Jay Somasundaram has been a Webdiary member for over two years. Now living in central Queensland, his interesting times have included race riots in Sri Lanka, construction management in Zambia and public policy development in New Zealand. He labels himself a lifelong learner and peripatetic browser. While he has commented periodically, this is his first contribution. Many thanks, Jay.

May we live in interesting times
by Jay Somasundaram

Both the social sciences and the physical sciences have advanced to a stage where we know how to solve the world’s problems. It’s claimed that both the Australian and US elections were for change. But, are we willing to change? The difficulty is not in finding solutions, but in getting agreement and then in implementing them. It is not that people are evil or stupid, but that we are not logical creatures. We have a lifetime of mental models stored in our brains, and any radical ideas that challenge them have little chance of making it to conscious thought. Even when they do, they will often be accompanied by the emotions of aversion, hatred or fear.

To achieve change we need to break down existing mental models. We do this by continually challenging existing models, at every opportunity and avenue. The financial crisis provides an opportunity, as people are more amenable to change in an environment of uncertainty. Let’s use it wisely.

The crisis itself is an example of how we create our own artificial reality. The fundamentals of our world are sound. Rather than fight the looming recession, we should learn to go with the flow - channel it rather than fight it. People are saving and paying off debt? It’s about time. We are worried about global warming? We’ve forgotten that reduce and reuse comes before recycle. Let’s produce and buy less. The carbon trading strategy is more about recycling than reducing.

What we don’t want in a depression is unemployment. A drop in profits, asset values and some drop in incomes will not cause starvation or homelessness in Australia. The world actually produces much more than is necessary to meet human needs, and cutting back somewhat, if done judiciously, will be a good thing, particularly for those of us with a prosperous waistline.

Society allows companies to operate to serve the public good. Companies use public services and we have special laws that give them certain privileges. We have the right to demand that companies meet their social obligations.

Some changes to ride the recession:

1. Tax companies that shed staff at 100% for the following three years (i.e. they can’t make profits). Companies can shed staff to ward off bankruptcy, but shouldn’t do so simply to increase/maintain profits.
2. All public, charitable and limited liability institutions must provide triple bottom line annual reporting. Let’s get the facts out in the open.
3. People earning more than thrice the average weekly wage job-share, working no more than 30 hours a week. Senior staff would therefore develop the skills of having an understudy that they mentor and build up, but also free them to develop a greater social and personal life. We start now to get the culture/skills embedded, and if unemployment really bites, we move the numbers further down.
4. The baby bonus is paid only after parents pass a test on parenting skills. Bonuses to those on welfare or pension will only be paid after they pass a test on personal budgeting. Subsequent bonuses will require a refresher and slightly more in-depth content. People can sit as often as they like, and the test is free.
5. Expand volunteer services programmes several-fold, with increased public subsidies. Encourage employers to promote and participate in such schemes. Both abroad and in remote Australian communities.
6. We replace Australian troops in Afghanistan and Iraq by paying the UN to bring in Muslim led peace-keepers (with Muslim majorities). If they cost less than our combat allowance, we may even have an initial net gain. Deploy the Australian troops to our own remote communities, to build infrastructure and sustainable industries. It’s essential training for future deployments of nation-building failed pacific states.
7. The best way for the government to rapidly increase Australia’s knowledge/skill level is to focus on accreditation rather than training. The government’s job is to assess and certify people as having a particular skill level, as neatly and cheaply as possible. The accreditation (and regular reaccreditation) must be done at arms length of interest groups (the professional associations, employers and trainers). Good accreditation is based on assessed skill rather than x hours of training or y years on the job. Give the student and the ‘market’ the freedom to decide how the skills are obtained – by self-study, a teaching institution, or on the job.
8. Legalise suicide, but with safeguards to ensure that it is a considered decision. It is not simply an economic issue. Criminalising suicide is arrogant, selfish and inhumane.
9. Claw back intellectual property rights. The public has given too much away to industry (mainly US industry) with regard to both patent and copyright duration.
10. Start developing and handing greater power over to a democratic UN – one with delegates elected directly by people, rather than by regimes. A UN with robust and independent legislative, executive and judiciary arms.

Each of these is a complex proposal. I have not elaborated on the subtleties. I certainly won’t have them all right. Nor is it likely that we will get them right in the first go. The real reasons for the current status quo are rarely acknowledged by those who make the decisions. By putting forward radical alternative solutions we will at least start debates that illuminate an understanding of the ideologies that drive the current status-quo, and who benefits from these ideologies.

I believe that in both Kevin and Obama, we have chosen well. They both appear honest and competent, and quite capable of realising the potential to be one of the heroes of the twenty first century. That is not say that they are or will be perfect. They are both new to their jobs. Nor are they incapable of slowly being corrupted. They are, ultimately, the servants of the public, and it is our duty to be good masters, as much as it is of good servants to manage their masters.