The Time for New Ways That End Old Evils has Arrived
The dark clouds of climate change doom, financial collapse, wars, and the specter of more global chaos, including WWIII, have a silver lining. It leaves only two choices for the rich and powerful who helped cause and perpetuate the conditions that have led to such horrendous problems. Change now, or else..!!
This is part four in the series that began with the article; Universal Basic Income and the Foundation Economy. You can read this first if desired and then go back to part one, or start there first.
I propose and demonstrate how and why to change the monetary system to eliminate poverty, homelessness, and most crime, along with a long list of other major benefits for humanity and our world at large. Among those is slowing and reversing climate change, which has been caused by absurd levels of greed and arrogance via the current monetary system, resulting economies, and myriad harmful practices and outcomes. This is a long article, and I set the stage first before laying out primary solutions and benefits.
I started this article back in January 2022, but paused it (tarried) for several reasons as various events transpired and as some have started facing the consequences for their actions of recent years. Humanity, as a whole, has now been left little choice but to consider how to make difficult, though wise, changes to avert the doom from climate change and the total breakdown of human civilization leading to more wars between major powers and alliances, which would most likely go nuclear. Now we are all transfixed by the horrors of war in Ukraine and Putin’s nuclear blackmail. The events in Israel and the Middle East have again heated up, as well.
It is wise to show some true humility now because there are far worse outcomes in the near future than climate change alone, should nations, leaders, and corporations fail to act wisely, without further delays. We don’t have 10 years to leisurely make vital changes. We have 2–3, at most, and we must start quickly to have time to succeed.
There is zero doubt that monetary, political, and religious leaders will never agree unless they have no choice. Further, expecting politics, the rich, and religion to solve these problems is a delusional death wish, at best. Life and a saner and safer future for all now requires that we collectively think and act outside of the proverbial box to end business as usual, before it ends us all. Failing to do so is guaranteed doom, so why wait any longer? Sadly, there are those that still think greed is the wise path, so those mindsets must change or be moved out of the way for the benefit of all life.
Once again, it is a relatively easy matter to change the economic system, get rid of debt based money, and establish a living wage UBI, along with other basic guarantees of housing and health care. It is far easier than continuing to pretend that the current system is fair, just, and will ever solve long existing problems, especially while being run by the greediest and most arrogant among us. Getting rid of the debt-based greed engine at the core of our civilization will dramatically reduce the resources and effort required to take care of everyone, without fail, and without further deceptive excuses. That greed engine is also the root cause of climate change, and getting rid of it is the only way to effect civilization wide change in the motivations of people, corporations, and governments.
The current debt based monetary system that drives our economies and civilization can never create full housing and employment. It has been pretending for centuries. The need for money and profits, and the greed that drives it, is the root cause of most crime, despair, mental illness, homelessness, international conflicts, pollution, waste, climate change, destruction of nature, and more. Further, the constant requirement for profits and continued growth in a debt based system has resulted in a vastly unjust and astoundingly damaging civilization and resulting economies.
To solve these problems, universally and for good, a dramatically wise mindset and new approach is required that shifts our civilization away from being driven by greed, lies, and arrogance to one founded on humility, cooperation, self-sacrifice, compassion and most importantly truth, wisdom and justice. This would entail taking the money creation mechanism out of the hands of central banks and using a UBI and payments to individuals for basic needs and services to fuel a Foundation Economy as described in the first article in this series. This will cause a trickle-up flow that will ensure a dependable base for small businesses and suppliers of goods for food, healthcare, housing, transport, etc.
These changes would eliminate the need for international financiers and most debt. It would eliminate the need for all financially inspired social programs since money and basic services will be universally available, regardless of age or employment. This and other changes will also reduce the needs for constant growth and profits and the waste that ultimately drives climate change and the destruction of nature. This will dramatically shrink the size of government and eliminate the need for personal taxes since the formation of money itself would no longer create debt. It would eliminate most personal debt as we now know it and eliminate the fear and despair that comes from requiring a job that forces submission to someone with more money, just to eat, live indoors, and be healthy.
The current system is little more than a global slave management system that feeds most profits and resources to those at the top of the pile while crushing those on the bottom and exploiting everyone else. Those who have gained great wealth and power via this system have been willing and even motivated to perpetuate the great evils that we have seen across the past several millennia, but especially the most recent centuries. It is time to free humanity from this age old deception and enslavement and end the great evils that bedevil this planet because of the unrestrained greed of a relative few imposed throughout the entire civilization using a debt based monetary system and fractional reserve banking.
The one silver lining to the undeniably dark clouds that now envelope humanity, our civilization, and all life on the only planet we have, is that the root of most current problems are the same. Hence, it is possible to make a dramatically wise set of changes that will solve and/or simplify solutions to the vast array of problems we face. The climate debacle and long denied justice and safety for all life on this planet are all caused by greed (aka the root of evil…) that has been imposed and empowered via the current debt-based monetary system and imposed via the scarcity of money for most, while a relative few live like demi-gods.
This state of affairs has always ended badly throughout history and it keeps repeating because greed and arrogance make people stupid and they do evil to the point that the masses arise out of self defense to put an end to it, until it repeats. But most have no clue of the hidden methods behind the money they crave and in fact need, and keep empowering heroes that amass wealth and power so the cycle repeats. Now it exists on a global scale and the rich and powerful are far more so than at any time in history. Because of greed and this overtly deceptive monetary system, poverty and homelessness and mass exploitation are the name of the game everywhere.
Now, to further complicate the existing picture, climate change and politics, fueled by massive amounts of illicit money, greed, corruption, and blatant deception by the rich and powerful, has delivered us again to a stunning pivot point in the sordid affairs of humanity. The pattern’s negative outcomes will repeat soon and have already started in various ways. Some think they can stop or redirect it by distracting most people, but once again, greed and arrogance have made them stupid and their overt tactics, callousness, and exploitation are painfully transparent to far too many now.
Besides, there is far more at stake for the entire planet and civilization and there is no turning back or continuing the same old BS that has again delivered us all to the doorstep of numerous existential crises, with global doom awaiting, just over the threshold. Those thinking we have another decade to three to continue a foolishly leisurely pace, clearly designed to protect profits and reputations, will learn the hard way that the time for change is now, not later. Standing in its way will only lead to them being being trampled underfoot. The rich and powerful always underestimate the disgust of those they deceptively exploit.
Standing in the way by trying to forestall what must happen yesterday is insanity caused by greed and will be treated as such by enbe mustd masses. People living comfortably in mansions and yachts lose touch with the reality of the majority of people and it causes them to exacerbate systemic problems that could have been solved long ago. It is time to implement dramatically wise changes now, before terrible consequences unfold and it all spins out of control into more climate driven disasters, wars and nuclear confrontations. This is not hyperbole! It is time to show humility and act wisely or shut up and get the frack (pun…) out of the way. Besides, I have already simplified the process, so there are no more excuses, except for those flowing from greed and fears of change.
Beyond the need to light a fire under some behinds to ensure things get done before it is too late, is the topic of money and the current monetary system. Not only is it the root cause of all the waste, pollution and harmful practices but also the primary barrier to being able to stop, reverse and then remediate what has been done. Greed, aka the love of money, and the requirements of the current monetary system caused climate change and makes it so very hard to change directions before doom overtakes the slow pace of change. The need to raise money to pay for what must be done is a prime example of the problem and is proof of the need for a wiser way.
It has created a true catch-22 conundrum, and as long as the current monetary system, resulting power structures, and resulting motivations remain intact and unchanged, humanity is doomed. It is time to bite the bullet before this mess all blows up in your faces. Lying and distracting people much longer will only increase the ferocity of the blow-back that is already building. The wise action now is to proactively show the humility required to avert climate change calamity from growing far worse and to assist these required changes instead of trying to forestall them.
So, vital to fixing this mess is ending the current monetary system and that means ending poverty, homelessness, and obscene wealth in the hands of anyone. It also means ending all the negatives and sources of fear that exist because of lack of money, debts, obligations, contracts, etc. We must wipe the slate clean of all the encumbrances caused by the existence of debt-based money and what it has caused people to do to survive in this civilization. The biggest and most important step and change is to end the fear of not having money, or a place to live, or the basics of life in this otherwise advanced civilization. We have all the knowledge and tools to create a virtual paradise, and end the persistent nightmare that we now live through.
The current approach blocks people from participating and that must also change. There will no longer be barriers to getting things done because of the restraints on money that now exist. When everyone knows they will have a basic stream of income, no matter what, then much of the fear that drives the negatives of the current existence will simple melt away. Instead of fearing lack of money and being restrained from participation and cooperation, this change will increase the availability of helping hands to fix things that need fixing. To clean up the messes that persist because of lack of money to pay people, all it takes is to change the nature of money and the monetary system so it empowers everyone to participate, and still protects us, when we do not or cannot.
When people are no longer restrained by the need to earn a living just to survive, then they can and will volunteer their labor, minds, and ideas for various projects and activities without waiting to raise money or kowtow to those with more money. The fears, despair and helplessness that result from lack of money in a civilization that requires it to live safely will become a thing of the past. People will still want to work and participate in life and to earn more than the basics. Participation in the civilization we all jointly operate will be voluntary and desirable, but the need to make money just to survive will no longer be required. This will end most crime since the fear of not having money will cease to be a reality and cease to cause widespread fear, desperation, and resulting behavior.
Much of what this civilization does is merely for the purpose of making money to avoid what happens without it, and as is obvious, to feed the greed of some. Consequently, our current civilization creates vast waste and harm through massive unnecessary activities that exist just to survive or feed the greed this monetary system imposes through its structure and very existence. Similarly, people will no longer be required to accept demeaning work just to be able to eat and live inside. There will be no incentives for most crime. The mental problems caused by fear, despair and desperation in the current system will no longer exist to drive the negative behaviors that characterize so much of our current existence.
The current system enforces a hierarchical structure and vast wealth is funneled to the top of the societal pyramid. To keep that flow going, more and more complexity and unnecessary activities have been formulated, some purposefully and some as a consequence of the problems this system causes by its design and very existence. The same is seen in the size and complexity of government which has grown into the monstrosity we have because of money and the current monetary system.
Most social programs exist for one reason; because the monetary system is so completely screwed up and purposely titled towards the desires of the greedy and arrogant and against the needs of the vast majority of people and all life on this planet. Governance and society thereby must focus herculean efforts and resources towards myriad ways to ameliorate problems caused by money, as it now exists.
A closely related situation is the existence of religious charities, philanthropic organizations and individuals, and the need for philanthropy, and charity to help large numbers of people survive.
Establishing a universal basic income and foundation economy as I have shown, will eliminate the need for all monetary based social programs and myriad charitable organizations, including religious ones. It will end the need for vast taxation based activities and reduce them to just the bare minimum, mostly focused on business instead of individuals. It will nearly eliminate the need for vast police forces and prison systems. When implemented globally it will end the need for vast armies and competition among nations for profits, resources, and more. At the root of most of the negative aspects of this civilization sits the greed and fear that debt based monetary systems, and those that rule through their existence, have spawned and/or exacerbated.
Another area of increased cost and complexity is the topic of insurance. This is another current problem area that is used to exploit people on a grand scale and create a vast source of unnecessary complexity. The major ones are health, vehicle, life, and property insurance. Disaster insurance is another and as climate change caused disasters have increased over the years, so has the importance, cost, and difficulty increased dramatically.
As part of the foundation economy structure, to eliminate the difficulty, fear, and costs, insurance for all the major things that people face should become one of the areas that money comes into existence to cover, on demand and without prepaid insurance, when it is needed. This serves the purpose of ensuring people are not exploited over the fear of unexpected events and that fear of those consequences do not become the profit centers of vast industries that play on those fears to amass great wealth and power.
The same fear of the consequences of no money that causes despair and fear among most is also the root cause and driving force behind the hoarding of great wealth by some, thereby enshrining the rule of greed and the greedy while suppressing compassion and good sense. The need for constant growth and profits in this system leads to vastly harmful and wasteful practices and wasted efforts, resources, lives, and all life itself.
Greed is the enemy of life and the sad and sordid state of this world and human civilization should leave zero doubts about this. It is the root cause of the destruction of nature and natural systems and the pollution that caused climate change and the parade of continual and increasingly terrible climate and weather disasters. There is no way to solve this without addressing the root cause. Attempting to ignore them is a death wish caused by greed, arrogance, and fear of change.
I’ll end this discussion here and focus on an action plan in the next installment. Until then, visit my Linktree for more context and solutions.
