Politics

Every cardboard sign makes a difference

A discussion of political theories and how their ideas contribute to what we know about best practices for governing a society and increasing the quality of life.

Best Practices in Government and Politics

The general principles of evidence-based governance should be modeled on the those countries with the highest Quality of Life indicators.

In the countries with the greatest happiness and well-being, the following principles are nearly universal, with the happiest countries having the strongest systems in place for each.

• Democracy
• Freedom of Speech
• Religious Freedom
• Freedom in general
• Balance of Power
• Separation of Church and State
• Public Education
• Social Safety Net
• Universal Health Care
• Equal Justice for all citizens
• Mixed Economy with the best elements of Socialism and Capitalism

Other Practices in Government and Politics

Not the best, but the rest.

• Fascism
• Authoritarianism
• Communism
• Socialism
• Capitalism
• Libertarianism

The left/right political dynamic of the United States is often used as a reference point. However, they are more correctly framed in terms of Progressive and Libertarian political philosophies rather than the Democratic and Republican parties. This is because the actual political thinkers and developers of new policy are coming from these sub-groups, who are not always strictly affiliated with either party. It also somewhat ignores right-wing Christian Nationalism and Fascism, which are scary and must be opposed, but offer few debatable policy positions. In a discussion of best practices, we must consider actual policy rather than the exercise of raw power.

Depolarization and Decalcification

The primary political perspective being advocated by metaculture is that polarization, and its more intransigent form calcification, must be opposed. Functional government requires a balance of power between opposing viewpoints who still see each other as part of a common in-group. Social media platforms have deployed outrage-based algorithms that have had the side-effect of promoting particularly polarized political perspectives. Often these views are far outside the realm of anything practical or desirable, but the memes spread because our outrage causes to say "look at what the crazy people on the other side of the aisle are saying!" when real people weren't actually saying it until you shared it. And now that it's been shared, real people start to believe it! Then bad actors and trolls that only wish to sew chaos and confusion start using it for propaganda, amplifying its reach dramatically. This cycle must be broken, and it starts with curating the sources of information that we train our brain's neural networks with.

The evidence shows that happier societies are the ones that have implemented progressive reforms like universal health care, worker's rights, and strong social safety nets. History has also shown that ostensibly progressive reformers who eliminate their opposition through revolution and are able to rule unchecked will quickly veer into authoritarianism. We must strive for self-improvement in government using only democratic means, with a good faith conservative opposition that keeps liberal excesses in check.

The current state of stagnation and lack of progress is due primary to the fact that the political conversation has lost sight of any common goal that all citizens are striving for regardless of party. By focusing on that goal (improving the overall happiness of a nation's citizens) we can return to seeing each other as cooperating partners in achieving this goal instead of adversaries pursuing different goals.

The use of language is very important for anyone attempting to bridge political divides. Avoid triggering words that have been used extensively in propaganda, like socialism, communism, fascism, etc. since these only cause visceral emotional reactions rather than indicating any shared concept of policy. Focus on individual issues rather than party advocacy. Avoid using language that indicates a strong affiliation with their perceived out-group. Study the psychology of persuasion and put it into practice to promote a perspective that precludes polarization.

If you truly believe the universal truth that "we are all one," then this means our political out-groups too. No person is an enemy. It's time to put this belief into practice.

The Evolution of World Democracies

Some videos presenting non-partisan proposals for how to correct political incentives and restore the balance of power in US politics.

Why US Politics is Broken and How to Fix It

How the US Is Destroying Young People’s Future

Jay Z - Politics as Usual