While reading this, I had the impression that most of what O’Neill was saying was rebounding off the surface of my brain and out my mouth, eyes and ears. But at the same time, a deeper part of me understood what he was talking about which is the transition from the old tradition of writers writing for their own national audience, to a more universal one.
Or at least, that is what I took away from it. I’m sure if I were more accomplished in the literary field, I would know more about the references he makes. But even still, through all the foggy references, I can still see that what he says is important: the world is changing, becoming flatter, and literature (and the authors themselves) is changing, too. It is changing in a way that allows all writers everywhere to share their experiences with all people, and it allows their message to be heard and understood, no matter where they are from.
Monday, November 16, 2009
15 Ways to Fix the World: Summary
Overall, there are some decent suggestions among the 15 (a national high-speed rail line, an end to the war in Afghanistan, and a reorganization are my three favorites).
However, I think many of these plans are based on speculation and lack any convincing power if ever they would be presented formally to Congress or the American people. It will be difficult to convince people (especially today’s congressmen and women) that these ideas are worth pursuing.
When the country went through the depression, F.D.R implemented the New Deal, with a supportive congress, and flooded Capital Hill with new programs that would, he hoped, pull America out of the Great Depression.
These plans are not exclusively for the purpose of reviving the economy, but they are all aimed at the general revitalization of our world. And like I say, there is just no motivation to go through with some of them.
I know the point of making a list of ideas is to think of a lot of them, even if they are bad, and try to find one or two that will really work. To me, however, this list is just a poor effort at that. We could find many more substantial ideas than these (I don’t claim that I could do better personally, but some one can).
However, I think many of these plans are based on speculation and lack any convincing power if ever they would be presented formally to Congress or the American people. It will be difficult to convince people (especially today’s congressmen and women) that these ideas are worth pursuing.
When the country went through the depression, F.D.R implemented the New Deal, with a supportive congress, and flooded Capital Hill with new programs that would, he hoped, pull America out of the Great Depression.
These plans are not exclusively for the purpose of reviving the economy, but they are all aimed at the general revitalization of our world. And like I say, there is just no motivation to go through with some of them.
I know the point of making a list of ideas is to think of a lot of them, even if they are bad, and try to find one or two that will really work. To me, however, this list is just a poor effort at that. We could find many more substantial ideas than these (I don’t claim that I could do better personally, but some one can).
Civilize Homeland Security
The suggestion of James Fallows is to reorganize the Department of Homeland Security into a department similar to those during Eisenhower’s presidency is certainly interesting. Especially since, as Fallows points out, Eisenhower’s security spending included funding for new roads, new energy, new research and more jobs.
This plan seems more workable because it doesn’t rely on an untried or untested method; all this plan advocates is a reorganization of an inefficient government program and its success has already been seen in previous years.
But generally, I think this article brings up another issue: the government should ALWAYS be updating its programs and improving their efficiency.
This plan seems more workable because it doesn’t rely on an untried or untested method; all this plan advocates is a reorganization of an inefficient government program and its success has already been seen in previous years.
But generally, I think this article brings up another issue: the government should ALWAYS be updating its programs and improving their efficiency.
Privatize the Seas
In order to save the worlds dwindling supply of fish, Easterbrook suggests that the nations of the world agree to ‘privatize’ the seas.
Well, I suppose if you had a million police boats dispersed around the oceans of the world, yes this would be a fantastic idea. But the oceans are just too big to police. And large fisheries would very likely violate any kind of ordinance that prevented them from making money. Here again, self-interest trumps world progress.
Well, I suppose if you had a million police boats dispersed around the oceans of the world, yes this would be a fantastic idea. But the oceans are just too big to police. And large fisheries would very likely violate any kind of ordinance that prevented them from making money. Here again, self-interest trumps world progress.
Pay the Artist
This suggestion is one of the most intriguing among the group for me. I think this is because there is almost no substantiating evidence for Salmon’s claim that investment in the arts creates jobs.
Salmon says that the fact that artists spend money quickly and carefully which is why it is so beneficial. But is this true for all artists? And, again, where is the evidence that art employs more people than, say, a nation effort to construct new highways and other infrastructure programs?
I am very uncertain about this suggestion. I wish there was more to go on than a lofty accusation the arts are more profitable than infrastructure.
Salmon says that the fact that artists spend money quickly and carefully which is why it is so beneficial. But is this true for all artists? And, again, where is the evidence that art employs more people than, say, a nation effort to construct new highways and other infrastructure programs?
I am very uncertain about this suggestion. I wish there was more to go on than a lofty accusation the arts are more profitable than infrastructure.
End the Vice Presidency
While I don’t think this suggesting is vey ‘big picture’, I completely agree. The Vice President is a completely useless. His constitutional power is to settle ties in the senate (in the event that there is one) – that job can be done by someone else…just like all of the other stuff he does.
Other than the fact that I think the idea of a Vice President is stupid, I don’t think there is any real motivation to abolish the office. I mean, yes, it’s pointless. But it won’t make our government run any more smoothly, it won’t save us billions of dollars, and it won’t make us any money either. (I realize that Chaney is an exception)
Other than the fact that I think the idea of a Vice President is stupid, I don’t think there is any real motivation to abolish the office. I mean, yes, it’s pointless. But it won’t make our government run any more smoothly, it won’t save us billions of dollars, and it won’t make us any money either. (I realize that Chaney is an exception)
End All Taxes - Except One
I’m very interested in economics and the way our market has been affected by the recession, but I don’t know enough about taxes to truly understand this piece. It sounds like a good idea, but here again, there are only vague illusions to evidence of this idea’s validity.
I agree with Salam’s stance on income taxes: why are productive members of society forced to give a cut of their earnings to the government? But in order for our government to survive, they need to collect taxes, and the successfulness of this One-Tax-System can only be measured after its implementation; we won’t know how good or bad it is because its never been done.
I agree with Salam’s stance on income taxes: why are productive members of society forced to give a cut of their earnings to the government? But in order for our government to survive, they need to collect taxes, and the successfulness of this One-Tax-System can only be measured after its implementation; we won’t know how good or bad it is because its never been done.
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