Das ganze Leben
The entire life
La vie entière

February 2011

Happiness and society 2
An economy that gives pleasure

Because we have rationalized business to a high level, it has become difficult to create sense-making jobs for everyone. It should not be a bad thing, if someone can not get a full-time job, because the capacity of the economy is big enough without him. If full employment could only be achieved by addition of meaningless work, it would be against the principles of ecology. If there is not enough work to do for everyone, then the work should be done in a way, being healthy and a joy for people doing it. We should do work for things that are meaningful, for things helping us to enrich our life! Beautiful crafts, arts, personal care and gardening could become more important. The work for high-tech mass production should meet essential criteria: environmental damages should be minimized, environmental benefits would be better. Production and distribution should be done with little energy and little material outlay. The processes for bulk products should be designed and engineered so that employees can do their work with joy. Does this mean that to the existing regulations of work and entrepreneurship more rules would be added? This would not work and not give any pleasure. Entrepreneurs need facilitated terms, in order to do their work with joy. A high pressure leads to the risk that firms begin to do harmful things.
We need to invent a capitalism that is much less dangerous and gives more freedom, happiness and fun, than that what we have now. Will we be able to take the step from a dynamic to a harmonic capitalism, so that we can preserve the earth as habitable and beautiful for human?

A solution to the problem of power

The inheritance issue is basic and utmost important. We have to strive after equal opportunities for everyone. The inheritance issue is fundamental, because if the ones begin their public life well-educated and broadly equipped and others have nearly nothing, then we do not have a equality of facilities. Companies should not have to pay much taxes, maybe they should only be taxed for compensating their negative environmental impacts in a adequate manner. Even private property should perhaps be taxed hardly. The target is to reduce pressure. The taxation of corporate and personal assets could be tied on peoples life time. Assets should not be inherited, except perhaps to the extent that they represent no economic power, such as a home. Also the parents work could be inherited to sons and daughters to continue or to complete it. A limitation of inheritance makes economically sens, because it gives young people without rich parents a chance to prove themselves and to succeed. It gives space for young, dynamic people who enjoy their work and the result of it. This would be better than the fear of the rich, to lose power and privilege and the fear of the poor, to have little chance for a rise. In a human oriented culture, people live better, healthier and nicer and get older. A diminution of money and property inheritance causes power gaps and new opportunities. It gives room for innovative groups and sole proprietors. Business should get smaller, more agile and natural. The respect for the natural life of business and private property (coming and going) is a major step towards a softer and more flexible society, as you want it, as it makes sense and gives us pleasure.
By limiting effectively the inheritance of money, power and privileges, a disturbing patriarchal structure comes to its end. It does no longer deprive young people to realize their chances. Inheritance is also known as associated with arbitrariness, injustice, fraud and dispute and that it leads unqualified people to become decision makers.
A smooth transformation of the economy for the benefit of all is possible. Because our habits inhibit economic changes, it would be a good idea to check every piece of vacant land and every empty building, to see if they are suitable for some alternative. Alternatives are one-sided and incomplete. Young entrepreneurs have little experience. They often have significant knowledge gaps. In the era of networking, it is possible to compensate for these shortcomings. The traditional economy should not be abolished. It should only get less powerful, in order to downsize its potential for corruption and violence. It should be more people-oriented, produce less waste and it should be less dangerous. The war games of traders should get less attractive. Work should be done in a way to offer for everyone joy and fulfillment.

Enclaves for experiments are important

If we intend to do major changes we have to do experiments, to get the experience which is needed. People of different ages should join together and built up their experience activity. Older people need social proximity, services and care. Young people need an environment for their children and opportunities to realize their ideas. Some people have and some are looking for a remunerated job. Targeted-oriented cooperation could work. A lot of experiments are necessary. Some enclaves for experiments can develop in a positive way and get important for all of us. A slow increase of the inheritance tax and a slow reduction of other taxes would be a step in the right direction.

The necrology for the successful

Some men want to do something with a permanent value. Some create a work, others may built an empire by the means of fighting and winning. The recognition they get is important for these people. They intend to get something like immortality. Many big moneymakers have become to success by using dingy methods. If once they feel elder then they may set up a hospital, a university or they may build a foundation. Why? They want to improve their image. They would like to be loved, recognized and honored. This shows the importance of the necrology. Each of these people must know that by his death, a group will illuminate and evaluate his public life, a group of different people representing distinct interests. The result of his work, the quality, exploitation? ecology? and his effect on the employees. All this will be considered. The group must assess in particular whether he has brought more joy or more suffering in the world.