Strong Respect for Individual Sovereignty: Could it bring an end to invasions of one nation by another?

 Governments around the world are neglecting crucial issues—and in some cases, perpetrating horrific acts. I believe we could do far better by placing a deeper respect on individual sovereignty.

What would strong respect for individual sovereignty look like? For one thing, no one would be forced to support actions that violate their conscience. That principle should extend to how tax money is used.

We could offer taxpayers more latitude—allowing them to redirect their tax contributions away from harmful purposes, as long as they are instead funding alternatives that most people agree are better for society.

To identify those better alternatives, we might launch an open call for people to document the many ways individuals and organizations contribute to the public good. These mini-documentaries could be shared and evaluated through randomized A/B comparisons to find which are most informative, balanced, and inspiring. Over time, the highest-rated examples of public service would emerge.

Then, we could iteratively compare these top examples to understand what types of service are consistently seen as more valuable. The result would be a kind of “gradient map” showing which directions of spending are most widely respected.

If someone wants to withhold their support for harmful programs, this map would help guide them in redirecting their contribution toward public purposes that honor both their conscience and society’s shared values.

That’s what a more mature respect for individual sovereignty might look like.

gaiabrain.blogspot.com

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