Small Islands

What chance do you get to have your say on how things are run in your country, one vote every four or five years? We can voice our opinions and hope that those in charge will take heed of what we have to say. Aside from that there is little most can do. Those in a minority camp so often find themselves out voted in every election. They therefore have to either make do or get involved somehow in the political process to see any changes made in their favour. People that do get involved find themselves in endless meetings trying to get agreement. However, they are hindered by so many people having different ideas and the need to cater to the wide variety of demands of so many disparate people. The more attending the meeting the more you spot falling asleep. Endless intricacies of what to do are debated. Would it not be simpler on a small island without the sheer number of things to consider? This was what Ben put to three good friends, convincing them that a new start on their terms was possible. Hence the day came where four people left the modern world to embark upon a new life on an isolated island, looking to build something utopia-esque. Their chances may be slim, but optimism pervades. They now feel empowered to get things moving along in the direction of their pleasing.

As soon as they arrive, they all sit by the campfire and start discussing the details and planning what sort of community they are going to build.

Ben is always looking ahead, driven to try to find new ways of doing things, clutching to the concept of continuous improvement. Unlike Dave who likes to live by the day. Dave will only do things when it is absolutely necessary or to stop Claudia and Racheal nagging. Ben has these visions of not only getting lots of things off the ground but ensuring everything is as good as it can be with the limited resources available. They want their children to benefit from all their hard work. Dave feels that although there is an expectation that future generations won’t have to make the same sacrifices, it will always be the next generation that benefits and never this one. Besides aspirations change and new problems replace old ones.

They debate the idea of a democracy, but Ben wants the problem of someone being regularly outvoted addressed. They are prone to major rancour and upset regarding some key issues with some becoming marginalised and pushed aside. There will always be the potential for three to override the concerns of the fourth. Despite the trap of too much talking and not enough doing, Ben still likes the notion of all sitting down and working things through thereby getting agreement for everything of importance and everything trivial. So much for coming here to get away from long winded meetings. Racheal has seen this sort of thing before, working in organisations that have practices akin to this, with the aim of trying to keep everyone happy and discovered that the only thing that got done was a lot of talking. It is a nice virtuous idea in principle but rarely works for long in practice. Having one person in charge, preferably in turns, at least gets things done even if it is like a sailing boat tacking wildly from side to side but making headway. One person moves it ahead and to the left, the next also ahead but to the right as well.

The one thing they do not want to see is some kind of hipocracy. Claudia has witnessed first-hand those that encourage others to forfeit things and undergo pain but live an elevated life themselves. Claudia also has the benefit of a religious upbringing and therefore can bring a lot of its messages to the table. However, the rest feel that whilst these messages have resonance in any day and age, a state can be founded on equivalent high morals without reference to any superior being - being the one providing guidance. They all agree that if any kind of dictatorship emerges, then it will be time limited as this metaphorically speaking reduces the risk of tacking so far and for so long sideways that the boat hits the rocks.

A democracy is often considered to be the least worst option. A theocracy here is a potential but not enthusiastically endorsed by all, so they agree to appoint a chairperson to oversee a pragmatocracy. The chairman has a specific role in eliciting as much agreement as possible. It takes restraint and skill to get the group to come to decisions rather than be the one to decide everything. They ensure all get to speak, allow only one person at a time to make their case in a timely fashion. The chairman would ask a lot rather than say a lot.

When votes are needed, they take the form of black stones handed out equally. People can use them on an issue or hold back and use lots on something that they have bigger concerns about. So long as a majority is cast, in this case 3 or more stones, then the motion is approved.

The riff-raff can be excluded by presenting the issues in a convoluted complex way rather than in plain simple terms. All four will have to be on their toes looking out for some clever mind games that pushes one or two out and eliminates their share of involvement in the running of the island; People voting to avoid too much friction, rather than being fully conversant with the motions put forward.

The fly on the wall is keen to see if some form of community-ism manifests itself with everyone mucking in for the good, the benefit of everyone or whether as time passes more effort is spent on individual advancement. The fly has seen it all and can’t recollect witnessing a movement that has no downsides. The more intense the capital system, the more it brings about a dog-eat-dog mentality with ever increasing pressure to move ahead and no time or proper consideration for the weaker less able members. People there feel a failure if not doing super wonderful things. Then it saw the farcical pretence that people are really willing to work for the greater good and remain truly contented in their own lives. The fly lies dormant until a hopeful passes and maggots its way from inside to out, consuming the bulk of any that are buried. The fly’s children, then seek new spots in hope of fulfilling the dream of their ancestors, which is to find a place with a balance so elegant that no more dirty work of meddling is needed, but expects it to be fragile, guaranteeing it won’t last long.


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