If I became ruler of the world, I would step down and go back to my life as a theoretical physicist because ruling the world is bound to be a stressful job: everyone is going to criticise everything you do. And yet, if I really had no choice but to rule, here are my realistic and reasonable commands:
Borders and armies are abolished. Humans are instinctively generous, collaborative and caring. We lived for hundreds of thousands of years keeping the hierarchical chimpanzee instincts at bay. We shall try again, with the technology and knowledge that are meant to make life far easier for us all.
Private property is abolished. This would produce an immense surplus of resources as is obvious from the fact that today the wealth of the eight richest men equals that of half of the world’s population. By redistributing wealth, a tiny fraction that is super rich will lose out, but the majority will have more wealth at their disposal—meaning almost everybody will be immediately happy.
Schools are abolished. By getting rid of the tribal initiation ritual involved in the current system, we would free young people’s minds from the suppression of creativity and brainwashing so younger generations could be wiser. Namely, they would be encouraged to have their own thoughts. After all, Einstein dropped out of school and spent a year wandering aimlessly.
Documents such as passports are abolished because we respect one another as humans, not as document holders.
Religion is abolished as we help one another because we care about one another, not because we are sons of the same god.
Hierarchies are abolished. Our society builds on a basic primate instinct: compete for higher positions in hierarchies. Today’s values say that you have to make your own career more successful than others, your family wealthier than others and your country greater than others. These are senseless values because the result is stress, war and exploitation and because, sooner or later, somebody will exploit you. Tribal behaviour will also be abolished, unless it is playful.
The large majority of people like to do things. Those willing to do something are welcome to do so, and get organised as they wish. Those who like to grow food shall grow food, those who like to build airplanes shall build airplanes, those who like to write novels shall write novels. Those who like to teach shall teach, those who like to learn shall learn.
The few lazy ones who like to do nothing at all, shall just do nothing at all: they are not going to do more social damage than the super rich people of today, who take away resources from others and are even proud of that.
I will set up a small administrative office only to facilitate coordination. I am sure this programme can be improved, therefore I’d invite people to keep discussing it and improving it. And one more thing: I will make sure that there is free LSD available for all courageous adolescents willing to explore new realms.
