Hello,

I’m looking for feedback on the Tao of ACeS and on ideas for transitioning to a Post Scarcity Society.

I’d love to have a video call or at least discussion with people who can find some problems with my ideas and concepts regarding the Tao of ACeS.

At a minimum I hope you’ll have at least read this post. Ideally you’ll have also watched, listened to or at least read the Abundant Mars Podcast Episode 3 where I explain the Tao of ACeS 1, 2 and 3 in greater detail.

My aim is to create the next podcast episode on the Tao #4, 5, 6 by the end of the year and the final Tao some time in 2025.

Contact

Email: michael@abundantmars.com

Bluesky: @abundantmars.com

Twitter: @marsAbundant

Facebook: abundantmars

Instagram: @marsAbundant

Context

I’m Michael Kubler and I run the Abundant Mars podcast, talking about transitioning to an Abundance Centered Society (Moneyless, Post Scarcity Society).

The Tao (core tenets) of an Abundance Centered Society are:

  1. Have an Abundance Mindset – Creating abundance through Cradle to Cradle, systems design, Access Abundance, and Automation.
  2. Be Responsibility Based – You should look after the systems that support you and your fellows.
  3. Aim for a Reduction Target – Try to reduce needless violence, waste and stratification.
  4. Use the Scientific Method – We want to pursue abundant knowledge, but apply it ethically/
  5. Expect in Dynamic Equilibrium – We should expect change, just as our Universe is always changing.
  6. Transition towards Dataism – With enough data we can have previous examples to go on, and select the best course of action, even if it goes against our instincts and emotions. This is the next stage beyond Humanism.
  7. Be Integral – This is about understanding yourself and how to reason, in order to increase your personal sensemaking. This includes psychometric profiling systems like the OCEAN model and Spiral Dynamics Integral.
  8. Be in the Intelligence Quadrant – Try to be in the intelligence quadrant, where you do things that are good for you and for good others.
  9. Use Collective Sense making – This is about taking your perspectives and merging them with others to better understand an issue. It’s also about trying to expand empathy towards all living beings.
  10. Use Collective Decision Making – This is about selecting the best decision making framework and synthesising the best decisions given the constraints.
  11. Add Your Own – 11 and 12 are bonus Tao’s for you to work out, either individually or collectively in the future.

Episode 3 goes into more detail and you can:

Existing Feedback

I asked Notebook LLM to analyse my notes on the Tao of ACeS and it mostly regurgitated my existing concerns.

Potential Issues with the Tao of ACeS

The sources highlight several potential issues with the Tao of ACeS, a set of principles for an Abundance Centered Society (ACeS):

  • Difficulty in Implementation: Transitioning from a capitalist system to an ACeS, particularly on Earth, will require a substantial cultural shift and overcoming significant inertia. People are accustomed to existing norms, politics, and institutions, making widespread adoption a slow and challenging process [1, 2].
  • Vagueness and Quantification: Some Tao principles, such as “Responsibility Based,” are somewhat vague and challenging to quantify [3]. This ambiguity can make it difficult to assess individual contributions or determine if someone is adequately fulfilling their responsibilities. While this makes it hard to game the system, it also complicates evaluation and accountability.
  • Potential for Extreme Interpretation: The focus on “Reduction Target” could lead to extreme interpretations where individuals strive for zero waste, stratification, or violence, even when such absolutes are impractical or detrimental [4]. Some waste is inevitable due to entropy, stratification can arise from natural variations in skills and contributions, and eliminating all forms of violence could stifle necessary growth and adaptation.
  • Over-Optimization and Unforeseen Consequences: Focusing too heavily on specific metrics, such as reducing waste, could lead to the neglect of other essential factors. Goodhart’s Law states that “when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure,” highlighting the risk of over-optimization and unintended consequences [4]. For example, an intense focus on material waste reduction might lead to increased energy consumption or labor requirements.
  • Addressing Freeloaders: An ACeS with advanced automation and reduced work requirements may lead to individuals perceived as freeloaders, even if they are actively engaged in personal development or contributing in non-traditional ways [3]. While this is not inherently problematic, humans have a natural tendency to identify and challenge those perceived as not contributing, potentially creating social tension.
  • Dataism Concerns: While “Dataism” promotes data-driven decision-making, relying solely on algorithms raises ethical concerns about accountability, transparency, and potential biases [5]. Concentrating data control within a few entities could also lead to privacy violations, surveillance, and inequality.
  • The Need for Continuous Adaptation: The “Dynamic Equilibrium” principle emphasizes the inevitability of change, implying that the Tao of ACeS must continuously adapt to new challenges and knowledge [6]. This requires a flexible and iterative approach, recognizing that no set of principles can remain static in a constantly evolving world.
  • Selecting the Right People: Establishing a successful ACeS on Mars will require careful selection of individuals who are physically and mentally fit, possess essential skills, and demonstrate psychological stability [7]. Filtering out those with potential for harm is crucial, especially in the high-stakes environment of a Martian colony. However, even with rigorous screening, unforeseen circumstances or personal changes could still pose risks [8].

The sources acknowledge these challenges, emphasizing the need for ongoing discussion, experimentation, and refinement of the Tao of ACeS [9, 10]. This iterative approach recognizes that building a truly Abundance Centered Society is an ongoing process, requiring critical thinking, adaptation, and collective learning.

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