"friday five" ... you're the king of the world !

... go on, tell us all what to do !

Published on August 13, 2004 By mignuna In Philosophy

this week in friday five, you have just been elected world leader, and everybody has to do what you say. hooray !.

now, as we all know, the world is a mess, and since you are now in charge of cleaning it all up, you'd better get your laws and priorities straight.

tomorrow, it's day one of your world leadership, and a huge press conference will await your answers to the following burning questions ...

1/ what type of salary package and benefits will you be granting yourself ?

2/ what system of government do you plan to have ?

3/ what will be your age of consent for each of the following: marriage, sex, drinking, voting, driving ?

4/ what will your initial top 5 priorities be ? (ie: health, peace, education, unemployment, drugs, etc)

5/ what will your very first action as our new world leader be ?

as always, everyone is welcome, and skip or change anything for any reason if need be. please give your reasons if you can, and thanks for visiting 'friday five'

Comments (Page 1)

chiprj

on Aug 13, 2004

1. Carte Blanche - I do have a greedy streak in me!

2. I'd like to have a mostly free democracy type government - just I can't be voted out! I'd also try my best to surround myself with a Think-Tank or Brain Trust type cabinet. I'd want subject matter experts that were in the job for the good they could do, not the power they'd have (I'm the only one that can have a power trip). The cabinet would have many positions that would include representatives of regions from all over the world. That way I could get opinions on east Asian problems from an east Asian viewpoint, in addition to what I'd get from outside the area, for example.

3. I'm sure I'd get a lot of resistance but I'd like to set the bar at 21 across the board. Even that's too young for some things in many cases. I'd lower the bar for those in public service, though (military service, civil service, that sort of thing), I mean, if you're old enough to go off and die for your country, you're old enough to do the other stuff, too. That goes for civil servants as well. Robert Heinlein's system in Starship Troopers looks very attractive to me - no service = no citizenship.

4. Of the five you listed - education, peace, health, unemployment, drugs. Education helps solve the others, in my opinion. Of the five, drugs is lowest on my radar.

5. Visit as many countries as I can. See things as they really are in person, not on paper from afar. Then rely on my Brain Trust cabinet to help implement policies and plans to help people and make changes for the better that are acceptable to the people affected. Oh, and throw a big party! You can never start the Carte Blanche thing too early!

citahellion

on Aug 13, 2004

Obviously I'm taking a U.S.-centric viewpoint here....

1/ Well, heck, if I'm helping spend the entire world's money, might as well spend a little of it on me. I don't need much salary, maybe $250,000 or so, but that's because I am able to expense just about everything.
2/ A non-traditional succession constitutional monarchy. On the assumption that I know best, I can't be voted out, but there are clear guidelines by which I must abide (to avoid the "do it or I kill you" sorts of activities). And I'm not interested in having my offspring inherit the world (literally) so I get to choose who comes after me when I quit or die.
3/ In order: 16,16, none, 21, 16.
4/ Elimination of most classes of victimless crime, especially drug-related. Imposition of extreme penalties for persons who perform criminal acts under mood- or mind-altering substances. (i.e. toke all you want, but if you get wasted and hurt someone, you're toast.) Elimination of public education, to be replaced by private schooling. (Market forces, which have already driven U.S. colleges to the top of the heap, should take care of improving basic education as well.) The money saved by eliminating public education will be funneled into vouchers and financial aid for people who need it in the new education economy. For local government, voting rights come only after military duty and successful completion of advanced civics courses.
5/ Taking a deep breath right after the swearing-in ceremony.

olikara

on Aug 13, 2004

1/ what type of salary package and benefits will you be granting yourself ?

O.K. Lets do some math here:
salary = o.s.(1 + 0.02(e.g.r))
where:
o.s. = earlier guy's salary
e.g.r. = economic growth rate

In plain english I take the earlier leader's salary and add twice the percentage increase in economic growth seen in my tenure every year.

2/ what system of government do you plan to have ?

Democracy, it works(until the mob decides to lynch you)

3/ what will be your age of consent for each of the following: marriage, sex, drinking, voting, driving ?
marriage 25
sex 21
drinking 15
voting 21
driving 18

4/ what will your initial top 5 priorities be ? (ie: health, peace, education, unemployment, drugs, etc)
peace
education
health
unemployment
welfare state(only for seniors, handicapped: jobless can find a job or starve)

5/ what will your very first action as our new world leader be ?
Order the execution(by firing squad) of the other contenders to my post

M-Post

on Aug 13, 2004

1. I'd work for a small wage... maybe 70-80k a year... live like some of the people or whatnot...

2. A monarchish democracy.... don't know how it's work but I can dream it quite well I imagine..

3. 16, 16, 18, 18, 21

4. 1st priority: A whole world get together kegger for world peace!
2nd priority: Healthcare
3rd: Legalization of certain drugs

4th: Education
5th : Unemployement

5. To uhm... uhhhh.... order the execution of all things small and furry? nah.... uhm... I don't know.... lol

Splateaux

on Aug 13, 2004

1/ what type of salary package and benefits will you be granting yourself ?

Given the responsibilities of being "the" world leader, I would get paid accordingly. I'm thinking $200,000 a year would be good enough, but of course all my traveling and such would be paid for.

2/ what system of government do you plan to have ?

A Democratic Republic seems to work pretty well. With the following changes of course:
I can't be "voted out"
Since I would have no fear of being "voted out", I wouldn't be a wuss with the tough choices.
No laws would be allowed that create an unequal situation for people of difference race, creed, religion, etc... even IF the majority wants it.
I wouldn't be allowed to make any laws that the democratic majority didn't agree with, but in return I would be able to stop any laws that the majority wants, but might keep or take away rights from someone else.

3/ what will be your age of consent for each of the following: marriage, sex, drinking, voting, driving ?

Marriage( the binding created by law wouldn't be called a marriage though, I'll leave actually marriages to their religious preference): 21, I think it's a more important decision than drinking, and you can just wait longer.
Sex: 16
Drinking: 16
Voting: 18
Driving: 21

4/ what will your initial top 5 priorities be ? (ie: health, peace, education, unemployment, drugs, etc)

1. Peace (of course this would include removing any situation where people are oppressed)
2. Reexamining what's concidered illegal for example: soft-drugs, prostituation, etc...
3. Education
4. Health

5/ what will your very first action as our new world leader be ?

Visiting and meeting people from all the countries I've yet to travel to. (...and partying with them all of course)

Sally jacobs

on Aug 13, 2004

Ok before I start, can I just say I'm really unsure about this friday Five, ruling the world has never appealed to me, hehe! I will give it a go out of respect for your Friday Fives though Mumsy

1/ what type of salary package and benefits will you be granting yourself ?

If I was to take over the world, I would have convictions in what I believe in, and believe it or not the money wouldn't matter, like I'd have time to spend it anyway! However money is always good! I'd work it on a commision basis, the more success I had in my leadership, the more money I would get. If the people weren't happy, neither would be my bank account!

2/ what system of government do you plan to have ?

Hmmm, this is a tough one, I don't think I'd pick obe certain system, we'd try a few and see what worked. Though I think more people input would be they key to my success. Or maybe just laziness on my part?

3/ what will be your age of consent for each of the following: marriage, sex, drinking, voting, driving ?

For all of the above I will go with eighteen. I would go higher with some, but I think eighteen is a fair age to be making such decisions, maybe lower with the driving. Wow I answered that one well huh....

4/ what will your initial top 5 priorities be ? (ie: health, peace, education, unemployment, drugs, etc)

Crime
Education
Health
Drugs
Unemployment

5/ what will your very first action as our new world leader be ?

Make promises I am bound to break....why change tradition

Sorry for my poor answers Mig!

mignuna

on Aug 13, 2004

Carte Blanche - I do have a greedy streak in me!

very forthright of you, chiprj

I'd also try my best to surround myself with a Think-Tank or Brain Trust type cabinet. I'd want subject matter experts that were in the job for the good they could do, not the power they'd have (I'm the only one that can have a power trip).

i love this idea, and this attitude !

I'm sure I'd get a lot of resistance but I'd like to set the bar at 21 across the board. Even that's too young for some things in many cases.

i agree with you on both the likely resistance, and the across-the-board age minimums, chiprj

Of the five you listed - education, peace, health, unemployment, drugs. Education helps solve the others, in my opinion. Of the five, drugs is lowest on my radar.

well said !

Visit as many countries as I can. See things as they really are in person, not on paper from afar. Then rely on my Brain Trust cabinet to help implement policies and plans to help people and make changes for the better that are acceptable to the people affected

sounds wonderful. when does your campaign start chiprj ? you have my vote

Oh, and throw a big party! You can never start the Carte Blanche thing too early!

bravo !!!

Same as chipri....zillions!

hehe sabrina. i like to imagine the face of the press gallery when you announce that you intend to be a salaried zillionaire

A total dictatorship, i say it, you do it. (or die.)

'my way or the highway' ! i like it !

Sex and marriage, 16. Voting, 18 (and after passing a course on civic responsibility) Drinking, 21, Driving....25. (you need a few years drinking experience first.)

i like the idea about a course in civic responsilbility before voting, and i also love the idea of raising the driving age (although at 16 i'd have squealed like a stuck pig if somebody told me i couldn't learn to drive !)

1) the immediate execution of any who might oppose me.

bwwww haaaa off with their heads ! go queen sabrina !

2) Global military dominance in order to assure my continued reign, and id implement a year of mandatory national service to be completed by every able bodied adult prior to their 25th birthday.

mandatory national service for every adult. even the chicks !. even britney spears. (especially britney spears hehe)

The re-establishment of State run orphanages, poorhouses, and old folks homes, and the elimination of all other welfare benefits.

ding dong ! you controversial ruler, you !

The immediate execution of anyone infected with a fatal and communicable disease. This will cure all kinds of problems, from aids to polio to tuberculosis

ooooh. by what method ?. will you be pro-death penalty for violent crime, world leader sabrina ?

Anything else i fuckin felt like doing, lol. Order me a pizza.

you know, i think i'd do something banal like wipe out my library fines or some other boring thing

Well, heck, if I'm helping spend the entire world's money, might as well spend a little of it on me. I don't need much salary, maybe $250,000 or so, but that's because I am able to expense just about everything.

well done, world leader citahellion. announce a reasonable salary package then hide your lavish lifestyle behind an expense account !. excellent work

A non-traditional succession constitutional monarchy. On the assumption that I know best, I can't be voted out, but there are clear guidelines by which I must abide (to avoid the "do it or I kill you" sorts of activities). And I'm not interested in having my offspring inherit the world (literally) so I get to choose who comes after me when I quit or die.

that's a very interesting answer, citahellion. a constitutional monarchy succeeded by a hand picked successor (which actually makes a lot of sense when you consider prince charles)

In order: 16,16, none, 21, 16.

ok, the only thing i can't get is "none". do you mean no age restriction (scandalous !), or no drinking (even more scandalous !) ?

(i.e. toke all you want, but if you get wasted and hurt someone, you're toast.)

good view. i like it !

The money saved by eliminating public education will be funneled into vouchers and financial aid for people who need it in the new education economy

this is amazingly indepth, citahellion. did you ever consider politics as a career ?

voting rights come only after military duty and successful completion of advanced civics courses

citahellion, it's interesting that despite the marked differences between sabrinas' answers and your own, you both expressed military duty and civic responsibility courses as requirement before voting rights are granted.

tea break !. thankyou very, very much and i'll be back to respond to the others soon.

vanessa/mig XX

mignuna

on Aug 13, 2004

In plain english I take the earlier leader's salary and add twice the percentage increase in economic growth seen in my tenure every year.

that's interesting, olikara. so your salary would be in fact 'performance based'

Democracy, it works(until the mob decides to lynch you)

awww, you make it sound like it's inevitable or something

drinking 15

that's probably the only standout change, olikara. do you have a specific reason for this preference ?

jobless can find a job or starve

wow ! hehe. that's a huge comment !

Order the execution(by firing squad) of the other contenders to my post

that works !.

. thanks olikara, and welcome to 'friday five'

I'd work for a small wage... maybe 70-80k a year... live like some of the people or whatnot...

that's very noble of you, m-post. well done

A monarchish democracy.... don't know how it's work but I can dream it quite well I imagine..

that's ok, m-post. you're allowed to invent a system of government. you're the world leader, after all !

4. 1st priority: A whole world get together kegger for world peace!2nd priority: Healthcare3rd: Legalization of certain drugs 4th: Education5th : Unemployement

excellent priorities m-post !. i love them all. when does your real-life election campaign start ?

To uhm... uhhhh.... order the execution of all things small and furry? nah.... uhm... I don't know.... lol

oh. well, i guess you can kill small furry things. as long as they're britney spears !.

Given the responsibilities of being "the" world leader, I would get paid accordingly. I'm thinking $200,000 a year would be good enough, but of course all my traveling and such would be paid for.

good idea, splateaux. citahellion had planned that, too. take a basic salary to look good to the 'subjects', then have a never ending expense account. perfect !'

every single one of us, regardless of our govt choice, are absolutely NEVER going to be voted out !. i love it !

21, I think it's a more important decision than drinking, and you can just wait longer

i agree, splateaux. at 18, it's always a mistake.

Peace (of course this would include removing any situation where people are oppressed)

you win best answer award again, splateaux. this should be the worlds' priority now.

Reexamining what's concidered illegal for example: soft-drugs, prostituation, etc...

excellent !. the word 'soft' is encouraging there

3. Education4. Health

very definite priorities. and very global-minded. that's great, splateaux.

Visiting and meeting people from all the countries I've yet to travel to. (...and partying with them all of course

australia ? ... of course australia

Ok before I start, can I just say I'm really unsure about this friday Five, ruling the world has never appealed to me, hehe! I will give it a go out of respect for your Friday Fives though Mumsy

sal, i'm very glad you're here. i don't want to rule the world, either hehe. it's just fun to think about !.

I'd work it on a commision basis, the more success I had in my leadership, the more money I would get. If the people weren't happy, neither would be my bank account!

that's great idea, sal. olikara actually has a similar idea above, so you're in good company

Though I think more people input would be they key to my success. Or maybe just laziness on my part?

doesn't sound like laziness at all sal, it sounds very wise to me

For all of the above I will go with eighteen. I would go higher with some, but I think eighteen is a fair age to be making such decisions, maybe lower with the driving. Wow I answered that one well huh....

you did. you did !. and you're getting into this now, i can tell ! go sal !

CrimeEducationHealthDrugsUnemployment

ok, starting with crime. way to go, world leader sal. you're a very compassionate person

Make promises I am bound to break....why change tradition

tee hee !. this gave me a laugh, sal. you're absolutely right, too

Sorry for my poor answers Mig!

sal !. there you go again being hard on yourself !. i won't have it !. all these people know more than me anyway !. those answers are way better than mine are going to be hehe. but that's why i do this ... to pick brains !. and your answers are always welcome

thankyou everyone so much

vanessa/mig XX

Abe Cubbage

on Aug 13, 2004

1/ what type of salary package and benefits will you be granting yourself ?

I would work for anonymous donations.

2/ what system of government do you plan to have ?

Dictatorship

3/ what will be your age of consent for each of the following: marriage, sex, drinking, voting, driving ?

Marriage: 21
Sex:16
Drinking and all other drugs: 21
Voting:21
Driving:18

4/ what will your initial top 5 priorities be ? (ie: health, peace, education, unemployment, drugs, etc)

1. Everyone would earn a living wage.
2. Victimless crimes would no longer be crimes.
3. The primary focus of prisons would be rehabilitation.
4. Basic universal health care.
5. No breeding until the age of 24.

5/ what will your very first action as our new world leader be ?

Decriminalize drugs.

Gideon MacLeish

on Aug 14, 2004

1/ what type of salary package and benefits will you be granting yourself ?

2/ what system of government do you plan to have ?

3/ what will be your age of consent for each of the following: marriage, sex, drinking, voting, driving ?

4/ what will your initial top 5 priorities be ? (ie: health, peace, education, unemployment, drugs, etc)

5/ what will your very first action as our new world leader be ?

1. the median world household income. If they can live on it, so should I.
2. Republic.
3. I think these are areas that the government should not be required to enforce, so I would leave them for individuals to decide for themselves.
4. a. education-I think opportunities in all areas stem from education or a lack thereof
b. unemployment-creating living wage job opportunities and/or teaching subsistence
c. health care
d. housing-I subscribe to the old Indian adage, expressed by Chief Sealth (Seattle) that man can no more own the land than he can the sea or sky, and would ensure that all individuals have access to land upon which they may be able to meet basic needs
e. global disarmament of all weapons of mass destruction
5. My first act would be to offer amnesty to all individuals convicted of "victimless" crimes.

mignuna

on Aug 14, 2004

I would work for anonymous donations.

wow, abe. that's a very trusting position to take !

Marriage: 21Sex:16Drinking and all other drugs: 21Voting:21Driving:18

it's funny, abe, the greatest differences we had this week were in the consent ages.

1. Everyone would earn a living wage.2. Victimless crimes would no longer be crimes.3. The primary focus of prisons would be rehabilitation.4. Basic universal health care.5. No breeding until the age of 24.

these are amazingly advanced priorities, abe. i like them

Decriminalize drugs

woo hoo ! let's party !

the median world household income. If they can live on it, so should I.

i agree with you, gideon. this would be my choice, too

Republic.

no hesitation there, gideon !

I think these are areas that the government should not be required to enforce, so I would leave them for individuals to decide for themselves

a very interesting twist, gideon. i like it !. i like it!.

a. education-I think opportunities in all areas stem from education or a lack thereof

agreed

unemployment-creating living wage job opportunities and/or teaching subsistence

excellent plans !. go, world leader, gideon !

man can no more own the land than he can the sea or sky, and would ensure that all individuals have access to land upon which they may be able to meet basic needs

thanks for adding this, gideon. i find it very appealing

My first act would be to offer amnesty to all individuals convicted of "victimless" crimes.

a very descisive first act, and a very noble one

thanks you guys

vanessa/mig XX

Pearlcaster

on Aug 16, 2004

1/ what type of salary package and benefits will you be granting yourself ?

None whatever. True leaders are not salaried. They take what they want, when they want it, in whatever form appeals to them most.

2/ what system of government do you plan to have?

None whatever. True leaders do not govern, they rule, and do so by dictat, without any of the tedious 'consultations' that characterise 'government'.

3/ what will be your age of consent for each of the following: marriage, sex, drinking, voting, driving?

None whatever. True leaders do not regulate those they lead. They leave them alone to deal with such utter trivia as they see fit - while they get on with the business of ruling.

4/ what will your initial top 5 priorities be ? (ie: health, peace, education, unemployment, drugs, etc)

1. The systematic eradication of 95% of the current human population of the world.
2. The colonization of the resultant free living space.
3. The total eradication of any opposition whatsoever to my will as world ruler.
4. The unmitigated exploitation of every natural resource in pursuit of the satisfaction of my desires.
5.The development of a realistic programme of space exploration/colonization to carry my will to the furthest reaches of the known universe.

5/ what will your very first action as our new world leader be?

The extermination of every person capable of posing a series of questions like these. If you have the imagination to pose such a series of questions you have the capability to imagine a world without me.

~~DivasRule~~

citahellion

on Aug 16, 2004

Mig, by "none" for drinking age, I meant no legal restriction on drinking. Now that I'm thinking about it further, though, perhaps I'd go with 16 there too. (Can't have the drinking age be above the sex age.

)

CareV

on Aug 16, 2004

Although I know it can seem lighthearted fun to muck around playing word games about being king of the world and such ....., how many of you when you flippantly speak of killing people recall that this is going on every day, yet we of the Fortunate few continue to ignore it and avert our eyes to more pleasurable visions. Instead of finding superficial humour in down trodden such as those who do not figure in anothers more powerful plan for existence and can have their lives destroyed at the whim of another or a life of prolonged agony with their spirit bound by anothers chains, why can we not all expend our energies on finding a solution. I beg of you all, use your words to make a better world...use your energy to help others as you would wish they'd help you if you were in need. We can make a difference. But it will take one and all.
Email

stevendedalus

on Aug 18, 2004

5/ what will your very first action as our new world leader be ?

Admit to the world Iraq was a quaint venture, but time to go!

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