If you ruled the world, what would your solution(s) be?

[Truthiness Inspector]

What would be your solution(s) to the global challenges we all face, specifically:

How would you stop the violence through peaceful means?

I am posting this thread in the interest of it being a clearinghouse of ideas. I do not know the answers, but somehow, some way, there must be realistic, peaceful solutions. We need to think about this instead of saying what we can't do, what is done wrong, etc.

There are many bright minds and problem solvers here. I have many ideas but after this week I'd rather listen first.

On edit: Fixed title to hopefully better solicit suggestions.

[Skink]

1. If I ruled the world.....

» TONY BENNETT » If I Ruled The World

If I ruled the world,
Every day would be the first day of spring,
Every heart would have a new song to sing,
And we'd sing of the joy every morning would bring.

If I ruled the world,
Every man would be as free as a bird,
Every voice would be a voice to be heard,
Take my word we would treasure each day that occurred.

My world would be a beautiful place,
Where we would weave such wonderful dreams.
My world would wear a smile on its face,
Like the man in the moon has when the moon beams.

If I ruled the world,
Every man would say the world was his friend,
There'd be happiness that no man coud end,
No my friend, not if I ruled the world.

Every head would be held up high,
There'd be sunshine in everyone's sky,
If the day ever dawned when I ruled the world

[Truthiness Inspector]

3. Thanks

That is really helpful. Not.

Do you have anything serious to offer?

[MikeNY]

29. I don't trust Tony Bennett with that kind of power

Just a thought.. :P

[longship]

38. Thank you for that. YES.

Some people around here don't have the appreciation for the fine arts. ;-)
Tony Bennett is a class act. Those lyrics express my thoughts as well.

Did I say thank you? I hope you got that I did.

[sandnsea]

2. Send everybody to time-out

And bring all the world's mothers front and center and have them say, "No, we mean it. Time out", and then we'd stare right in the camera with "the look".

And that would be the end of war.

[LiberalVoice]

5. The mothers would probably start fighting.

:P

[Truthiness Inspector]

6. How would we do that?

How would we send everyone's mothers out, all of these mothers on the same page?

Not challenging you, btw. I just want to flesh this out.

[sandnsea]

16. Did I say you could come off that chair?? n/t

[Emit]

8. lol! My first thought, too. n/t

[knowbody0]

4. feed EVERYONE

and get rid of money.

[pitohui]

9. feed everyone?

are the hungry people dying like flies the ones starting the wars? don't think so!

feeding everyone is a good and right thing to do but it sure as heck won't stop war

[Truthiness Inspector]

11. Ok

But who feeds everyone? Who is in charge? And how is that body regulated?

[sandnsea]

30. $13 billion

"The United Nations Development Program estimates that the basic health and nutrition needs of the world's poorest people could be met for an additional $13 billion a year."

http://www.bread.org/learn/hunger-basics/

It is tragic how little this would cost and that it's not getting done. For one thing, I think maybe all the NGO's that deal with global poverty should come together and craft a plan and a price so we have a place to start. And if some of them need to close, or shift to meet needs that they may be duplicating, then they need to do that. It would be doubly tragic if the Administrative costs of all these NGO's could be used to feed people.

[Truthiness Inspector]

42. I agree

So who sends more funds, and who isn't sending enough? What is the breakdown of who sends what to the United Nations to deal with hunger?

You raise interesting points that DEMAND exploration.

My question is specific and separate, but your issue is very important as well.

[sandnsea]

44. Here's an article

If I understand right, the total amount of aid from all developed countries is $78 billion annually. That isn't just food and health care aid, it's all kinds of building, economic empowerment, environmental projects, all of that. The article also says that despite some increases in straight monetary amounts, most nations are very far off the .7% of Gross National Income that everyone agreed to contribute back in the 70's. It also explains how the aid is tied to domestic businesses that end up costing more. If I'm not mistaken, it also means that when products from developed countries are sent into poor countris, it disrupts their markets and often sends prices sky high. Some of these countries where they're starving aren't having crop production problems, the problem is people can't afford the food. Where the water is privatized, they can't afford the water. I think these problems really are contributing to terrorism and large groups of very disgruntled people. Let a group figure out how to get the food and water, and they can probably convince a lot of people to do a lot of fighting they wouldn't have otherwise.

http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/develop/oda/2005/08stingysamaritans.htm

[pitohui]

7. if *i* ruled the world?

there's a reason i'm not a politician, if i ruled the world i don't know how i would stop violence thru peaceful means, i would likely stop violence by cracking some heads together

i'll give you the bump tho, so that more creative ppl can see this and offer ideas

[Marr]

10. Wow... globally?

1) Actually work to alleviate poverty around the world. Forgive alot of foreign debt, and focus on fair trade. Legislate against the World Bank's system of breaking countries and seizing them through poverty. That fuels alot of the problems.

2) Invest in alternative fuels research and production

3) Break up big media, and ruthlessly
These are essentially propaganda operations for a few conglomerates, and they make waging war for Texaco possible.

4) Truly support representative governments around the world
We've never tried that. At present, we prop up regimes that play ball with the business community and tear down the ones that don't. This is a net loss for everyone but a few very wealthy, very privileged people.

[progressivebydesign]

12. Throw all the men out of power. Let the women clean this up.

as usual. Really, the aggressiveness of the patriarchal, testosterone-fueled, nuclear pissing contest, is going to get us all killed! Step aside boys.. let the women have a shot at this.

[Truthiness Inspector]

13. That is an ideal not a plan

but I do feel your pain.

Once given that power, how would we handle things, and that means things as they are, not going back in history and none of it ever happened? How do we fix what IS?

[sandnsea]

19. Seriously, we need a mother-to-mother group

We really need massive numbers of moms to begin arranging meetings with moms from other countries. I mean massive and just every day moms, no political ties at all. We need to start talking about the very core idea of stopping war, that's all. What do the women in various countries need to be a strong enough force, within the bounds of their culture, to insist the killing stop. I honestly don't know that it can happen any other way.

[progressivebydesign]

21. Now I could get into that...

I mean, are little girls growing up playing soldiers and war games? no.. we're playing with dolls and learning how to get along with each other. Obviously, and I say this as a woman that does not hate men, the men have screwed things up beyond hope. So.. I say we assemble Madeline Allbright, Helen Thomas, Molly Ivans, and Tipper Gore, to start with...

[sandnsea]

25. Nah, no polticos at all

I say we assemble you and me and our feisty old Aunt Belle who nobody dares to cross and get together with the same kinds of moms and grandmoms in other countries and just start talking. I am so tired of everything getting screwed up because of the 'geo-political ramifications'. Just no more war and we insist our governments stop dumping weapons into poor countries and taking resources out and leaving too many people with nothing left to lose.

[hopeisaplace]

14. and if they don't go willingly, they all get estrogen shots.

:rofl: :applause: (j/k yah know!)

[Digit]

36. That is what I was going to say, essentially

I don't know how all this testosterone has risen to such toxic levels, but enough is enough.
I have had quite enough of the sabre rattling, power grabbing, and I am tougher than you attitude.
Time for some estrogen...

(Hillary not included in my equation, BTW)

[Wonk]

15. Pretty much by definition, if one "ruled the world"

one would have control of all the police and intelligence services in the world, so you could simply have people who were conspiring to hurt other people arrested before they could do any damage.

[Truthiness Inspector]

18. How would you stop the global violence, though?

That was the intent of my thread. And who is hurting who will always be in dispute, as is "damage."

[cigsandcoffee]

17. I'd make being a jerk illegal

That should pretty much do it.

[hopeisaplace]

20. I would decide on "war" based on the following criteria ONLY:

Is this a war I would send my 4 sons off to die for?
If the answer is yes, then it would be the last option
left on the table.

Cause, I can honestly say, if it were my sons that would
have to die (as the leader)...then negotiated solutions
would always win the day for this Leader. :)

[Truthiness Inspector]

24. So

The world is on fire. My question here was a global one. How would you make peace at no expense to your family or others, in any nation?

[hopeisaplace]

27. ok...thinking cap is on....

so what you're saying is,
"I've inherited someone else's mess" (like the Dem's will do)

so how would I lead the world out of this mess...
Talk, more talk, more negotiations, everyone back to the table,
establish a system of leading by example, by at least showing
up to TALK. If it took 20 years of talking so be it. Negotiate
til hell actually froze over<--kiss the rapture bah bye.
Be visible as a leader, show that
I bloody care what happens to the damned planet. Demonstrate to
other countries my country's willingness to be at the table to
seek solutions. Would this stop the blood shed on a dime? no.
But it would be where I would start.

[Truthiness Inspector]

31. Good idea but hasn't worked

Talk? What about India, what about Bali, what about London, Madrid, and not to mention the attack here on our own soil?

Talk is great but it doesn't always work, as evidenced above. Negotiations are necessary, but they do not solve problems with adversaries who don't operate that way.

Have you ever been attacked, personally and physically? I have. Talk works some of the time, other times it does not. It's the case of talk not working that is of concern.

Did "talk" stop the murders in Rwanda? Is "talk" helping in Sudan, Somalia, and elsewhere? I am not seeing it working. I wish it was, but it isn't.

I am very frustrated. This is not personal to you. I (just like all of us) am looking for peaceful solutions, but talking only goes so far. There just has to be more. Has to be.

[hopeisaplace]

32. Well...if a country puts itself out to be the Leader of the Free World

like the US does...then it should not behave in ways that Crazy killers
in Rwanda are behaving...

But ok, what you're saying is: These killers are going from house to house
in Rwanda, Dar-fur (etc) and killing families (it's so horrible, it's gut wrenching)..
how do you stop this without violence?

1. The collective will of the world leaders unite to bring these animals
to a table and find out what it is they REALLY want (if anything)...then
you marginalize them somehow...then,

2. You get the collective will of a Multinational force ready to go in and
police the agreement that was made for a period of time.

But you know what, I'll bet this could be done if Leaders/Countries really
wanted to do it. My guess is, it's not done, because of sheer lack of will.

[Truthiness Inspector]

40. Lack of will

Ok, we have an answer. The best one so far. My question though is, since we have the will to end violence everywhere, how would we go about that, practically, in detail?

All nations are already at the table, btw. Those representatives are not necessarily the ones we have chosen.

[hopeisaplace]

43. Practically and in Detail...holy crap...* doesn't have to do this much

lol...

k. I'll try some more. I like "play leader" :)

First thing you do, is help to build a solid infrastructure in a community that
is suffering. If they need hydro, heat, water, WHATEVER, ...but you show good
faith and agree to be a part of a rebuilding effort, a humane effort! And guess
what, you actually do what you say you are going to do. People helping people
first, it's a great way to begin. (just my thoughts)

1. Whatever conflict that is being worked on - cause you work on them one at a time:
You get A complete list of every person involved in the dispute. Every single person. From
the person/persons at the top to the poor souls at the bottom. Why? Why not. Good to have.

2. You research in detail, everything about each person. Not to be "mean", but rather
to find out "where the weakest link could be" <---in case you need that info.

3. You gather all parties to the table that are pertinent in the decision making.
Who determines that - perhaps all sides pre-negotiate that.

4. You gather around a table and go to work. And you keep working til it's bloody done.

5. And by the way, if you don't like the people at the table you're working with. Tough.
You find a way to win friends and influence people.



Edit:

Also:

I/We would be doing the building, reconstructing, helping out of the citizens, etc...while
we were at the table negotiating...Rule number one: Helping out people would not be up
for discussion. If the other side says, no you can't help out our people til you give us
what we want...well then you get the information out to the general public, you fund the
companies directly so they can re-connect the hydro, get the medical supplies in etc...
In other words, if negotiating takes 10 years - won't hurt the average person as much if
they have a solid working infrastructure in place, and something to really lose if the talks fail..
which they won't because you never stop talking til it's done.

[Jara sang]

22. An episode of the original Star Trek.

The Gideons. I would make it so that any sort of weapon would burn the person's hand who tried to use it.

[longship]

35. Oooo! I like that.

Down with violence.

[Cleita]

23. For one thing being world dictator would not be a good start.

However, we can all rule the world if we start trying to make changes in our own communities. First I think men should not be given the majority of positions of power. It's time to change our laws to make every government legislative body have equal gender representation. Women, even evil ones like Ann Coulter, do bring a feminine perspective to every problem that is missing when the problem solvers are primarily men. This is happening in my community where some ruling boards on the local level are now required to have equal gender representation. As far as ending this evil war mongering, we need to shield our kids from recruiters every way we can at the local level.

[Swamp Rat]

26. Free cheese for rodents everywhere! ... Free Brie and Camembert!!!

And a truce with pussy cats! ... Free catnip for Sylvester!!! :9 :bounce:

[OxQQme]

34. I would appoint a council of twelve

this is kinda off the wall.
A representative of the science community, one from the arts, another from the teachers and medical and accountants and future planning and (Y'alls could help out here ya know).
No national or ethnic boundaries determining the spokesperson for that aspect of human fulfillment.
All meetings of said council would be globally broadcast.
Hammer out policy that would lead to every person on the globe having food, shelter, clothing, medicine, education (etc) as a given basic throughout their life.
More than basic would be easily achieved by any individual via some service for more than self.
Benefit many = more luxurious life style.
Giving, instead of 'how can I profit from this?'
The profit would be in the giving.

So who should be the reps of the twelve global tribes?

[longship]

39. Can I have the Venezuelan Beaver Cheese?

Thanks, I knew I could.

[undergroundpanther]

28. cap the wealthy's money hoarding

Make food ,medical help,decent shelter,a decent living wage and some free time to think, a human right for every American,(sorta like Sweden does) and undermine political domination and concentration of power in fewer and fewer hands.(equality)And I would revoke "corporate personhood" and corporate secrecy. Get church out of the state, and corporation out of the state.And clean the environment up as best we can and encourage public transport and reduce sprawl.
And I would forbid companies to exploit other countries.And I would reveal all the schemes of those wanting to take over the world,name names show the'plans' .Than drag the shadowy criminals to the hague.
Basically destroy the ones who abuse power, the top 1 percent and destroy the organizations they exploit to dominate over this world forever.

[longship]

33. SECULAR WORLDWIDE GOVERNANCE.

Also, a constitution that explicitly says, "No deity has the right to grant land to any people."

After all, render onto Caesar...

[Rageneau]

37. Everyone would have to wear their underwear on the outside.

So we can check.

(From "Bananas" by Woody Allen)

[The2ndWheel]

41. There will always be conflict

You're not going to get rid of violence/conflict.

Honestly, and I said this in another thread dealing with the same type of issue, at the very least you have to go back to pre-agriculture days. I think about these things everyday, and I'm no smarter on the issue than anyone else. But that's the only thing I can think of. Go back to nomad/hunter-gather days. You want a solution to global problems? That's all I have. It's not too realistic, not very practical, but that's all I got.

Other than that, we're going to keep doing the same things again and again. It's not because we're stupid, ignorant, or don't know/understand history. It's because civilization was molded by force, ever increasing force at that.

This post will help nothing, as my idea isn't even possible. Take it for what it's worth. Sorry.

[readmoreoften]

45. I got an idea! I got an idea!!!

Okay, here me out.

WHAT IF....

We could export American values all around the world. By "values" I mean American products, as in "top dollar savings!" Okay. First we'd have to build up a big big army to kill all the communist regimes, because they don't believe in freedom and I want all the people of the world to be free. We kill them for their own good, and then, like, three generations down the line it'll be all throwing flowers at our feet. Okay, commies gone.

Next we have to solve this problem in the Middle East. We'll build a pipeline through Afghanistan. Then we'll go to Iraq and take it from "So-Damn-Insane!" See here's the brilliant part: we will make our money back with interest once we get their oil! Don't worry about the people. They're not really into their leader. He's all like a dictator and stuff, so they'll be throwing flowers at our feet-- not three generations down the road like the commies-- it'll be an instantaneous flower carpet in Iraq.

Okay, so, we win Iraq. Bring democracy and freedom. Take their oil in exchange. THEN-- get this get this-- we use Iraq as a base to take over Iran and Syria. It'll be so cool! We'll spread democracy everywhere and then we'll also have all the oil in the world! Iran and Syria will be a sinch. Because we'll have all Iraq fighting on our side. It'll be tough, but we Americans are plucky. Plus we already have Israel to use.

Oh, fun times, fun times.

But, alas, President Clinton doesn't listen to lil old me.

-- William Kristol, 1996