Thread suggestions

[David MacClement <davd@oocities.com>]

I'll mention a few of the topics I'd like to see discussed, on a foresight
list.

1/	New Zealand as one of the few commercial sources of "pure" food on the
planet (I subscribe to Rachel's).

2/	The possibility of the state being a federation of a few score of
districts that have a high degree of autonomy (e.g. Hanseatic League, the
early Counties in England), so that (i) democracy is strengthened (see
TNCs, below), and (ii) a wider diversity of economic and lifestyle choices
are available within New Zealand.  (e.g.: cooperative <-> competitive;
unspoiled-nature <-> cosmopolitan-city)

3/	With the coming excessive packing of people into full / over-populated
and polluted cities and countries (started already, more evident soon),
"under-populated" "clean" countries like N.Z. need a debate (involving both
Treaty partners) about who should be allowed in, and at what rate.

4/	The plus of "free trade" is that warfare is becoming economic not
explicitly people-killing, but the minus is that people are being
pushed-around by big corporations (TNCs [Trans-National Corporations] in
N.Z.); unless, like me, they buy almost nothing, don't watch TV ads, and
the Government has little or no effect on them. In my view, people need to
get together in moderate-sized groups to decide what they actually want in
life, not what the commercial powers want them to do.  Moving towards true
democracy, minimising the suasion of those with the economic power.

5/	Why should consumers be required to eat food they would object-to if
they knew what was in it?  Labelling is usually mandated, so why, when over
70% of respondents (to the Novartis and other polls) say they want foods
containing genetically-engineered to be so labelled, are governments
seriously considering minimising the labelling requirements?
	We've learnt from the last 50 years that it often takes decades for a new
food-related development to show its faults/dangers, (e.g. certain
pesticides), so there's no way that science can _prove_ there's no danger.
	I do know something of research and uncertainties.


	My wife, who lectures in physics at Auckland University, has just said:
"What delightful kooks we are!".  This puts it nicely: diversity is
essential in a rapidly changing environment - people and districts putting
their energy into a _wide_ variety of efforts and directions.
	Consuming more, "growing the economy" isn't more than a very minor goal,
certainly while it's measured by the current GDP (Germany seems to be
moving in a sustainable direction, in this regard [measurement]).

David.
**               http://www.oocities.org/RainForest/6783/
David MacClement <davd@oocities.com> and <d_macclement@yahoo.co.nz>
                 http://www.oocities.org/Athens/Delphi/3142/