This site makes extensive use of JavaScript.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser.
Live
PTR
10.2.7
PTR
10.2.6
Beta
QOTD Thread #332- Do you think that people should keep cats outdoors?
Return to board index
Post by
Rankkor
As others are touching on, humans are tribal by nature. They seek to find a group that they can call "we" and that necessitates someone else to call "them". The only way that "we" can include the whole world is when there's something else to call "them".
I also blame this element of the human psyche for a LOT of what's wrong in the world but it has been an important part of our evolution as a species when we really were small tribes, fighting to exist on limited resources. Now I think those instincts misfire and lead to bigotry, hatred and fear.
Honestly, I couldn't had put it better myself :P brilliant answer bro'.
Post by
lonewolfe31705
There will never be a unified government. Due to religious fracturing, various degrees of "freedoms", and just the natural urges that Asakawa mentioned, people will never be able to live together under one government.
You try having someone who was raised in a nudist colony thrown into a country that is ruled by Islamic law and watch them loose their minds when they are forced to cover up. You watch countries that have the right to have firearms get forced into a government that prohibits them like England has, and watch them loose their minds. And visa versa. The countries, religions, and peoples of the world are just too different for there ever to be a single government.
Now, if you give everyone waffles, Kitt Katts, and Mountain Dew....I am sure we could work something out until you ran out.
Post by
MyTie
I think that the larger a government grows, the more inefficient it becomes. Many smaller governments are more effective at resource management, as well as culturally sensitive (although I usually despise those cultural cliche lines, even I realize that a bunch of Texans don't want the same thing a bunch of Albanians want). And, of course, it would be very difficult to keep such an organization from becoming corrupt.
Post by
134377
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Ordayc
Personally, I would embrace the concept of a global government (or, more generally, a global federation with all the institutions that it would entail, such as a world parliament). Most of the power should be devolved to smaller entities, such that people from, say, Nepal won't be able to vote on matters that only affect people in California. However, for global-scale matters, global institutions could be responsible.
I believe this would have many benefits, such as increasing stability (to oversimplify things here, I think people are less likely to bash their heads if they have something that they share, such as the parties they vote for), boosting global wealth (such as by getting rid of customs and by harmonizing laws), making things more convenient for people (free travel, free choice of place of work, minimal cross-border bureaucracy, etc.), and so on.
Of course, none of this is a direct consequence of a world government and could just as well happen in today's world (and is happening already), but I have the feeling that a shared political system would act as a catalyst.
I'm aware that it wouldn't be easy. The EU—which could be considered somewhat of a boilerplate for this, since it combines people from different cultural backgrounds with different languages—shows that it would be a cruelly tedious process, but I would say it more than pays off in many regards.
Judging by the trends so far, I actually believe we're already heading in this direction (albeit slowly). Supranational organizations seem to have become more and more important in recent times, and unless it stops somewhere along the way (possibly causing the then-formed supercountries to work against each other), some type of a global government will form eventually.
Post by
Adamsm
That if such a thing existed, the people of the world would just be bickering with each other as they all try to make sure their personal countries get the most money/supplies etc etc.
Post by
908216
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Monday
It would end badly.
Post by
Interest
#264- What do you think about a unified world government?
I wish we could all settle our differences and make something like this, but I doubt it's going to happen any time soon unless there's a strong need to do so, such as say...an alien invasion.
Post by
322702
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
ElhonnaDS
#265- What do you think the age of adulthood is? When is someone old enough to sign a contract, work, live independently, drink, give consent, etc. Do you think that there are different ages for all of these things (like the laws in many countries do)? Why or why not?
Post by
Thror
The age when one becomes an adult is individual. There is no unified number that you could apply to every person. People who have lived a spoiled life, or who are not particularly bright, tend to mature slower, while people who have suffered some bad things during their lives tend to "grow up" faster. I have seen 17 year olds acting more reasonably and responsibly than 26 years olds. You might want to ask how do I judge if someone is a mature adult already or not, if it is not by age. I don't know the answer to that really, cause it would force me to come up with unified criteria of judging whether someone is an adult or not, and there is just nothing like that. When I know a person well, I can tell if I feel like he is still a kid inside, or if I am speaking to someone mature.
The various ages for the activities you name in Slovakia are 15 for sex and 18 for pretty much everything else, like alcohol. I already said that I do not exactly agree with them, in a past QOTD.
Post by
Rankkor
#265- What do you think the age of adulthood is? When is someone old enough to sign a contract, work, live independently, drink, give consent, etc. Do you think that there are different ages for all of these things (like the laws in many countries do)? Why or why not?
I don't think adulthood is something reached when you get to a certain age.
Hardships of life are what builds the character of a person. There's been kids out there that have to leave the comfort and safety of their parents for one reason or another at a very young age, and these kids, after a few years of surviving on their own, are WAY more adults than certain man-childs that at age 40 still live with their parents, and still take no responsibilities.
I do believe that human beings should be allowed a set period of years to enjoy the life of childhood, a life where someone takes YOUR responsibilities and all you do is play and goof around, but after 16 you have to start preparing yourself for the hardships of the adult world, because mom and dad won't always be there for you.
Post by
asakawa
#265- What do you think the age of adulthood is?
I'm 32, when I start to feel like an adult I'll let you know.
Seriously though, when I was young I felt SO grown-up. Now I'm older I feel like becoming a "grown up" is something that is yet to occur.
I think that young people are ready for things like alcohol, sex and voting when they feel they are ready and the main issue making this a difficult topic is actually the ability of those with power/authority over the individual to coerce or influence them into making a decision. So a kid might try alcohol because of peer pressure, be coerced into having sex or voting a certain way by someone older than them. The trouble is that this issue doesn't go away at a certain age - an 18 year old can still be coerced or influenced. Likewise, a headstrong 14 year old might be very able to make an informed and uninfluenced decision.
I don't have an answer to the issue but I don't think that any specific number you write into your laws is going to constitute anything close to a solution.
Post by
Interest
#265- What do you think the age of adulthood is? When is someone old enough to sign a contract, work, live independently, drink, give consent, etc. Do you think that there are different ages for all of these things (like the laws in many countries do)? Why or why not?
I'd say ages like 16, 18, 19, 21, and some other odds and ends if you want to talk about legal standards and such.
However, people mature at different rates. Someone could be 50 but not technically be in the state of "mature" adulthood.
As for me, I consider myself something of a young man. I really don't want to call myself an adult yet, but I do have those responsibilities, whether I like it or not. (I'll still pretty immature as hell at times though.)
Post by
355559
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
lonewolfe31705
I think asakawa, rankkorr, and thror have hit the nail on the head.
Post by
557473
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
908216
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Sagramor
Going from the fact that the only way to look at it objectively is biologically, somewhere around 21 years of age.
Post Reply
This topic is locked. You cannot post a reply.