Theoretically, at least, all human beings were born free and equal. However, once we grow up, we come to understand that the reality of our world does not provide these normal things, quite the contrary! And it is not about some restrictions of the natural environment, the place where we may move and live freely, nor about the people around you. It is about the social norms and legal obligations imposed by your bigger group, those rules you might not like, but which you will be compelled to respect. However, as the time goes by, we all are getting used to obey these rules due to our social mimicry, coming to believe that this is the normal, the real freedom. The genetic heritage of each of us generates a race, gender, ethnicity, family and country differentiation, as we belong to a particular group that has specific features, preventing our full equality within the species. In this modern era, the liberty and equality were both proclaimed for all of us, plus something called "human rights", but they seem to me more like words especially meant to inhibit our "senses". Modernity also proclaims democracy, as being the power of some ethnically or geographically differentiated people to elect a group to rule them. This soon proved to be a utopian idea, which only sounded very nice in theory. In fact, the free speech, right to vote and other fundamental human rights are only ensuring a pseudo-exercise of power in our very large communities. Socrates himself raised some legitimate questions related to democracy and its very nature - seen as an unjust and corrupt political system - and this nice concept was proven wrong since the beginning! But the idea seemed useful to many leaders and most regimes, and it is still applied today, in various forms.
For hundreds of years, our leaders have learned to take the full advantage of this concept, maintaining their positions and privileges in the name of a principle with almost no real content! They have relied upon the idea that it would be very difficult for members to give up on the primary protection provided by their group. This primal instinct of survival is hardwired in our species' DNA, and it was continuously and fully exploited by unscrupulous leaders. Small revolts, rational and justified ones, of people who no longer wanted the dictatorship of the majority, did not overcome this important force. And this is not a subtle plea for anarchy, or for a utopian society based on limitless freedom, it is just an observation of today's reality.
A new, modern vision is missing to all leaders of our world; they all seem stuck in unviable historical constructs. The rules they had imposed to fix some obvious social errors have all turned into some stifling restrictions that actually have increased the number of problems. Individual freedom is becoming more and more a meaningless word; human rights are seriously limited, abusively and illegally, and the extensive control starts to dominate our society.
Regardless of the technological progress of many nations, of fast
Internet or mobile communications, of the scientific advancements in all fields, global politics and international relations seem to be in a prehistoric period. There is no global management of the planet-wide problems, no concerted actions to protect the environment and to reduce the greenhouse effect, nothing to improve the health of the planetary ecosystem and of the population! No. Globalization, basically a good idea, is just a word. There are instead many conflicts between countries and peoples, astronomical military budgets, crimes and destruction - it seems that we are intensively preparing to kill each other. A global unifying effort is completely missing these days, a plan to normalize the planet and the life of every human being, to bring peace and equilibrium for good. Sadly, most people take for granted the current way our world is organized and cannot see the alternatives. Moreover, they are practically forced to live a sort of Stockholm Syndrome endlessly, accepting quietly a ruling minority with no vision. It is in fact a state of subtle, but global alienation, which currently overshadows and annihilates the positive, normal and authentic side of the modern man.
Considering the technological level of humanity, in balance with the standard of living of each human being, the level of Earth's resources and the state of the natural environment - whose rate of increase or decrease are quite different - some global measures have to be taken immediately. My optimistic perspective on this presumes at least two hundred years until something will change significantly. What should we do now? In the first place, we have to optimize the allocation and exploitation of any resource; also, serious efforts must be made to stop the conventional and nuclear arms races, diverting their budgets to the scientific research. For example, toward medicine, efficient agriculture, toward robotics and to the conquest of cosmic space. Then, a gradual optimization of the world population, in order to ensure a decent standard of living and a good healthcare for everybody. Also, the educational systems should be adapted immediately to the new requirements. Third, our mentality needs to be changed and a new scale of values has to be built. The world needs new economic models. Money must be transformed - as they can no longer reflect any normal, absolute value in the actual financial systems. All political systems must be eliminated. Experts need be consulted in any economic and social matters. All people need to understand this new initiative and implement it, changing their current status quo. The very foundation of our society will change, along with the concepts of state and possession; we will respect each other's rights and we will collaborate globally, protecting the natural environment. The technology will work for us, while we build a better future and live normally. The fall of ideologies and religions of any kind is predictable and it seems absolutely necessary. Of course, these rules must be slightly adjusted once we have reached to other planets, when our life and cohabitation will be more difficult.
This new initiative must be started as soon as possible, the downfall and annihilation of humanity must be stopped now, also the degradation of the environment and of the quality of life. My hope is that we have not reached yet a tipping point and we are still able to get back on the right track!
It is obvious that the mental changes will lead to profound changes in the society. Therefore, our social life will have to adapt to a decent cohabitation, based on respect, tolerance and common goal, in which each individual must have a conscious contribution to the welfare of the community. This new social model cannot be fully defined right now, but we only may say that it simply derives from the word normality.
Our inner animal and our initial ignorance made us pay a great price. The fights must come to an end. We found out the explanations for the so-called four basic elements of nature (fire, water, air and earth), we know who we are and where we are heading to; all fundamental questions have been answered. The fantasy of a mighty creator is no longer needed, as it never did. Now is the perfect time for this mystical-religious delirium, any forms it would still have, to stop and disappear forever. The evil things done over thousands of years by religions and by their fairy tales, the crimes made by the followers in the name of their "faith", all of these will be forgiven and forgotten, and the humanity will take the path of normal, pure scientific knowledge, which only involve the human reason. This dark period of the mankind must end right now, and the normal scale of values must be restored. A new, rationally planned destiny of humankind will prevail. This dominant normality has a material side, which also has to be implemented. The actual level of science and technology brought us very close to a technological threshold: the man-made machines will work for us and will provide all we need for living. However, this could only happen if the machine itself will not be regarded as a potential risk, but merely as a necessary help. We are building those machines, we are giving them artificial intelligence, and we allow them to communicate with each other. Therefore, we will be the ones held responsible for their programming and supervision, for their degree of autonomy and for their decision-making level. The artificial intelligence-based machines represent a necessity, a part of humanity's hope for a better future. Although the human species will still evolve, our organic nature could be enhanced by machines and our health could be improved. Furthermore, the complexity of a machine, its potential intelligence and reliability could easily transform it into a necessary companion of humans in their journeys to other planets and stars. Only a fast machine could manage the multiple variables of this kind of travel, significantly increasing our chances of success. The redundancy offered this way to all human actions and decisions, the enormous computational power of the intelligent machines will give us safety and support in any major cosmic endeavor.