Janus' Thoughts Develop (Ch.12b) : Social and Political Theories and Progress

Janus’ Thoughts Develop (Ch.12b) : Social and Political Theories and Progress

JANUS ON ONE OF HIS STROLLS, MEETS A FRIEND IN A BAR.

‘Why are you writing books?’ he asked.  ‘Isn’t that a bit old fashioned?  No one will read them anyway.  What is the point of it?’  The guy had obviously rarely read books himself.  ‘You know once you’ve read a few of them you’ve read all of them.  What more do you need to know?  Just get out there and enjoy life, is what I say.’

‘Already tried that,’ said Janus.  ‘Doesn’t really work.  No, I have to do this.  I have to make the attempt. When you know something is wrong, many things in our case, and you’ve only got one life, and you find your work very dull anyway you’ve just got to try something else.’

‘You’re crazy, you know.  You’ll just lose lots of money.  Your savings will come right down until you have to work again.  And it will be difficult to find work again after such a gap.  What will you really have achieved?’

‘I will have had six months of mental freedom at the very least.’

                                                  *

When the boss jumped she jumped.  If he said, ‘You will work seven and a half hours, she made sure she worked the full seven and a half.

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The central problem of human society is and always has been the problem of how to decide what is to be done and what is not to be done.  In traditional societies managed by cooperative decision making the elders of the tribal group would decide what needed to be done and the group or tribe carried out their “policy”.  As traditions developed activity was based upon the way things were done in the past.  As time went on some traditional tasks became more onerous to the group.  Some of the group who might perceive these tasks as unnecessary rebelled against the onerous tradition.  A strong leader might emerge who would stamp his own authority on the group, particularly if there was an external threat, and his leadership and fighting skills were required.  This kind of leader would be in a position to impose his own set of priorities upon the group.  This could mean the abandoning of traditional priorities by the group, and the imposition of new ones.  If the group was “lucky” this would be an improvement in lifestyle as the leader’s priorities directly improved the well-being of the group.  If the group was “unlucky” the new priorities might mean warfare or building projects for the aggrandisement of the leader and control by the leader over the personal lives of his subjects.  Unfortunately there have been many instances of the latter in human history to a greater or lesser degree.

The emergence of traditional societies into more developed ones is characterised by a movement from self-sufficiency towards trading relations and specialisation.  This may not always mean market economics for there may be a large degree of organisation in the supply of resources which may involve rewards or  compulsion.  As societies become more “developed” there is a tendency towards greater material security as the benefits of organisation become apparent.

However there are also “non-necessary” priorities which are chosen and prioritised by society.  These priorities are often chosen by the leader or leaders.  The leaders may be democratically promoted or may be in a  position of power for military reasons or the power of their wealth.  Again, if society is “lucky” the men of power will decide upon priorities to the benefit of the wider population.  An unlucky society is one in which onerous and  unnecessary priorities are imposed upon society by the powerful.  Thus the ruling classes and groups indulge themselves by building palaces, ornaments and religious centres while the lowly lead lives of monotonous work or are unable to provide for their own material needs, or worse still the whole population is involved in senseless warfare to satisfy the greed of their leaders..  A planned and organised society where the supply of resources is determined by the leadership may easily result in  the misdirection of society if the leaders are rotten. 

Where the supply of resources is left to a market system the same problems tend to occur because the powerful and wealthy are in a position to become more powerful and wealthy through trade.  There is a tendency towards market concentration and control.  Members of society with money determine the priorities of society.  If a rich man wishes to build a huge palace or satisfy his own whim to travel to distant planets, he may do so.  He is free to choose to ignore the plight of his fellow income-less or menial citizens.  His whims may ensure that the lives of thousands or millions are directed into activities, which, while they may provide a livelihood, do not provide a purposeful, useful or fulfilled life.

PROGRESS     

Where does progress lead?  Does it go on forever or is there an end point beyond which mankind cannot go.  Intellectual and logical abilities can go no further.  Man’s brain simply cannot comprehend the imponderable scientific secrets of outer space, deep physics or microscopic chemistry.  Perhaps there is a point beyond which there is no motivation to proceed.  No one is interested enough or finds any slight satisfaction at going further, pure pleasure and interest having long since been jettisoned.  There must be a point where governments or major investors see no further advantage in sinking funds or wasting money for intangible benefits.

Janus believed that there was such a point and that humankind must be very near it.  Money, resources, human effort, human lives, even human deaths had been flung at the scientific perimeters for so long now that real discovery had long since ceased.  Developments had been theoretical, incapable of absolute proof, open to the attacks of counter theories.  Where there were developments in knowledge there were no tangible benefits, even, or perhaps particularly, in space where the impression of progress was given by the massive expansion of space programs, enlargement and multiplication of space stations and the growth in voyages of exploration.  No new products, which had any real importance or materials of any use had been discovered for many years.

Janus also believed that there must be a point which was “natural” for humans to develop to .  If he had believed in a God like the App Maneddonists and certain other sects he might have stated his view that there was a point at which God intended mankind to stop Progress if all followed God’s will.  Janus liked the concept.  Any further along the Progress line and mankind was committing itself to unnecessary and often debilitating evils, consigning itself to a form of slavery, competitive and warring.  Any distance short of this Balancing or Optimal point and mankind would not be fulfilling its promise and there were evils of ignorance and unfulfilment and waste consequent to that.  Janus knew that man was an animal and there was a desirable point beyond which his “robotisation” should not go.  He was further convinced that mankind had long gone beyond this point, although he did not know where the point lay.

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Society where only real human needs are satisfied by the economy :- 

There is no waste, no overproduction, no running out of resources, no production of products which no one needs, and if they can’t sell then they will throw them away. No one buys things they don’t need, which people have sweated to produce, their labour wasted.  Most importantly no one is employed at something which does not need doing, except for some training and education purposes, which is inevitable.  Work is not created by outsiders who need to find a new niche where they can make money.  All have work, useful work, real work, which needs doing for the good of all.  The work is shared between all, according to their abilities.  All understand the responsibility to work but do not seek to deprive each other of work. All know the value of leisure, not leisure without work, but leisure after work, leisure given to all and shared.  Each individual works for four or so hours a day.  When there is need the individual’s task may take longer, but his or her work is shared between the individuals in his section.  When there is emergency or disaster all may work longer and harder for a period.

Leisure time is not laziness.  People have varied interests to perform.  Society is communally based.  No one is without friends of all ages.  They socialise, they meet new people.  They create romantic friendships, but the old formalities are very much relaxed.  These are built no longer upon such concepts as possession and greed.  None are lonely for such friendships none are barred or shamed in to disqualification.  Work does not stop completely.  Useful tasks are still performed, visits made, social links created and upheld.  Groups indulge in musical and artistic or sporting ventures.  Individuals create whatever they wish to create, literature, music, art, film or other learning.  Questions of ownership, finance, job searching, and chores are no more or are minimised.  All eat, none starve.  Resources are shared.  Health is for all.