Posted by Tina
Radical environmentalist and founder of Pay Pal, Peter Thiel, is one of the “brains” behind an idea to create a floating city in the Pacific. A few years ago they (Thiel and the Seasteading Institute ) thought they would position it off the West Coast but obviously they’ve changed their minds. The plan now is to work with French Polynesia to position it in sheltered waters off the island of Tahiti. The purpose for building this city is expressed as a moral imperative: “…building floating cities is the first step to fulfilling ‘the eight great moral imperatives.'” Immediate goals include trying “new modes of government” and testing “new ideas on how to feed the hungry, cure the sick, clean the atmosphere and enrich the poor.” The interest from the islands is expressed in their fears of the “risk from rising sea levels.” (I wonder who sold them on that idea, hmmm?)
I find it interesting that this Utopian dream is based, in part, on the idea that with less government interference and regulation the smart people behind the project will be free to innovate. Free of what, pray tell? Why, free of government interference, of course.
Peter Thiel is one of the wealthy ($2.6 billion) big corporate guys who supports the regulating and controlling left. He has no problem with the rest of us being under the thumb of big government, in fact he pushes for it, he funds it.
In case you are wondering, the “eight great moral imperatives are, as expressed by the Seasteading Institute, as follows:
When we listen to the sea, we know what our moral imperatives are. Enrich the poor. Cure the Sick. Feed the Hungry. Clean the atmosphere. Restore the oceans. Live in balance with nature. Power the world sustainably. Stop fighting.
Seems to me the “sea” has done quite a bit of damage, including to the hungry and poor at times, but no matter. We can be generous and agree it’s the thought that counts.
To be clear I have no problem with any of these imperatives. I do have a problem with the flawed premises on which they are founded. For instance, stop fighting? Please. Any time you get more than one person in any system there will be fighting…in fact we humans fight even with ourselves on a daily basis! So who are they kidding? Given the natural state of mankind, and for that matter the climate, striving for perfection is a pie in the sky goal. What will happen if a tsunami hits, for instance? The power of the ocean is mighty. Could that floating island become a flying object of death under those circumstances or would it’s “sheltered” position prevent that? Have they even considered the possibility?
The United States of America already is (at least it was) a perfected form of government that was excellent for innovation and testing new ideas. It still is despite the socialist fog hanging over it. Democrats in this country, democrats like Peter Thiel, are the ones who have worked to destroy the freedom to innovate that was once fully enjoyed by creative entrepreneurs. Peter Tiel imagines he can start at Eden and maintain that as he denies living in a fallen world. His little experiment will end up exactly where we are now. If those involved in the experiment are fortunate the ideals of our founding will form the basis for the government they create. But given who we’re talking about that likelihood is pretty far fetched.
When human beings dismiss God they begin to think they are god. Systems created under little gods have never worked out in all of history. Nevertheless, I wish them well. Many good things could come out of the project as long as they remain true to the idea of freedom and don’t use the UN to try to impose (force) their will.