes and take preventative measures. The method underlying decisions in TVP is to reclaim and restore the natural environment,balanced load economy, develop RBE, redesign cities, transport and industry to meet needs, renewable energy, transcend need for artificial boundaries, utilize new technology to benefit all, encourage individuality and stabilize the population through education and voluntary birth control.
Crime - Alter the environmental factors that can lead to crime: insufficient purchasing power, do not identify with the direction of society or have little knowledge to the consequences of actions. When the population is low and there is an abundance of food and water there is no need to steal, if we develop an RBE where everything is available we can eliminate crime. The laws in TVP are based upon the natural laws.
Behaviour - Constructive behaviour would be rewarded and those who have difficulty in the community would be helped rather than imprisoned. Currently people deprived of income will do anything necessary to provide, their values are on themselves not anyone else who could be in a similar situation. Must understand human behaviour and which physical factors are responsible. Behaviour comes from experience and the variables in it.
Collective values - we currently develop values from our social structure and sub cultures in society, these are influenced by the media which supports existing structures. To affect positive change in behaviour we must ask what conditions shape behaviour. If we alleviate socially destructive behaviour during the redesign of society we can eliminate problems and out grow the monetary system.
Education - currently we are limited by language, habits, customs and values. In TVP, education and subjects of study are relevant to needs and direction of an evolving culture, Teach human and environmental concerns using books and computers but also having a hands on approach and developing a relationship with elements of the physical world, Effective interactions would be emphasised as would sharing experiences, being open to alternatives and allow for differences to reduce the likelihood of conflicts.
Values - We are victims of culture our beliefs, values and choices are affected by our environment. We reward greed and self centred behaviour. TVP is concerned with evolution of a new outlook to improve lives. Are values should be developed with a generalist point of view, and a sense of social and global issues. education would be a broad approach and not narrowed down to any specific values as it is currently. Values that are desired are looking after eveyone, curiosity, a flexible outlook, no bigotry or prejudice and concern for others and want to protect rhe earth and its resources. Everyone has equal access to ameneties.
Technology - All the global community should be provided with the advantages of applied technology. Everyone can be supplied access to resources, services and products. We have technology to make improvement s but must be wary of its misuse (use rockets to explore space not for war)
Utopia - There is no parallel to TVP in history, The idea of utopia has been used throughout history however, in religion to. However change is needed to improve workings in established social systems, There is no utopia in TVP, the survival of society depends on change to constantly improve and enhance.
Architecture - cities should be designed as extensions of human activity. Computers are used to meet needs. Cities should integrate harmoniously with their natural surroundings, some could float on the sea or be based underground. Cities should be structured to serve an evolving community. It should permit easy modification and improvement. Buildings will be free formed, curved, domed, cyllindrical. They will use multifunctional materials, protection, photovoltaic, lightweight, strong, and require little maintenence. We have become accustomed to homes being a certain way but they could be much simpler if we think in terms of the function they serve.
To make transition we require quantum leap in thoughts and action. Our problems today are technical and cannot be solved financially or politically. We may not be able to fund required changes but we have the resources. It can be difficult to accept new ideas but our future doesn't depend on today's values. TVP is concerned with the application of human intelligence to resolve problems on earth. We have technology and resources but must make the decision to use them intelligently, we must support it. The suggestions outlined by TVP are attainable goals which require intelligent application of what we already know. Many people cannot imagine what it would be like to have access to all we need and have the wisdom to use the resources intelligently.
We must strive to protect the planet, the high technology available today gives us the potential for limitless development. In current society technology and humans are not working together and we must re examine our values to make them optimum. Things in society come and go, we used to use hand tools in labor but the increased use of machines have reduced the requirement for manual labor. People are being increasingly replaced by automation. However we currently still require purchasing power to have access to the resources we require to live such as food, water and shelter. The more automation occurs, the more people are out of jobs reducing purchase power. Initially jobs were created to develop machine technology but once it is in place the automation they provide are reducing this.
We have habits and customs which are outdated and no longer relevant, they threaten our future by resisting change. We must develop values to fit in with a changing society. Our thoughts are based upon patterns of scarcity and exploitation examples of this are in competition (fighting for food) and inadequate rewards for the effort we put in (minimum wage). Furthermore we use weapons for war and train people to use them rather than trying to resolve the conflict peacefully or developing ways to prevent the problem initially.
We are limited by the monetary system, in current society we have a limited amount of money to implement the technology to its fullest
If everybody was to participate and contribute their knowledge we could ensure stability, ensure people could be educated in the areas that they are interested in and give access all amenities to everyone.
The Venus Project wants to use the technology to eliminate war, poverty, hunger, debt, crime, to reclaim the environment, ensure food abundance, develop an ethics code to enable the coexistion of all cultures,
Nature is not something that we should own but rather something we can be a part of. People have a common want, who would be against having clean air, water, land and having a sustainable environment?
Resource Based Economy
if we allow recessions to continue in society we are allowing chaos, the government is trying to find solutions to unemployment even though there is a lack of jobs in the monetary system which is the source of problems in the first place. we have enough resources for change but not enough money to pay for change. A resource based economy uses resources rather than money and these are distributed in an efficient and humane manner for the whole population. Currently, science and technology are being used for gain and we aren't using them to solve our social problems for example electrostatic precipitators (which the technology for has been available for 75+ years) could be used to prevent factories from emitting toxic air.
We do not need money but rather we need access to resources, some of which cant currently be accessed due to monetary restrictions. However a persons purchasing power isnt related to the production of gods. In the great depression there were still cars in showrooms even though nobody was buying them and when war hits, we use our resources to build new planes even if we cannot afford to do so. If we don't have the resources to sustain the human population then money becomes irrelevant, this is also true if we have resources in abundance. It is scarcity that leads to us paying more for a product. The money system has evolved to control human behaviour, it is used to benefit those who are wealthy not to benefit everybody in society. Technology is able to help overcome scarcity by developing renewable energy, automating manufacture, designing safe cities, providing health care and education and generating new incentives based on human and environmental concern.
We currently have enough resources to achieve a high standard of living through innovative solutions if we put our attention on them.
In an RBE, resources would be distributed equally, you could place an order which would be delivered to your residence. The materials required to make a product would be transported to the manufacturers by automated sequences (monorail, boats, maglev). Connected to the distributors and manufacturers would be inventory automation which would coordinate production and enable tom to meet demands for the product. This balanced-load system would eliminate waste, shortages and overruns.
If all services are available to you there would be no limit to human potential, you would be able to pursue whatever you choose to without economic pressures. Your success would be measured on fulfillment of your personal interests rather than being wealthy, owning property or having power.
The venus project has designed new cities which would be circular. The outer areas would be for recreational activities, the agricultural belt would grow plants and food in a controlled environment free from pesticides. The nexr belt would contain 8 sectors which would provide and store energy including wind generators and photovoltaics. Further to this, roads and paths would be able to collect radiant energy. The residential belt would consist of homes which could be made to a persons specification, the exterior would be thermally activated meaning if it was warm outside, the home would cool, this can be regulated by the occupant. Homes would be relatively maintenance free, weather and fire resistant and would repel insects through use of electronics. Apartments, design centres and labs would also be in the next belt. The small domes would be for libraries, science, art, music, entertainment and conferences. Access centres would also be here whereby you could borrow anything as long as you had knowledge of how to use it safely. The central dome would house education, health care, child care, communication and networking systems and shopping.
Cybernated systems- Link computers with the automation, these would act as the nerve centre. Computers can be used to monitor soil chemistry, harvest plants, maintain environmental cleanliness, feedback sensors would be used to coordinate with back up systems in case of break down. Computers can serve the needs of all people when cybernation is integrated. Jobs would be phased out, increasing leisure time, opportunity for growth and chance to find a fulfilling lifestyle.
Privacy - The computerised system would be used to serve needs and to ensure services and operations. It would not monitor or be used for surveillance, TVP reduces the need to monitor people.
Work and New Leisure - We work to earn a living, our attitudes are carried over, we used to hunt for food, carry water which is no longer necessary thanks to technological advances. If these advances continue then jobs will be eliminated (you don't see elevator operators anymore) Humans possess an untapped potential which given the opportunity they are able to explore.
Something for nothing - people are often bothered by the idea that they can get something for nothing, they question the morality of it, even though there are things that we have access to withough putting effort into it. In an RBE getting things for nothing would be the norm.
Incentive - Free enterprise created incentive but it also created greed, embezzlement, corruption, crime, stress, hardship and insecurity. Most of the innovative technologies we have today were developed by people with a genuine concern fot solving problems rather than financial game. If human needs were provided for it would encourage incentive and creativity. We lose incentive through unemployment, minimum wage, malnutrition, poor health, lack of direction and poor role models. Incentives should be for fulfillment, creation and elimination of scarcity, to protect our environment and have a concern for others. As we enhance the lives of others, work towards abundance and protect the environment we become richer and more secure. An RBE is a constant process or growth and improvement. Our Physical and mental health are related to motivation and productivity, the worse the health, the less motivative. If we seek approval from others we are more likely to have a low self esteem, if we are self approves we want to better ourself. Movivation and incentive in TVP encouraged through recognition and concern for the needs of individuals including by providing education, nutrition, health care, love and security.
Decisions and goals - decisions are currently being made by those in power, oppressing people and developing laws. TVP wants to use the scientific principles to test the validity of any proposal. We can use the scientific method on human behaviour as well as in technology. for example the current approach to crime is to build more prisons rather than alter the conditions that lead to that behaviour. Must look at unemployment, malnutrition, stress in family, lack of purchasing power, and an inability to resolve conflict without using physical means. It is more effective to look al the causes and take preventative measures. The method underlying decisions in TVP is to reclaim and restore the natural environment,balanced load economy, develop RBE, redesign cities, transport and industry to meet needs, renewable energy, transcend need for artificial boundaries, utilize new technology to benefit all, encourage individuality and stabilize the population through education and voluntary birth control.
Crime - Alter the environmental factors that can lead to crime: insufficient purchasing power, do not identify with the direction of society or have little knowledge to the consequences of actions. When the population is low and there is an abundance of food and water there is no need to steal, if we develop an RBE where everything is available we can eliminate crime. The laws in TVP are based upon the natural laws.
Behaviour - Constructive behaviour would be rewarded and those who have difficulty in the community would be helped rather than imprisoned. Currently people deprived of income will do anything necessary to provide, their values are on themselves not anyone else who could be in a similar situation. Must understand human behaviour and which physical factors are responsible. Behaviour comes from experience and the variables in it.
Collective values - we currently develop values from our social structure and sub cultures in society, these are influenced by the media which supports existing structures. To affect positive change in behaviour we must ask what conditions shape behaviour. If we alleviate socially destructive behaviour during the redesign of society we can eliminate problems and out grow the monetary system.
Education - currently we are limited by language, habits, customs and values. In TVP, education and subjects of study are relevant to needs and direction of an evolving culture, Teach human and environmental concerns using books and computers but also having a hands on approach and developing a relationship with elements of the physical world, Effective interactions would be emphasised as would sharing experiences, being open to alternatives and allow for differences to reduce the likelihood of conflicts.
Values - We are victims of culture our beliefs, values and choices are affected by our environment. We reward greed and self centred behaviour. TVP is concerned with evolution of a new outlook to improve lives. Are values should be developed with a generalist point of view, and a sense of social and global issues. education would be a broad approach and not narrowed down to any specific values as it is currently. Values that are desired are looking after eveyone, curiosity, a flexible outlook, no bigotry or prejudice and concern for others and want to protect rhe earth and its resources. Everyone has equal access to ameneties.
Technology - All the global community should be provided with the advantages of applied technology. Everyone can be supplied access to resources, services and products. We have technology to make improvement s but must be wary of its misuse (use rockets to explore space not for war)
Utopia - There is no parallel to TVP in history, The idea of utopia has been used throughout history however, in religion to. However change is needed to improve workings in established social systems, There is no utopia in TVP, the survival of society depends on change to constantly improve and enhance.
Architecture - cities should be designed as extensions of human activity. Computers are used to meet needs. Cities should integrate harmoniously with their natural surroundings, some could float on the sea or be based underground. Cities should be structured to serve an evolving community. It should permit easy modification and improvement. Buildings will be free formed, curved, domed, cyllindrical. They will use multifunctional materials, protection, photovoltaic, lightweight, strong, and require little maintenence. We have become accustomed to homes being a certain way but they could be much simpler if we think in terms of the function they serve.
To make transition we require quantum leap in thoughts and action. Our problems today are technical and cannot be solved financially or politically. We may not be able to fund required changes but we have the resources. It can be difficult to accept new ideas but our future doesn't depend on today's values. TVP is concerned with the application of human intelligence to resolve problems on earth. We have technology and resources but must make the decision to use them intelligently, we must support it. The suggestions outlined by TVP are attainable goals which require intelligent application of what we already know. Many people cannot imagine what it would be like to have access to all we need and have the wisdom to use the resources intelligently.