Georgia Guide Stones
1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
This is a pipe dream. The current global population is about 7.2 billion, and we'll hit 8 billion by about 2025.
2. Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity.
There is no way to "guide reproduction wisely." The best we can hope for is for Medical science to continue to identify and cure human medical problems. As we learn more and more about DNA we are likely to see more genetic diseases cured. And expect to see totally genetically engineered babies fairly soon, I would guess.
3. Unite humanity with a living new language.
This is already happening. English is now the de facto global language. You can go just about anywhere on earth and you'll find English is everyone's second language (a lucky thing for us Americans).
4. Rule passion — faith — tradition — and all things with tempered reason.
This is an idealistic wish, but back in the real world humans will always be subject to emotions including destructive emotions like rage, and humans will always be subject to irrational ideas and passions. Its called human nature.
5. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
Again an idealistic wish. But human nature being what it is, some judges will inevitably be corrupt and some laws will inevitably be unfair and unjust and some rulers and governments will be unfair and despotic. It would be smarter to wish for divided government and democratic elections, where the power of the government is divided into multiple parts and is therefore limited and the power of courts is subject to review in higher courts, in the elected legislature, and ultimately in elections.
6. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
This is something that has already been agreed upon when countries join the UN and the world court system. However, just agreeing in principle is meaningless without some kind of enforcement mechanism and there is none. For instance, the Obama administration insisted for years that China's claims to the South China Sea should be adjudicated by an international tribunal, and the tribunal did rule against China, but that did nothing to stop China from seizing the whole of the South China Sea.
7. Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
Sure. Sounds good. Avoid them if you can.
8. Balance personal rights with social duties.
Now we've moved from the international and national legal realm to the personal realm. And on a personal level, I don't think you can "balance" personal rights with social duties. I think personal rights are paramount. Thats why the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution is so important---it spells out that Americans' have basic rights under the constitution.
Social duties come after rights. Yes, we all have social duties, but these are up to the individual to decide about and to do. I don't want the "Georgia Guide" or anything or anyone else telling me what I have to do as part of my social duties. I will decide what I think is important to support and I will allocate my money and my volunteer time as I decide I want to do.
9. Prize truth — beauty — love — seeking harmony with the infinite.
Floss your teeth and exercise and bathe daily and be nice to dogs and cats and small children and be respectful to elderly people and save for your retirement and wear clean clothes and make sure your car has insurance.
10. Be not a cancer on the earth — Leave room for nature.
The best way to be not a cancer on the earth is to get up at dawn and climb a mountain and do yoga on the mountain top as the sun rises over the slopes and ocean below you. Really---I just did that in Bali and it was very groovy, man. There was this bamboo pavilion that looked north all the way to Java and I felt so at one with nature and I was there with some young babes in their yoga pants who looked great doing the "downward dog" yoga pose and we were all there being one with nature and, for that one hour at sunrise, we were all very groovy as well.
Leaving room for nature is very groovy, man.
Cheers!