For people

How would you design the city of the future?

You did ask.

Small enclaves.

Beautiful housing for all.

Shops and restaurants in every area.

Lots of walking paths.

No high rises.

Community cars. Public transport.

Lots of garden areas.

Play areas for children, spaces for teenagers.

Lots of entertainment for everyone.

Live music on weekend afternoons and early evening; comedians on stage. Tons of entertainment that doesn’t cost hundreds for a seat.

Book shops!

Only local shops all unique, including clothes.

Libraries as centres to gather.

Small schools. No universities, private, or grammar schools/academies. An education system that properly identifies the strengths of each student and trains them until they’re fully qualified to provide something to society.

No one works, everyone gives time.

Meditation and relaxation centres, taught from kindergarten, compulsory. Everyone to have one hour during the day to relax and unwind. No working people to death. 9-5 4 days a week maximum.

Communal kitchens where people can pop in and grab something to eat, always have someone to talk to.

One law, kindness. Do not break that law.

I would have sensors everywhere. If they picked up anger the levels would be monitored. No cameras, no spying. If it became too extreme or violence broke out the sensors would pump out relaxing scents designed to calm. Then the community support would go to the scene, ensure all was well, and if necessary separate people and sort it out.

Being imprisoned would be awful. Very uncomfortable. Computer controlled. Robots. But there would be a huge focus on rehabilitation. No softness though. Crime would be an abomination, pure and simple.

The news would have to be truthful or that prison awaits! On the remote island where you receive no visitors whatsoever and are thoroughly and constantly reminded of the pain you’ve caused your family! Faking news to sell is a disgusting crime.

No social media. Social interaction and connection. It makes it much harder to insult someone if you have to do it to their face, and probably we’ll be less violent when others become a real thing again.

Where your words will be noted and acted on. You will have to face the outcome. Which could be a year confined to home alone. No computers or phones. No external communication. You’re free when you grow up and find respect.

People with mental illnesses would live separately in a beautiful enclave with lovely gardens, things to do, and plenty of support. Ditto the elderly. But I would hope that wider, closer communities, would take care of the elderly and vulnerable as a matter of course.

Food would be so good, locally grown, and healthy, no poison sprays used, that’s what sealed greenhouses are for, to prevent pests.

All animals would be treated humanely or you won’t be. Meat would be manufactured to taste the same but be good for you. Sugar would only appear where it makes sense, not in bread! Bread would go off in three days but sold in smaller batches to avoid waste. Packaging would be minimised by local shopping.

Money? Why? You give your four days a week, you’re given what you need. Simple. Need not want. Simple items of clothing for relaxation and work, glam stuff as necessary. Perhaps returned after use to be reused. After the third use it’s available to take home.

In other words a community that takes the focus off money, off pointless degrees, off intelligence, off stuff. Allowing each other to be. Knowing each other and wondering why having social media disconnections used to be a thing. Or that skin colour was ever more than gift wrap. Or that being a different gender ever needed discussing.

Instead equality, respect, bringing out the best in others, providing for each other, caring for each other.

I think I would call the first community Southport.

You’re in my heart guys and stand as an amazing example that these things are alive and well, and living in Southport. 💖

Thoughtful Thursday

Deb xx

Yes I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.