Nick Jackson

Consideration of What Could Be

Capitalism and the American Experiment under the modern Constitutional Republic have been highly successful in a variety of ways. In some ways, we got lucky, in others, the system and nature of it have served very well. That said, there are also glaring failures in a game that some have learned to play at the detriment of others in ways they were not supposed to over the last 250 years. The important thing is that we do not revisit failed systems and methods, but instead learn from our mistakes which will allow us to evolve our systems of governance into something better and more just for all. A system that is as flexible as the technological change that it fosters is paramount to success in this endeavor. Importantly, the technology now exists to implement true Democracy, where in the past it was impractical, it now stands to be a very practical solution to many modern issues, including inequality. Direct Informed Democracy is the evolution of Late Stage Capitalism’s lessons as experienced in the United States of America and embracement of modern technology in ways that suits a step in the direction of the perfection of governance.

Many today “don’t want to work” they say. The good news there is, we are approaching a time where due to technological advancement the choice to work or not will likely be one that everyone can make instead of a few. By ensuring that the benefits of AI, robotics, and other revolutionary technologies are distributed in an equitable manner through various mechanisms, we can push our society in that direction. Work should be a choice that one makes in order to make a contribution to their fellow man, and with the proper recognition and influence, many would make the choice to do so without the impetus for it being monetary reward.

Today, our elections are largely insecure, and abuse is rampant. We envision a future where this is not so much as the slightest concern. How? By ensuring that the systems are modernized, distributed in nature, and publicly auditable at all times while being tied to individual identity in a way that is technologically impossible to fake. Once this hurdle is overcome, the door to true Democracy is open. We intend to bring our country through that door to a future of prosperity for all who are willing to contribute. Blockchain technology will allow voting in the future to be incredibly secure and the results of votes instantly available to the entirety of the populace. With the internet and cellular technology, we can also ensure that everyone has the ability to vote whenever they like, on their terms, without even the slightest concern of fraud. Further, this will eliminate a lot of the abuse and corruption that plagues our system today.

Our Forefathers envisioned a system that was as close as they could get it to the everyman’s voice being heard. To true representation in their government’s decision-making process. The best way to accomplish that at the time was to find someone to represent you and cast your votes for you. They would travel to the Capital and speak, as well as vote, on your behalf, representing their constituency. It was a genius model for the time, and borrowed from the Republics of old in other parts of the world for it’s basis. However, they could not have envisioned the modern cellular phone, computer, the internet, or blockchain technology. These technologies, in unison, give us the opportunity to bring to fruition what our Founding Fathers couldn’t. We should do so soon, before we lose the opportunity forever.

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely”. This statement cannot be forgotten. It has reared it’s ugly head and held true all thorughout human history at every stage. How can we prevent it? Do not give it in the first place. Another thing our Forefathers did a very good job, for their time, of implementing mechanisms of avoidance for. However, given enough time, people find ways around things, and operate as teams. Today, our system’s checks and balances have failed us. Factually, we no longer need the same kinds of checks and balances in order to prevent the abuse of power, or consolidation of it. We can restructure our system in a manner that allows for the human condition to play into the betterment of conditions for all with properly aligned incentive structures encompassed by the ability for all to have their voice directly heard and their input to be considered and weighed on nearly any issue they like. The structure of this direct mechanism which will allow representation through direct participation being designed in a way that minimizes the prospect of mob rule and maximizes rational outcomes is important to consider.

Rationale:

The technology for true Democracy is now here, but if utilizing it, humanity must ensure that things cannot go the direction of mob rule and the many simply enriching themselves at the expense of the few who have been largely responsible for the construction of most of the things we take for granted. We must still encourage the builders and innovators to build and innovate, while ensuring that none are left behind as well. The coming wave of technological innovation will disrupt the nature of the economy that we have come to know for hundreds of years and turn it on it’s head if we are unprepared. Direct Informed Democracy serves as a way to be properly prepared for these changes to the way we live our lives without infringing on the existing incentive structures that we have come to know, and have been highly productive throughout the last century, with their benefits extending to all of humanity and the living standard in most of the world being raised significantly. By having strict, agreed upon boundaries to ensure that those participating in votes are informed enough to do so, panels determine the requirements and individuals are able to apply for voting rights on various issues. Some issues are for the entire populace. Others for certain age groups. Others yet, being more technical in nature, will be decided by those able to prove their credentialed enough to make reliable decisions on said technical matters. Votes will be categorized and scheduled with cutoffs and decisions reviewable by all shortly after completion.

This is a work in progress as a brief overview of what could be and will be posted on OurModernLiberty.com as a draft to be voted upon and edited by any willing to participate. The idea is to reconsider the last 250 years, the nature of Capitalism, it’s successes and failures and determine how we can do better, with input from any interested party. The reality is that Capitalism and the American experiment have been arguably the most successful economic system and form of governance humanity has ever embarked upon experimenting with, but as we live through late-stage Capitalism the drawbacks of a system some have learned to abuse and corrupt have become apparent and I see no reason we cannot come together as a people, put our differences aside and embark upon building something better and more equitable, without the possibility of the corruption, regulatory capture, and systemic failures that have become commonplace in American politics.

“Coalition for the Accelerated Advancement of Socially Helpful Enterprises”

This is a nonprofit I thought up years ago when I heard about the Georgia Guidestones and various theories in favor of reducing the world population or keeping it under certain limits, slowing the growth etc. It’s just a cop-out to shy away from meeting the issues that come with the human race growing head-on and addressing them. Why do we always seem to run from problems instead of finding solutions?

The thought process is that we have many technological solutions to a lot of the problems that come with an ever-expanding population, but many are limited by cost and issues associated with scaling. It’s interesting how China viewed their large population as a problem, tried to limit it, and then woke up to the fact that is was a precious resource to be leveraged. All they had to do was open up to economic freedoms, allow natural incentives to guide economic growth, and it allowed them to become the economic powerhouse that they have in a relatively short period of time.

I believe humanity as a whole will come to see the same in the future. More people means more minds, more solutions to problems and more advancement for all if the incentives are aligned and people are able to be educated. There are areas of the world where many, many people live in very high densities with comfort, who are happy. Technology can solve the problems that come with pollution, food insecurity, waste processing etc. Greed is typically the limiting factor, or cost, as most call it.

So, CAASHE was founded to offer incentives for emerging technologies, methods of scaling things that display value for facilitating population expansion, and to shift the discourse and perception regarding population expansion towards one of “how” instead of considering avoidance as a solution. Awards for things like scalable solutions for desalinization of seawater, urban farming methods, urban-design, ways to make typically inhospitable areas habitable, waste-processing methods etc. We plan to offer grants for milestones in technological innovation and awards for achievements in these areas as well as holding conferences where ideas may be shared and relationships made that could positively influence the future of humanity being one of abundance as opposed to stagnation.

What is truly important in life? Why are we here? Interesting questions that have been debated endlessly by philosophers all throughout history. Some say it’s really just what individuals want, what brings happiness to them (within the bounds of what the society they live in finds acceptable through the laws, regulations, and to an extent, social norms that have emerged). I’m largely in that camp, but it bothers me that today’s world seems to prioritize selfishness and accumulation at any cost over win-wins. Innately, most people gain a great deal of satisfaction from helping their fellow human being. A child typically wants to do good by their parents, imitate their behavior, and gain attention & praise. Often, it is only when this is lacking that they turn to negative behavior. An interesting Psychology Today article highlights compassion, not self-interest, as being our first instinct: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-it/201306/compassion-our-first-instinct In the modern world, driven by competition and economies that are centered, nearly worldwide, in the Capitalist mentality of self-interest, it’s interesting to consider psychologists’ views on the matter. Regardless of the innate drive or leaning, and it’s arguable, it’s odd that our society encourages the opposite mentality to be adopted.

Regardless of where modern psychology stands on the issue, even as a kid I wanted to provide value for others and make good money in the process. I thought it through, and figured that would allow me to live a good life in relative comfort, provide the same for my family, and be happy due to the fact that I brought an out-sized amount of value to others through building businesses around products and services that I would come up with, and help others do so by providing the needed capital and advice to others who had great ideas, but didn’t have the resources to pursue them. This desire to eventually start a Venture Capital firm came after a good deal of consideration. In thinking about it, it seemed to me I should learn what it’s like to do manual labor, to do sales, to work in the various positions that others would in the business(es) I would start, as one should practice what they preach. I will start and run a successful VC firm in due time.

You see, I had initially thought about being a surgeon, as my maternal grandfather was a pediatrician. He had a home on a small peninsula that juts out between two small bays of Lake George with my grandmother. That peninsula provided a great view of the majority of the lake, straddling the border of Indiana and Michigan. It’s a relatively quiet, rather small lake. My sisters, cousins and I would go out fishing on a steel boat with an outboard motor during summer vacations there and catch the abundant snapping turtles, sometimes frying Bluegill or Catfish for dinner. Dr. Keyes would explain how the circle of life at the lake functioned, the anatomy of the fish and turtles etc, to a wincing 5-year old me, as I didn’t like the sight of blood or seeing fish being skinned, but I understood it was an important lesson in the realities of the world we live in, and I had considered the fact that I’d be dealing with it a lot if I were to be a surgeon when I grew up. Dr. Keyes was full of wisdom, but somehow simultaneously, always joking. Sarcasm was the norm with him, and his level of patience for us was truly remarkable. I asked him about it once, and he simply explained that after dealing with kids at work all the time, our antics just didn’t really bother him, as he learned to block it out when he felt like it, plus he enjoyed getting to joke around and feel young again, anyway.

My paternal grandfather was a car dealer. He had worked at Ford Motor Company for decades, doing what he referred to as “calling on” dealers after originally being hired to manage punch cards for early computers, which he hated, but did for years after WWII and getting out of the Marines to pay the bills. He would travel around the country visiting with Ford dealers and looking over their business, informing them of new things the manufacturer was doing, and providing advice on behalf of the company that would help improve their business. This had allowed him to learn exactly how Ford intended for their dealerships to be run, and proved invaluable when a dealer that he had been close with became ill.

The guy had liked my grandfather and recalled him talking about how he would like to run a dealership of his own one day. So, he sat him down and asked him if he would like to buy his. He talked it over with my grandmother, they leveraged everything they could and took out loans to come up with the money. He had always lived frugally and saved, but it was still an outsize investment for them. Turns out the knowledge Ford had him distribute to dealers around the country was invaluable, and he went on to own dealerships from several other manufacturers. I discussed my ambitions to be a doctor with him, and I’ll never forget his response: “You could make a lot more money starting a business.” He didn’t understand! I thought, I wanted to make a lot of money, but I figured the money I could make from being a surgeon would be enough. I really was more interested in doing things to help people, and I didn’t see how running a business would allow me to help anybody or save lives. The more I thought about it, running businesses, building things (which I always enjoyed), actually could allow me to help people. In fact, the more I thought it through, it could allow me to help a lot more people than being a doctor would. I could make even more money, and help a lot more people in the process, if I were just to do it in certain ways. My mind was made up, I would eventually become an Entrepreneur. I thought about going to medical school and then proceeding to run my own surgical practice, but after his comment and further consideration, I felt it was too limiting. I never liked being stuck in any one thing for too long, and I figured being an entrepreneur would allow me to pivot, learn about, and build all kinds of different things that would solve problems and improve peoples’ lives.

While I was ready to take on the world as a kid, I went through the rebellious phase that many young men do. We’ll save those stories for another day. In my free time, I always loved computers, and being a bit of an introvert, spent a lot of time on my personal computer at home. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed going to parties and social events, I had a healthy number of friends, played golf, mowed lawns and shoveled snow after knocking on doors for clients to earn extra money etc, but I’ve always been obsessively curious. Wanting to understand exactly how things work, taking computers and appliances apart and putting them back together, drawing up ideas for products I wanted to make or business ventures I’d planned to pursue were common activities for me back in high school.

It’s interesting how time flies. In college I was running a small business painting houses and had started a fraternity chapter. I wound up graduating with an Associates Degree, took a break to work on some other projects, and then came back to school to finish my Bachelors Degree in Economics. In the years since, I’ve worked in sales in several fields, started a marketing consulting firm as well as selling renewable energy systems and home improvements centered upon improving energy efficiency and disaster-mitigation in partnership with multiple companies.

To come back to the point, does there need to be one? Many would say finding happiness, putting yourself in a situation that you are satisfied with is what matters in life. As I mentioned, to me it boils down to what motivates you and what you enjoy. To each their own, so to speak. I still have many things that I want to do with my life, but being in a field where I can help people to save some money and enjoy what is often their most valuable asset: their home, with their families and be protected from disasters like hurricanes is rewarding. I’ve always kept my ideas for products and businesses to myself in the past, but I am going to begin talking about some of them on this website. One that I am excited to announce is StartupProfit. I’ll be writing articles there regarding startups that I’ve analyzed and their potential for success, or failure. I figure it will be a good exercise for learning, building and utilizing some of the tools that will be useful as a VC down the road. Feel free to follow along, although none of it is investment advice!

Liberty, especially economic freedom, is central to the advancement of humanity as whole. There are ways that this can be objectively, quantitatively proven. While I will provide proof of this given a research project I’m doing, it’s already been proven throughout history in obvious manner. That said, a balancing act must be played. Some greed is good, but not all. It’s a double-edged sword, like so many things. So where should the line be drawn? That question must be answered by the many, not the few. Concentrations of power always lead to further concentration, and subsequently abuse of said power. In an authoritarian, communist state? There is no balance, just an act. They own everything at the tip of the top, while saying the people do. However, on the other end of the spectrum, in a Liberal Democratic, Capitalist state, abuses occur over time which lead to a concentration occurring over time through back-handed deception to pick the pockets of the poor and middle-class. But, our Representatice Democracy is supposed to keep those things from happening, so what happens? Things like Regulatory Capture, Crony Capitalism, Elite Capture, Institutional Entrenchment, and eventually some form of Oligarchy. The primary means of control that is utilized in our world is a soft form of power known as money. This world is run by money, by “value”, in almost every way. The only thing beyond that, is violence, or the threat of it. That isn’t necessarily a horrible thing, depending on the guardrails that are put into place.

So, how is Liberty central to the advancement of humanity? Look at the advancements that human beings have made throughout history. Times of freedom have ushered in prosperity and advancement repeatedly. Times and places where people are ruled with an iron fist, where they are not free to think and do as they please, advancement and prosperity languish along with people. I firmly believe that the best bet for securing the future survival of humanity is one of encouraging and embracing technological advancement as quickly as possible. Sure, we could have been like the Native Americans and lived in symbiosis with the land, but with population growth, there would end up being a collapse of species and habitats under that way of life if it never changed and you extrapolate it out over millenia. Now, technology does cause problems. Most things are not inherently good or bad, they are some mix of the two, and how we use them matters immensely. A car can be great for transportation, it can also be used to easily kill other human beings. Same goes for a knife. These amazing engines that power trucks, trains and factories but spew pollution provided us with a great boost in productivity and further advancement but the spectre of fossil fuels now appears poised to doom our planet.

Why do we not utilize and improve upon other technologies that don’t cause the same issues? Greed. Corporations hold too much power and want to keep the money flowing under their existing business model. Sure, they will change and adapt over time to new technologies, but only in a way that is profitable. That takes a long time. What solves this? Competition. The problem there is that regulatory capture has gone so deep that the very industries that are supposed to be regulated are controlling the regulators. Fossil fuels are just one example.

So how does that relate to Liberty? Well, power is shifting, a new type of governance has emerged and people haven’t really understood it. We tend to think that “The Government” is in charge, and they certainly are. However, what controls our government? A lot of it is controlled by multinational corporations now through lobbying, kick-backs, cushy jobs for favors, etc. Originally, our government’s master was The People. Now, it has become corporations. People have been largely turned into cattle in ways. Think about it. The endless entertainment, the never-ending news cycles, the fear-driven infighting. People talk about how the problems from Facebook, the attention economy, endless doom-scrolling, our education system being in shambles and bogged-down with things like policies on pronouns and other useless garbage, but the conversation never seems to go anywhere productive. There’s back and forth, some useless regulations are put into place, and everybody just starts talking about the next thing while we continue down the same path. These things do not lead to a well-educated populous, but rather drones who go to work, go home, consume media and bicker about some other group of people who they’ve been taught not to like. Of course it’s all coincidence, what else would it be? This is especially scary at a time where China is rapidly approaching being the new Superpower of the world. Guess what? Their population is largely cohesive, they are productive, they are well-educated, and united far more than ours. The way things are for us now is not that bad compared to the prospect of living under Communist rule. If you think that the CCP is planning to keep the degree of economic freedom that they’ve allowed for the last 50 years in place forever, you’re dreaming. The sad part and light at the end of the tunnel simultaneously regarding our government’s new master, is that the people do still hold the power.

Regardless, the solutions are fairly simple. The People still hold the power, if we were just to exercise it in cohesive fashion. People can still vote at every level but they get sucked into one of two parties that are on two sides of the same coin. If we had a wave of candidates who were not beholden to anyone, the tide could shift. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of hope for this. The progression of what has happened has just gone too far for too long. It takes another technological shift like the Industrial Revolution or the advent of computing and the internet and cohesive engagement of the populace to turn something like that around. The great thing about technology is that it can provide people with the ability to not rely on others as advancements are made, should they choose to accept it. Interestingly, we are at the precipice of one of these moments in history right now. We’ll see how the distribution of power plays out with the advent of AI and robotics becoming mainstream. We are in the swing of it now, and so far it isn’t as one-sided as I had feared. I hope it leads to a new wave of small-time Entrepreneurship and invention turning into big business, and the outlook there is bright. Otherwise China’s rise may eclipse us.

Ever applied for a job and had them ask you to take a “personality test”? I find these tests fascinating, and wonder if the personality traits that they ascribe to people, based on their answers to some questions, maintain throughout the years, or change. They say that IQ is fairly static throughout one’s lifetime. Are personality traits the same? Reading through these tests that I took years ago for a job selling home remodeling services, I doubt it. That said, some of it is actually very fitting, and I remember being surprised with the level of accuracy at the time! That said, it seems like some answers are going to end up being at least slightly biased when you take a test like that for a job. Maybe I’ll take another one that doesn’t have a “point” like getting a job behind it, to see if it turns out different and post that one.

Feel free to check out my reports:

Making a personal website is an idea that I’ve toyed with for years. Back in college, Facebook came along, so I figured I’d just use that. I tired of it pretty quickly. Being more of an introvert at heart, I’ve always tended to keep to myself. Not to mention, I can’t help but to remember the Kid-House Rock videos we watched in elementary school that taught us: “Knowledge is power!” It’s true! Oh how much things have changed since back then, the early days of the internet. I do like my privacy, but, I’ve decided it’s time to open up a bit.

I have things that I decided to accomplish a long, long time ago that I’m going to get back to working on. Having somewhere that people can get a general grasp of who I am, without needing to talk face-to-face, or go over a drab resume, could be useful! If nothing else, it’s got to be far more efficient.

As you can imagine, I’ll be posting about, well, myself. My opinions, personality, goals, dreams, hopes for the future of humanity etc. In many cases, what I’ve known and what I’ve shown have been two very different things. I intend to address some of that as well.