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Paypal billionaire Peter Thiel...has teamed up with the grandson of libertarian icon Milton Friedman, Patri Friedman, to try and develop a “seastead,” or a permanent and autonomous dwelling at sea. Friedman formed the “Seasteading Institute” in 2008, and Thiel has donated more than a million dollars to fund its creation...
they claim a floating city could be just years away. The real trick is finding a proper location to build this twenty-first century Atlantis. Currently, they are attempting to find a host nation that will allow the floating city somewhat close to land, for the calm waters and ability to easily travel to and from the seastead.
In recent years there have been reports of similar efforts, like the Freedom Ship, a floating city designed to house 50,000 people, with a landing strip on top of the vessel.
Such concepts raise the questions, "Can these communities create new social structures when the subconscious societal norms we all grow up with have such a powerful influence on our expectations?" and "Is the ocean really the best place to site these communities, given how powerful, treacherous, and corrosive an environment the sea is?"
(Score: 5, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Thursday March 19 2015, @01:50AM
"Can these communities create new social structures when the subconscious societal norms we all grow up with have such a powerful influence on our expectations?"
No.
But, why would they need to? Even Communism works when the population can fit on a boat...
(Score: 4, Funny) by TLA on Thursday March 19 2015, @01:55AM
and when they run out of biscuits, they can always fall back on democracy to decide who gets eaten first.
Excuse me, I think I need to reboot my horse. - NCommander
(Score: 4, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 19 2015, @04:28AM
The opposite of Communism is Capitalism.
The opposite of Democracy is Totalitarianism.
...and Communism requires Democracy to work.
Those places that have called themselves "Communist" (USSR, Red China, North Korea) have actually been Totalitarian governments with State Capitalism as the economic system.
They simply replaced the tiny number of people in charge with a different tiny bunch.
That's not Communism, that's Fascism.
-- gewg_
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 19 2015, @04:45AM
Thank you gewg
What is the _ for?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 19 2015, @07:00AM
It's a real shame that Comparative Economics and Comparative Governmental Systems aren't taught in most places.
The trailing underscore is for uniqueness.
There was a time when I could google myself and get practically nothing else.
-- gewg_
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 19 2015, @08:05PM
You still can, just takes little more google-fu than before
https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=intext:gewg_&gbv=1 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 20 2015, @12:59AM
Yes, genius, people can still do google searches.
The intext: parameter, however, doesn't filter much, if anything.
Getting back to my original point, the top hit on my long-time handle is now Greg Dawson (not I).
You will find text strings that aren't all lowercase and that's noise too.
There are also things like German Educational Working Group that come up.
It's been a long long time since you could do a search and get just me.
-- gewg_
(Score: 1) by turgid on Thursday March 19 2015, @10:18PM
Stop talking sense. The intertubes cannae take it, captain.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 19 2015, @02:13AM
And you all thought those sociology majors would have to give up their drivel after they graduated.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 19 2015, @02:45AM
If a capitalist seastead can exist outside national boundaries and laws, people who live there will pay for the privilege to live there. Any dissatisfaction with services (including security/policing) and living conditions will have to be addressed, otherwise the residents will just go somewhere else. Residents will still hold citizenship in another country. If they can continue to make money while on the seastead, they could live there indefinitely. Much easier for the rich than the poor, but some poorer people may choose to be employed and live there. As time goes on a lot of the jobs needed on a seastead or cruise ship will be automated anyway.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Thursday March 19 2015, @07:15AM
"Can these communities create new social structures?
No, again.
Sooner or later Tina Turner is going to have to go up against Master-Blaster! Who runs Floaty Town?