systems thinking

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.

1. Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) on a National Scale
   Description: Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than voting for just one candidate. If no candidate wins a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on voters’ next preferences. This process continues until a candidate wins a majority.
   Teal Impact: RCV encourages more nuanced, cooperative, and less divisive campaigns, as candidates are incentivized to appeal to a broader range of voters, not just their base. It reduces the polarization inherent in two-party systems and promotes coalition-building, which aligns with teal values of inclusivity, complexity thinking, and the integration of diverse perspectives.

2. Deliberative Voting Structures
   Description: Deliberative democracy involves structured, informed, and inclusive discussions among citizens prior to voting. Participants engage in dialogue to explore different viewpoints and potential solutions before casting their vote.
   Teal Impact: This would encourage citizens to move beyond partisan talking points and engage in deep, meaningful discussions about policy and candidates. It fosters greater empathy, collaboration, and systems thinking—key elements of teal governance—by helping voters understand the interconnectedness of issues and the long-term consequences of their choices.

3. Proportional Representation
   Description: In a proportional representation system, legislative seats are allocated based on the percentage of votes each party receives. For example, if a party receives 30% of the vote, they would hold 30% of the seats in the legislature.
   Teal Impact: Proportional representation encourages a more inclusive and diverse political landscape by allowing multiple parties and viewpoints to be represented. This system discourages binary winner-take-all thinking and creates space for collaboration and compromise. In a teal system, this would better reflect the complex spectrum of human development and values, leading to a more integrated and balanced government.

4. Liquid Democracy
   Description: Liquid democracy allows voters to either cast their own vote on issues or delegate their vote to a trusted representative or expert. Unlike traditional representative systems, delegations can be revoked or reassigned at any time, allowing for a dynamic and responsive voting structure.
   Teal Impact: Liquid democracy would enable a more fluid and flexible form of representation, where citizens could actively participate in areas where they feel knowledgeable and delegate in areas where they do not. This approach mirrors teal values by empowering individuals to engage in governance based on their unique strengths and knowledge, while also fostering collective intelligence by delegating decisions to trusted experts when needed.

5. Holacratic Voting
   Description: Holacratic governance is a decentralized system where power is distributed among roles or circles rather than individuals. In a holacratic voting structure, small, autonomous groups (circles) would vote on issues related to their specific roles and areas of expertise.
   Teal Impact: A holacratic system of voting would distribute decision-making power more evenly across the population, reflecting the teal emphasis on self-organization and decentralization. Citizens would have more direct influence on issues relevant to their communities and professions, creating a more organic and adaptable system of governance that empowers people at all levels.

6. Consensus-Based Voting for Key Decisions
   Description: Instead of simple majority rule, consensus-based voting requires that decisions achieve broad agreement among participants, often with mechanisms to ensure minority voices are heard. Modifications to proposals can be made to accommodate different viewpoints.
   Teal Impact: Consensus-based voting aligns with teal’s focus on inclusivity, cooperation, and holistic solutions. It prevents majoritarian dominance and encourages decision-making processes that take into account the needs and concerns of all stakeholders. This approach fosters a deeper sense of community and shared responsibility, which is essential in a teal democracy.

7. Policy Feedback Loops and Systems Thinking in Voting
   Description: In a teal democracy, voting structures could be designed to include mechanisms for ongoing policy feedback loops. Citizens would have the ability to vote on policies or amendments, but also provide real-time feedback on how policies are working through ongoing participatory platforms.
   Teal Impact: This system would help voters think in complex, systems-based terms, encouraging them to consider the long-term and interconnected effects of policies. By integrating feedback loops into the voting structure, it would create a more adaptive and responsive governance system that evolves based on the changing needs and conditions of society, aligning with teal’s focus on evolutionary development.

8. Blockchain-Based Voting for Transparency and Trust
   Description: Blockchain technology can be used to create a secure, transparent voting system that allows for tamper-proof voting records. Voters can cast their votes digitally, and the system ensures that each vote is counted accurately while preserving voter anonymity.
   Teal Impact: Blockchain voting would enhance trust in the electoral process by providing complete transparency and accountability. This technology could reduce concerns about fraud or manipulation and make elections more accessible, particularly for marginalized communities. Teal democracy values transparency, trust, and fairness, and blockchain would support these principles.

9. Participatory Budgeting at National and Local Levels
   Description: Participatory budgeting allows citizens to directly decide how to allocate a portion of the public budget. It has been used successfully in cities around the world to give citizens a direct say in how funds are spent on community projects.
   Teal Impact: By scaling participatory budgeting to both local and national levels, a teal voting structure would empower citizens to engage in collaborative decision-making about public resources. This process would deepen civic engagement, promote collective responsibility, and ensure that public spending aligns more closely with the needs and priorities of the people.

10. Multi-Level and Issue-Specific Voting
    Description: In a teal democracy, voters could have the opportunity to vote on different levels of governance (local, state, national) and on specific issues, such as environmental policy, healthcare, or education, through issue-based elections. This could allow citizens to participate more actively in areas they are passionate or knowledgeable about.
    Teal Impact: Issue-specific voting reflects teal values by encouraging deeper engagement in governance. Citizens can focus their energy on specific issues where they have expertise or passion, allowing for more nuanced and informed decisions. It would also decentralize power and ensure that specific areas of governance are shaped by those most interested and knowledgeable about them.

How can meta-awareness be trained? Any ideas? So I’m trying to purposefully train my meta-awareness. One thing that’s hard about it is I want to be seen as super meta-aware and so I hide how I’m not.

My current training method: Catching flies with fly paper.

I eat breakfast outside and the flies always come for the bowl and so I hung up four fly papers in a square and then put the bowl under it when I’m done. It’s really weird to watch them get caught and die. Some get away. One got away today and immediately landed on another strip.

I’m using this like a metaphor right now.

The flies are thoughts.

The paper is attachment.

To train meta-awareness I need to be aware (not pro or con) of the attachment-ability of my mind and its thoughts as well as the space in between where the bowl of food is placed.

I sit in an interaction and wait until I think four thoughts and then I hold them meaning I don’t think about them but I don’t push them away.

I imagine that once I’m holding the four thoughts I have entered a nascent state, like I’m a baby consciousness and I tell myself there is a new action possible but that I maybe haven’t seen it so I both have to do something hard (baby grabbing cup) + something novel (Blas not acting out, Blas not just reporting feelings).

It’s really fucking hard. I kinda fall back on what I know if the stuckness lasts too long.

Anybody have tips about mistakes I could be making with this? Anybody else have ideas? Bonus points and trustability if it doesn’t sound like regurgitated Bhagavad Gita.

I’m really sure I’m meta-aware in some ways and really disidentified with how I got here, how to turn it up, etc.

How to do the basics when your life feels like a dumpster fire? I’m working through some super deep shit in therapy right now. I found out that my dad is a diagnosed Covert Vulnerable Narcissist and I’m going back through all the memories in which I have him filed in my mind as a victim and looking through what I now know reality to be. It’s super duper disorienting and intimidating; my inner world is a mix of emptiness and everything out of place, and my coping skills are patchy.

One of today’s coping skills has been watching videos of a dude detailing very dirty messy cars. Seeing a literal version of what I’m attempting to do in my internal world seems to help somehow.

And watching videos of people playing NES Super Mario Bros. How am I only just now noticing that Bowser is a gay leather bear?