From: jimruttshow8596
The concepts of subsidiarity and pluralism are critical considerations in civilization design, particularly in how decisions are made and how diverse human groups coexist.
Subsidiarity and Coherent Pluralism
Subsidiarity is a doctrine, originating from Catholic thought, that posits a decision should be made at the lowest level in the stack suitable for its resolution [01:07:33]. For instance, a decision on allowing drinking on street corners might be best made at the neighborhood level, while regulating global CO2 emissions is inherently a global problem [01:07:48].
This concept is closely related to pluralism, which acknowledges that humans want different things and cultures can radically differ [01:08:22]. The challenge lies in achieving “coherent pluralism” – a state where diverse cultures and local decision-making can exist without breaking down the overarching coherence of a civilization [01:08:11].
The Nature of Choice and its Distribution
At its core, decision-making, particularly in the context of governance, revolves around choices [01:08:57]. The idea that choices are inherently cooperative is a key insight [01:09:02]. Traditionally, in places like the United States, choices are often viewed as individual pursuits of life, liberty, and happiness [01:09:07]. However, when considering governance and community, the distribution of choice-making should ideally match the distribution of the effects of those choices [01:09:48].
For example, if a choice affects a thousand people, it should ideally be informed by a “thousand people’s worth of wisdom” [01:10:20]. This necessitates engaging those affected in the decision-making process [01:10:35]. This principle extends not just to spatial effects, but also to temporal effects, such as the long-term consequences for future generations (e.g., nuclear waste) [01:10:49]. Bringing the consideration of future generations into present choices is crucial for effective civilization design [01:11:20].
Beyond Wants and Needs: The Role of Desire
The basis of choice also plays a significant role. Choices can be driven by:
- Needs: Internal, where the source and resolution are internal [01:12:05]. If individuals make choices based purely on their needs, compromise becomes difficult [01:11:59].
- Wants: External, where the source and resolution are external [01:12:10]. Choices based on wants often lead to egoic or signaling aspects in social relationships, fostering political or individualistic approaches driven by relative comparisons (e.g., status games) [01:12:26].
- Desire: This represents a deeper motivation [01:12:40]. When choices are made on the basis of desire, it becomes possible to consider “our desires together” on an interpersonal and even transhuman level [01:12:46]. This includes considering the “desire of the ecosystem” or a river [01:13:03].
Different cultures may have unique toolkits and approaches to problem-solving, adapted to their specific environments [01:13:17]. However, the underlying human desires and universal laws of physics remain common [01:13:59]. By becoming conscious of these deeper principles and drives, cultures can connect at the level of desire, fostering cooperation to address shared challenges like global warming [01:14:12].
Cultural Dynamics and Congruence
Culture is an embodiment of life and an exemplar of living well and thriving [01:14:54]. Therefore, it should be upheld, but “not at the cost of supporting life” [01:15:01]. If a culture, through habit or disability, falls out of ecological balance, it is in trouble [01:15:11]. The aim is to develop resilient, conscious cultures that are robust but can also foster health in other cultures [01:15:17].
The Impact of the Virtual World
The increasing disconnect between the virtual world (e.g., social media presentations) and the embodied world (what is actually happening in person) contributes to a lack of “congruence” [01:19:01]. This is the measure of the distance between what one believes to be the good life and the life one is actually living [01:16:33]. The virtualization layer, enabled by the internet and cell phones, allows for curated presentations that can be vastly different from reality, contributing to personal and collective incongruence [01:19:01]. This incongruence may be a driver of declining well-being and the mental health crisis [01:17:46].
The Peril of “Is Good” vs. “Is Profitable”
In a “money on money return world,” where business decisions are primarily driven by profitability and where the penalty for violating norms is often less than the potential profit, the concept of “is good” is often not even considered [01:21:09]. This is pathological because financial models are largely virtual and do not inherently account for embodied or physical impacts, leading to a neglect of ecological and social consequences [01:21:56]. There is a critical need for values that extend beyond the virtual to address problems in the embodied world [01:22:26].
Practical Steps for Civilization Design
To move towards better civilization design, especially among communities engaged in radical social change movements (e.g., “Game B” discussions), focus should be placed on:
- Good Governance for Communities: This involves asking what constitutes good governance for communities and how to foster healthy community building and localism that can manage resources without being exploited by predatory entities [01:25:42].
- Effective Communication Practices: Ensuring individuals and collectives engage in good communication practices, respecting the right to speak, be understood, and know one has been understood [01:26:08]. This also includes understanding the distinctions between thought, feeling, and emotion, and the drivers of behavior (instincts, change, choice, causation) [01:26:22].
- Ephemeral Group Process: This technique facilitates collective inquiry leading to shared values and a collective vision of what thriving would look like [01:26:50]. This process, when distributed, can avoid corruption and inequality dynamics that often derail decision-making [01:27:10].
- Collective Strategy Generation: Once a collective vision and values are established, the community can then develop strategies that embody that vision and fulfill those values, leading to a “transcendental design” process [01:27:43]. This involves ensuring that implemented strategies will genuinely lead to health and thriving for both the community and its environment [01:28:22].
This approach emphasizes that the path forward requires a culture that is conscious of fundamental principles and capable of translating them into practices through distributed, embodied collective intelligence [01:28:57]. The goal is to design a future where choices lead to enduring good outcomes and create positive potentialities for future choices, avoiding situations that force increasingly worse compromises [02:26:06].