civic engagement
Large Scale societal cooperation begins with small scale relational skills. If we can't talk honestly with our partners, children or neighbors it becomes unrealistic to expect productive dialogue at political/insituional levels.... The Open Question Feb 25: What's the future of America? Are we (USA) in a decline? Are we thriving? Does it matter? Think The Fourth Turning, Ray Dalio's changing world order, The Decline of the Roman Empire, rise of China, and whatever else you bring.
#openquestion
I'm considering the question, and what it means or infers. There is, possibly, so much my mind wants to -simultaneously- include and unpack. Are you asking for: My opinion? -or- My utopian dream?... The Open Question Feb 25: What's the future of America? Are we (USA) in a decline? Are we thriving? Does it matter? Think The Fourth Turning, Ray Dalio's changing world order, The Decline of the Roman Empire, rise of China, and whatever else you bring.
#openquestion
I feel as if we as a country, and a "United" people, have been in a free fall since 2016 and recent years before. I have never seen public opinion become so weaponized as it has been over these past years.... Freedom- Identity vs Practice
American society is steeped in independence. We inherit it, however, do we wield it? Our founding documents frame liberty as fundamental— The Declaration of independence, The Constitution. Freedom can be looked at as protection from government.... Mechanism Design for Harm Reduction. I’ve just posted a new paper on SSRN:
Mechanism Design for Harm Reduction: Game Theory and Social Choice for Carceral MOUD and Recovery Institutions
👉 Read it here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6173484
The core question: Why do our institutions so often default to punitive, carceral responses to addiction, even when harm reduction and MOUD improve health and reduce mortality?
Using tools from mechanism design and social choice, the paper argues that the “bad” equilibria we see in overdose and addiction policy are not random failures. They emerge from incentive structures that reward visible punishment, central control, and risk‑avoidant bureaucracy over decentralized, evidence‑based care.
A few themes that may interest folks in economics, public policy, and health:
How carceral logics get embedded in funding rules, compliance regimes, and performance metrics.
Why local actors can be systematically steered away from harm reduction, even when they know it works.
What institutional reforms could realign incentives toward treatment, recovery, and community‑based support.
If you work in health policy, criminal justice, behavioral health, or are simply interested in how mechanism design can illuminate real‑world institutional failures, I’d welcome your feedback, questions, and critiques.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6173484That is about as heartbreaking and enraging as I was expecting, unfortunately. Sounds like we need better mechanisms for selecting these coalitions. Although my shooting-from-the-hip guess is that I stared at that for a while I'd find other equilibria around civic engagement,... Imagine... then Implement
Imagine online polling of only verified registered voters of a specific voting district who publicly cast their poll votes in polls that parallel “real-world” voting systems of elections for candidates, and/or agenda items in town council meetings, in that exact voter’s voting... Wanting to help with the LA fires. Write posts in my head often and do not actually write them. There is some block on having a good idea and believing it's worth sharing and then not actually sharing it. Liked the intro here on uptrust: "What's Good.." and it inspired me to write even though it's not feeling like it's a response to what is good. Let me try. What is good - having ideas, thoughts, suggestions.
Right now wanting to ask our county and city officials to organize something for residents to participate in clean up. Specifically along the ocean. The good is that i'm not alone in this craving to help and the importance we feel in keeping the ocean clean. Surprised to find friends who don't like sand or getting wet caring bout this issue as well. There is no way to go there, the military will not let you pass thru. it seems like a warzone, completely blocked off to all of us who want to help. Some how wishing this wasn't just an idea and was something city officials were actively working on. How to use the funding to provide protective gear for citizens with trucks to go to the area and get as much off the beach as possible. Know thousands or more would show up. Maybe we need rsepirators and of course gloves (most of us have the basics like gloves and masks). I have a hazmat suit passed along from my aunt in Maui who got these supplies from fema after the fire there. So there would be some costs for that supplies, but there would be so much free labor. Sure liability and safety protocols and awareness of what is possible. But if the governor can suspend red tape for rebuilds, how bout suspend red tape for volunteer clean up.
As i type this, i feel my heart racing. The powerlessness. Who can i reach? Actually a friend asked me to reach out to her friend on the Malibu city council and suggest these ideas. That was a few hours ago. Instead of getting this idea to Haylin. Hearing Forest talk bout posting on fb, i can feel the fear in my body as well. AND this is just about volunteers, but the powerlessness.
What's good? The idea is good. The desire to share, help is good. The freeze to share is what i'm facing and glad to have shared this here. Thank you.
Writing the above has given me some motivation to reach out to the Malibu city council and just put in my two cents. Above is needing editing and re-wording and pizazz. But what is good: Movement towards sharing ideas, movement towards feeling freedom to share.... Politics self-assessment quiz from an integral perspective
I’m obsessively working on a course I’ve been trying to build for 4 years and have recently made big breakthroughs with. I’ve just completed the first draft of questions in the topic of politics.... Who am I to decide? California General Election is here and once again I’m asked to decide the fate of a few propositions which I believe I’m in no position to make decisions on.
For example, Prop 2 an 4 are asking for $10B of debt each to fund various important things. Who am I to decide whether that’s a good idea or not? I have barely a clue about the inflationary monetary system we live in and no idea where its limits are. What percentage of state budget does debt interest constitute? Is that too much or on par with the state economy?
Then there’s rent control, minimum wage increase, and a few other, highly debatable props, which I’d guess even the experts would be lost trying to predict the effects of.
Do I assume the government has done their due diligence and my vote is simply a measure of trust?
I feel overwhelmed by the lack of data, expert guidance, anything of real value to me, the voter. I’m only given a few cursory meaningless numbers and a bunch of emotional arguments in the official voter guide.
How do you decide on things like that? Do you do your own research? Do you look at endorsements? Do you use your intuition?
I do some google searching, like I am now for prop a in Travis county (which was opaque to me, but now after maybe 10 minutes of research seems like a good idea). I spend maybe an hour total reading overviews and a pro vs con.... Who am I to decide? California General Election is here and once again I’m asked to decide the fate of a few propositions which I believe I’m in no position to make decisions on.
For example, Prop 2 an 4 are asking for $10B of debt each to fund various important things. Who am I to decide whether that’s a good idea or not? I have barely a clue about the inflationary monetary system we live in and no idea where its limits are. What percentage of state budget does debt interest constitute? Is that too much or on par with the state economy?
Then there’s rent control, minimum wage increase, and a few other, highly debatable props, which I’d guess even the experts would be lost trying to predict the effects of.
Do I assume the government has done their due diligence and my vote is simply a measure of trust?
I feel overwhelmed by the lack of data, expert guidance, anything of real value to me, the voter. I’m only given a few cursory meaningless numbers and a bunch of emotional arguments in the official voter guide.
How do you decide on things like that? Do you do your own research? Do you look at endorsements? Do you use your intuition?
Do I assume the government has done their due diligence and my vote is simply a measure of trust? Absolutely not. I now think saying "the government" is a little like saying "capitalism" or "christianity"—mormons and catholics are quite different.... Who am I to decide? California General Election is here and once again I’m asked to decide the fate of a few propositions which I believe I’m in no position to make decisions on.
For example, Prop 2 an 4 are asking for $10B of debt each to fund various important things. Who am I to decide whether that’s a good idea or not? I have barely a clue about the inflationary monetary system we live in and no idea where its limits are. What percentage of state budget does debt interest constitute? Is that too much or on par with the state economy?
Then there’s rent control, minimum wage increase, and a few other, highly debatable props, which I’d guess even the experts would be lost trying to predict the effects of.
Do I assume the government has done their due diligence and my vote is simply a measure of trust?
I feel overwhelmed by the lack of data, expert guidance, anything of real value to me, the voter. I’m only given a few cursory meaningless numbers and a bunch of emotional arguments in the official voter guide.
How do you decide on things like that? Do you do your own research? Do you look at endorsements? Do you use your intuition?
This is such a thing; and I really appreciate you speaking to it from the first person perspective. Hot take: this is one reason why I don’t get behind "get out to vote" campaigns.... Who am I to decide?
California General Election is here and once again I’m asked to decide the fate of a few propositions which I believe I’m in no position to make decisions on. For example, Prop 2 an 4 are asking for $10B of debt each to fund various important things.... Teal Version of US Democracy
I asked ChatGpt what changes could be made to US democracy to make it teal. I really dig these concepts. I hadn’t ever heard of Liquid Voting before, and it sounds cool as heck.... Could it be ethically ok to not vote? note: I posted this two hours before Biden stepped down. It’s possible that a different Dem candidate could change my choices, but my overall perspective feels the same.
A lot of people I’m close to have very strong opinions that to not vote in this presidential election is wrong. But I have no interest in voting. It genuinely seems to me that things will be perfectly not ideal no matter what happens in the election.
My best guess of what’s happening culturally is that the
mean green meme
has gotten really far down its negative feedback loop, and red, orange, and amber are swarming on the attack. If that’s right, a breaking point of sorts will have to be hit for teal to get to its tipping point. In 12-step terms, green would have to hit rock bottom to be able to finally admit it has a problem and needs help.I wouldn’t be surprised if teal’s tipping point would have to be particularly intense because it’s also the tipping point into second tier, and we have no historical reference for what it takes for a culture to begin to get a foothold in a new tier (the big bang, the formulation of simple cells, and the leap from apes to humans might be comparable but difficult to translate…)
This thought process just leaves me trusting what’s happening, and voting just doesn’t feel like one of the ways I want to participate in this happening.
Anecdote time. My dad was involved in politics at the state level, and eventually became disillusioned by it all. One year he was particularly dismayed by the options, wrote a polite letter about it, attached the fine for not voting, and mailed to the Australian Electoral... Could it be ethically ok to not vote? note: I posted this two hours before Biden stepped down. It’s possible that a different Dem candidate could change my choices, but my overall perspective feels the same.
A lot of people I’m close to have very strong opinions that to not vote in this presidential election is wrong. But I have no interest in voting. It genuinely seems to me that things will be perfectly not ideal no matter what happens in the election.
My best guess of what’s happening culturally is that the
mean green meme
has gotten really far down its negative feedback loop, and red, orange, and amber are swarming on the attack. If that’s right, a breaking point of sorts will have to be hit for teal to get to its tipping point. In 12-step terms, green would have to hit rock bottom to be able to finally admit it has a problem and needs help.I wouldn’t be surprised if teal’s tipping point would have to be particularly intense because it’s also the tipping point into second tier, and we have no historical reference for what it takes for a culture to begin to get a foothold in a new tier (the big bang, the formulation of simple cells, and the leap from apes to humans might be comparable but difficult to translate…)
This thought process just leaves me trusting what’s happening, and voting just doesn’t feel like one of the ways I want to participate in this happening.
In Australia we have compulsory voting. You get fined if you don’t vote. I think that came from a belief that we’re pretty apathetic and might not engage with the system otherwise. This isn’t always a clear win.... Could it be ethically ok to not vote? note: I posted this two hours before Biden stepped down. It’s possible that a different Dem candidate could change my choices, but my overall perspective feels the same.
A lot of people I’m close to have very strong opinions that to not vote in this presidential election is wrong. But I have no interest in voting. It genuinely seems to me that things will be perfectly not ideal no matter what happens in the election.
My best guess of what’s happening culturally is that the
mean green meme
has gotten really far down its negative feedback loop, and red, orange, and amber are swarming on the attack. If that’s right, a breaking point of sorts will have to be hit for teal to get to its tipping point. In 12-step terms, green would have to hit rock bottom to be able to finally admit it has a problem and needs help.I wouldn’t be surprised if teal’s tipping point would have to be particularly intense because it’s also the tipping point into second tier, and we have no historical reference for what it takes for a culture to begin to get a foothold in a new tier (the big bang, the formulation of simple cells, and the leap from apes to humans might be comparable but difficult to translate…)
This thought process just leaves me trusting what’s happening, and voting just doesn’t feel like one of the ways I want to participate in this happening.
I think it’s definitely ethical to choose not to vote. Elections as they are presented to us today are a very specific frame that we all choose to buy into (mostly without being aware that it’s our choice). Choosing not to engage is also a choice, and a perfectly valid one imo.... Could it be ethically ok to not vote? note: I posted this two hours before Biden stepped down. It’s possible that a different Dem candidate could change my choices, but my overall perspective feels the same.
A lot of people I’m close to have very strong opinions that to not vote in this presidential election is wrong. But I have no interest in voting. It genuinely seems to me that things will be perfectly not ideal no matter what happens in the election.
My best guess of what’s happening culturally is that the
mean green meme
has gotten really far down its negative feedback loop, and red, orange, and amber are swarming on the attack. If that’s right, a breaking point of sorts will have to be hit for teal to get to its tipping point. In 12-step terms, green would have to hit rock bottom to be able to finally admit it has a problem and needs help.I wouldn’t be surprised if teal’s tipping point would have to be particularly intense because it’s also the tipping point into second tier, and we have no historical reference for what it takes for a culture to begin to get a foothold in a new tier (the big bang, the formulation of simple cells, and the leap from apes to humans might be comparable but difficult to translate…)
This thought process just leaves me trusting what’s happening, and voting just doesn’t feel like one of the ways I want to participate in this happening.
So cool to read this. Had me think of a version of rank-choice voting where you can weight your choices too, spread out 100 units of your preference among as many people as you want....