In Robert Heinlein’s novel “Farnham’s Freehold”, the protagonists accidentally end up in a very technologically advanced feudal society that depends on a drug called “Happiness” to control things and keep social classes rigidly separated. The hypothesis of this question: the drug is a pleasant tasting drink you take...
First, I think we should consider the question from two angles. First is if I’d take it if I was a character in the story, and second is whether I’d take it as the person I am now.
If I grew up in the story, yes, I think I would almost certainly take it, because I’d start taking it in my youth, and if I grew up in those circumstances those would be my social norms. Just like how most of us grow up accepting things like sweatshop labor, factory farmed meat, and produce picked by exploited migrants. Really, without some system to challenge these things, not doing them is almost inconceivable.
Now, if I were suddenly in that world? It would depend on what my options are. I’d like to advocate for political equality. I’m assuming that the drug demotivates me from advocating for such things. If so, I think I’d resist taking it for some time to get a sense for how things are, then I’d try it for context, and make an informed decision.
I’m from Pittsburgh, PA, and the last time I visited my Mom was telling me that they’re going to replace the airport.
She said that they’re going to build an entirely new airport just next to where the current Pittsburgh International Airport is. Likely a smaller one, since we have less traffic now than we did when the current one was built. Then they’ll just bulldoze the existing airport, I assume.
I asked her how much better spent that money would be to just make a train that takes people from our distant airport into the downtown. It’s just nuts.
The sidewalks are really dangerous where I am, where they are super uneven, have “artistic” curves, and trees that are overhanging really low so like will hit my body....
Not only do I agree on the basis of everyone’s safety, but I WANT to see crowded bike lanes. Because eventually, I’d like bike lanes to replace cars, and outgrowing infrastructure is a basic part of expanding and changing it.
Robert Heinlein's idea of the perfect crowd control drug- would you take Happiness daily?
In Robert Heinlein’s novel “Farnham’s Freehold”, the protagonists accidentally end up in a very technologically advanced feudal society that depends on a drug called “Happiness” to control things and keep social classes rigidly separated. The hypothesis of this question: the drug is a pleasant tasting drink you take...
Des Moines Airport is Building New Terminal (www.kcci.com)
They are spending 445 million USD on this....
Bike Riders of lemmy, you okay with me riding my eScooter in the bike lane?
The sidewalks are really dangerous where I am, where they are super uneven, have “artistic” curves, and trees that are overhanging really low so like will hit my body....