what would your ideal society look like?

[debrand]

I don't believe that we can ever achieve an ideal society, but its fun to dream.

Actually, I like Effie's description of her country.

[dramallama]

I think Sweden sounds like the closest thing to my ideal society that will ever realistically exist on Earth. If I could afford to leave the United States, I would do it in a heartbeat, but unfortunately that takes more money than I'll ever see.

[Jessica]

Magazines have an advertising limit.

Thank you!!! I was one of the few who wasn't all that upset when Mothering Magazine stopped publishing a few months ago (well other than the fact that the night before they made the announcement they were still taking subscription money then claimed they couldn't afford to refund...). I like their principles but dang, every time I'd get the magazine it was 75% ads, 20% praise for the magazine (seriously, pages and PAGES of letters to the editor) with maybe like 2 short articles that were actually worth reading and memorable. This is why I cannot subscribe to any magazines. I get my church's magazine and that's it.

I agree with what a lot of what y'all are saying but I think homeschool needs to be kept legal for everyone. Free choice and all that...

[jaelh]

my ideal society would be one where humans loved each other. all really, truly loved each other.

everything else would flow from that, and i'd be fine with whatever form it took.

but yeah; what debrand said. (see: communism; ancient greece; the christian church etc...)

[forever ago]

Thank you!!! I was one of the few who wasn't all that upset when Mothering Magazine stopped publishing a few months ago (well other than the fact that the night before they made the announcement they were still taking subscription money then claimed they couldn't afford to refund...). I like their principles but dang, every time I'd get the magazine it was 75% ads, 20% praise for the magazine (seriously, pages and PAGES of letters to the editor) with maybe like 2 short articles that were actually worth reading and memorable. This is why I cannot subscribe to any magazines. I get my church's magazine and that's it.

I agree with what a lot of what y'all are saying but I think homeschool needs to be kept legal for everyone. Free choice and all that...

I can't read any magazine. I'll look for the articles I want, and not only are they extremely disappointing and depressingly short, I'll have to slog through 80 pages of ads to find anything else worth reading. News magazines aren't so bad, but others...

As for homeschooling, yes it ought to be legal, and I've heard of home-schoolers who are very intelligent and several grade levels ahead of kids their own age. Of course, the parents do bring in other families, and sometimes tutors, and when that doesn't work, have them do online work or send them to a private school, possibly community college if they're old enough.

I am all for state visits to homes though, to make sure the kids are actually being educated. The disturbing aspect of fundie homeschooling is that the parents are teaching their kids all they know and pretty much only what they know, with the biggest emphasis being not on real-world skills (oh god I hate that phrase so much!) but on the Bible. Knowing the Old Testament back to front with a few token verses on the New Testament will not help you make money for your family, or support yourself, unless you become a preacher.

[O Latin]

In my ideal society, first of all, education would be a lot more rigorous and not tailored to the least common denominator. Students with learning disabilities and other legitimate issues would be given the resources they need, but those who just don't feel like doing the work would have to suffer the consequences. Children would be taught respect for authority in a non-damaging way so that teachers could spend their time teaching and not wasting half the class engaged in an epic battle just to get everyone to sit down and shut up. Everyone would have to take four years of history in high school (including three years of non-American history) and at least one year of Latin. High school graduation would happen around age 16 and students would be provided with information regarding ALL their post-high school options (not "Go to an expensive private school or end up a miserable failure). Student loans would be illegal, although there would be many more scholarships available to help anyone who wanted to finance whatever kind of education they're interested in.

There would be more than two political parties (although I don't know how you could force this to happen). Campaign ads would only be allowed to mention the merits of the person whose ad it is. They would NOT be allowed to mention the shortcomings of opposing candidates. Campaign financing laws would be rewritten to prevent those in office from being beholden to giant corporations that funded their campaigns.

There would be universal healthcare.

Product placement advertising would be illegal and other forms of advertising would be severely limited.

The legal drinking age would be 16, although younger kids would be allowed to drink if in the presence of a parent. The voting age and age at which a person is considered a legal adult would also be 16.

Only the most dangerous, psychopathic, unremorseful criminals would be completely locked up forever. All others would be expected to contribute to society in some way and every effort would be made to punish criminals who are not dangerous or violent with something other than jail time.

And finally, just because it's my own personal pet peeve, the minimum speed limit would be at least 30 mph on all roads at all times (the only exception being extremely inclement weather) and anyone driving slower would get a ticket. Bicycles would be prohibited from being in the road unless there was a designated bike lane.

[Seven Severn]

My ideal society would involve all the usual liberal social stuff. And, ideally, no one would worship anything or anyone. Well, if you wanted to worship Mike Mills of R.E.M. or Bob Mould then that would be allowed. :)

[lilah]

I think Sweden sounds like the closest thing to my ideal society that will ever realistically exist on Earth. If I could afford to leave the United States, I would do it in a heartbeat, but unfortunately that takes more money than I'll ever see.

I was at a conference where I met a colleague from Sweeden and she said one of the downsides of life in Sweeden is the unemployment rate is around 25% for young adults and many more are underemployed doing jobs below their skill/education level. According to her, most young adults have given up of even trying to advance.

[The Archivist]

My ideal society would be: me in 28 Days Later, only minus the zombies. And minus any other survivors.

[jaelh]

I was at a conference where I met a colleague from Sweeden and she said one of the downsides of life in Sweeden is the unemployment rate is around 25% for young adults and many more are underemployed doing jobs below their skill/education level. According to her, most young adults have given up of even trying to advance.

Sounds a lot like the US right now...

[dramallama]

Sounds a lot like the US right now...

Yeah. No place is without problems, some serious. That's no worse than, and is quite possibly better than, the situation in the US now and for the forseeable future. At least they have a social safety net.

[muffynbear]

In my ideal society, health care would be free. All students must learn English, Spanish and another language of their choice. There would also be an emphasis on Geography in high school. It seems like nowadays, many people can't find other countries on a map. All students would have to wear a uniform to school. There would be comprehensive sex ed. in all schools. Free birth control for everyone and people must have a license to breed. Child molesters and rapists would all be castrated, no questions asked. In my ideal society, people would still have the freedom to practice whatever religion they want, yet there would be no religious agenda at all in government (currency) , schools (Pledge of Allegiance) , the work place etc. Roe vs. Wade would remain as it is. There would be no changing it, in fact, access for abortions would be easier. My ideal society wouldn't be so litigious and we would have alternative forms of energy rather than oil. My society would be more environmentally friendly. Junk food (like Mcdonalds) would be banned and everyone would eat more organic food. Animal abusers would be locked in prison for life. There would be more vacation time (like in Europe). Commercialism would disappear. Gay marriage would be legal in all 50 states. Oh and in my ideal society, government would keep it's nose out of other people's business i.e. Libya.